Theatre Catalog (1949-50)

u Person a second, or sixty persons a minute. 100 persons can, therefore, pass through the doorway in 1 minute and 40 seconds. Thus, a theatre complying with this requirement should, under reasonably favorable conditions, be emptied in less than two minutes, or if half of the exits were blocked, it could be emptied in less than four minutes. This requirement is reasonable, and it is gratifying to feel that an audience may be exited so quickly. It points to the fact that, as fo safety of the audience, we are interested principally in the first few minutes of the fire. From then on the problem becomes one of damage to property only. Stage Performances A number of theatre codes classify theatres based upon the nature of stage performances held, or upon the kind of Stage. At one extreme, we have the Straight motion picture theatre without Stage or platform and, at the other extreme, the theatre equipped with full stage suitable for dramatic or operatic performances. Codes have defined the dividing point between different classifications with varying degrees of success. It is very difficult to define exactly what constitutes a stage and what constitutes a stage performance. Does the appearance of a soloist on the stage change the classification? If not, does a quartette do so? If not, does a stage hand, and so on. Exit Facilities: Seats Places of Assembly with fixed seats, such as motion picture theatres, provide the greatest safety. Fixed seats guide the assemblage to aisles and prevent blocking of aisles and exits. In places with loose seats, particularly when fastened together in banks, the seats, immediately upon occurrence of an emergency, may be thrown into disorder and seriously impede progress or block exits. The same thing is true of an assembly gathered about tables and chairs. An unseated assembly may be worst of all, because the possibility of a simultaneous rush to the exits. Interior vs. Exterior Stairways In some recent deliberations it has been proposed that outside stairways or fire escapes be prohibited. While we hold no brief for some of the older types of outside fire escapes, and ladders, we believe that, for theatre emergency exit purposes, a well-constructed metal stairway with standard treads and risers, installed on the outside of a theatre, is in most respects preferable to an enclosed stairway. Emergency Lighting Systems Modern codes provide for a reserve lighting system for use in case of failure of the normal lighting system. This equipment may mean a separate additional system of wiring and lights, or a reserve source of electrical power, or Here there is a field for research to develop improved systems. Surprisingly satisfactory illumination of an auditorium can be obtained by means of only a few flood lights operated by storage batteries and strategically placed, either 56 located at the booth and directed on the screen, where reflected light produces the illumination, or by lights located on stage and at other suitable points. Exit Lights Exit lights and signs are required by all codes, and a secondary source of current supply is usually necessary. Size of letters, color, degree of illumination, current supply, etc., are prescribed. Usually the required candle power of lights in exit signs is unnecessarily high, and again, research should result in a reasonable standard on which there could be general agreement. It is often proposed that green be substituted for red in exit lights, inasmuch as green denotes safety. People have, however, become so accustomed to red lights on exits that it seems dangerous to make the change to green. Doors The permissible width of exit doors is usually a minimum of 36 inches and a maximum of 44 inches. Obviously, doors are required to swing outward, or in the direction of exit travel. They are required to be equipped, except for the main entrance doors, with panic-type hardware. Lighting Standards Codes usually provide for certain standards of illumination. There is one standard for the auditorium and another for passageways and other exitways. There is a wide discrepancy in the degree of illumination required by different codes, most codes requiring unnecessary brightness. There is in this field an opportunity for theatre operators by suitable research to determine the necessary standards of brightness in foot-candles in various parts of the theatre. This research should also extend to uniform distribution of light, particularly on stairways of steps, effect of color, both in carpets and lights, and many other technical questions connected with illumination. Fireproof Construction vs. Fire Resistance There are two factors which may determine the necessary degree of fireresistant construction for a motion picture theatre. The first is its part in the community. If all buildings in a certain zone are required by the code to meet certain fireresistant standards, in order to prevent conflagration, then, of course, the theatre building should conform to these general standards. From the viewpoint of safety to life alone it is not necessary that the building be of fireproof construction. We have shown elsewhere that the theatre may be exited in a few minutes, and, therefore, whether the building is of one-hour, two-hour or three-hour construction has no significance. Research Many provisions of existing codes are, as we have shown, based upon tradition. They are carried along from one code to another and, have never actually been no data upon which it can justify them, tested. The code-making authority has and the theatre operator has no data with which he can, if necessary, contest them. Jt would be most desirable for the industrv to do a certain amount of research and carry out extensive tests and exveriments to determine the necessity for. or the effectiveness of, certain provisions, the value of which is in doubt. BUILDING CODES that applied to the construction of the Tremont, Boston, Mass., in 1889, could rot Pre-conceive the advancements in building technique and fireproof materials that would take place during the ensuine 60-odd years. Unfortunately some of these same codes with only slight modifications (Photo courtesy of William Riseman Associates) are in existence today.