A Work of Art

State-of-the-art fire protection installed at Nasher Museum, Circus Museum

Located on the campus of Duke University, the Nasher Museum of Art displays a growing collection of modern and contemporary art. With an exhibition space of more 65,000 square feet it is one of the most important university are museums in the country.

The late Raymond Nasher contributed funds for construction, and his other namesake museum, the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, routinely lends the Nasher Museum monumental sculptures, including works by Calder, Caro and Dubuffet. Detection and control capabilities sensitive enough to detect a fire before it damages priceless works of art with soot and smoke contamination is paramount, even if they are not harmed by the fire’s flames.

The critical mission was to protect a Rafael Viñoly-designed building, comprised of three extensive gallery spaces, classrooms and other rooms that lead to an outdoor seating area that overlooks the museum’s sculpture gardens.

Another opportunity availed itself when the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art’s Tibbals Learning Center needed similar protection. The center, a 30,600-square-foot space, showcases the work of Howard Tibbals, who meticulously detailed a 1/16th lifesize model of the circus’ big tents and all that is found inside.

Even though it’s a miniature model, it truly is a national treasure, and discreet fire protection was needed to deliver the highest quality performance without stealing the show.

Rapid Response
Fenwal Protection Systems professionals were called to design and install an integrated fire protection system. At the top of their list, the FenwalNET™ 2000 control unit was deployed, along with the AnaLASER® II high-sensitivity smoke detection system. The combination offered fast, effective fire detection and control necessary to protect the high-dollar assets.

The fenwalNET 2000 offers rapid response to initiating signals, as well as a poll-and-respond communiqué that initiates only after the control unit makes the alarm decision. This allows program interface to system menus, the upload and download of system configuration data and system testing from a laptop.

The Nasher Museum’s great hall, with 40-foot-high beams supporting a glass-and-steel roof, posed a challenging environment for the AnaLASER system.

“The AnaLASER system is extremely sensitive, and that’s important for early detection,” said Kenneth E. Dodson, facilities manager at the Nasher Museum. “We worry about fire, of course, but also air quality in general. The system helps us protect artwork from dust and airborne contaminants.”

The ceiling areas within the museum, such as gallery spaces, were ideal for the AnaLASER II because the challenges of smoke stratification and detector maintenance are not met by conventional smoke detectors. The system can be mounted on the floor for ease of maintenance. The thought process behind the installation was to detect fire in its incipient state, delivering the earliest warning to an impending fire.

Hidden Protection
Upon review of a hazard analysis, the staff at the Tibbals Learning Center specified the Fenwal FM-200® system because it was able to discharge at a lower mass flow rate. This would minimize the increase of pressure within the glass enclosures and reduce the risk of damaging displays just in case there was a discharge event.

“The Ringling Museum takes pride in protecting their collections,” said Mitchell Ladewski, the museum’s safety and security coordinator. “Protecting the unique objects, including the miniature circus, in the Tibbals Learning Center required thoughtful and careful planning to select the most up-to-date, cost-efficient and effective security systems that did not interfere with the visitor’s experience.”

As with any valuable collection, these are treasures that need intricate protection. Borrell Fire Systems design manager Don Jordan said the museum made the right choice with the FM200 fire suppression system because it is not only environmentally friendly, but has excellent fire extinguishing capabilities. The design is based on hidden containers placed around the exhibit with nozzles and air-sampling detectors painted to match the clouds, providing discreet protection, including a low turbulent discharge to keep the pristine model intact.

“The miniature circus in the Tibbals Learning Center is one of the many treasures at the Ringling estate,” said Deborah Walk, Tibbals curator of the Circus Museum and of historical documents. “We take great pride in protecting our collections so visitors will be able to enjoy them for generations to come.”

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.