His interpretation is #1. In my ignorance of FP, I'm trying to apply logic to the situation and I was thinking that since the lower sprinklers will cover the entire floorspace and the area above the ceiling is noncombustable that there wouldn't be a good reason to have sprinklers above. And...
Sorry, yes, the existing ceiling (just the deck of the next floor) is concrete/steel.
There are two "cloud" heights: 11' and 12'6" and the deck above is 14', so the gaps are about 3' and 18".
Here's a picture of the space. The elevation in the previous pic is looking toward the wall to the right. Btw, the space is being converted to one large open office (with the exception of the two little offices shown)...
Hope you don't mind the piggyback, but I have another drop-ceiling question...
The building is fully sprinklered and the space is currently empty and without a drop ceiling. A FLOATING ceiling is being added, meaning it is a drop ceiling where the edges of the drop ceiling don't meet the...