Common balcony
A balcony is: ‘An external platform at an upper floor level with a balustrade to the open sides projecting from or recessed from an external wall and including in this definition generally accessible rooftop terraces and galleries and loggia.’ Ref International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS): Residential Buildings, published by the International Property Measurement Standards Coalition (IPMSC) in September 2016.
Approved document B, Fire Safety, Volume 2, Buildings other than dwellinghouses (2019 edition), defines a common balcony as:
‘A walkway, open to the air on one or more sides, that forms part of the escape route from more than one flat.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Balcony.
- Building evacuation.
- Common area.
- Common facilities.
- Common stair.
- Escape route.
- Evacuating vulnerable and dependent people from buildings in an emergency FB 52.
- Exit passageway.
- Fire door.
- Firefighting route.
- Means of escape.
- Protected escape route.
- Protected stairway.
- Storey exit.
- Unprotected escape route.
- Vomitory.
- Width of doors stairs and escape routes.
Featured articles and news
A safe energy transition – ECA launches a new Charter
Practical policy actions to speed up low carbon adoption while maintaining installation safety and competency.
Frank Duffy: Researcher and Practitioner
Reflections on achievements and relevance to the wider research and practice communities.
The 2026 Compliance Landscape: Fire doors
Why 'Business as Usual' is a Liability.
Cutting construction carbon footprint by caring for soil
Is construction neglecting one of the planet’s most powerful carbon stores and one of our greatest natural climate allies.
ARCHITECTURE: How's it progressing?
Archiblogger posing questions of a historical and contextual nature.
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.