to emphasize the importance of the longest side facing the road.
The architect's answer was a five- storey building comprising four almost cubical volumes in a terrace, with successive setbacks. This layout provides а good and balanced volumetrical positioning in the trian- gular site and allows every flat to have four walls facing the exterior.
The solar exposure and the prevail- ing winds constitute one of the plan- ning bases not only in Southern Europe's architecture (and conse- quently a traditional point in the Mediterranean character of Por- tuguese architecture) but also in ter- ritories with a tropical or almost tro- pical climate as in the case of Macau.
With these factors in mind, the buildings were planned to provide a good solar exposure in winter and efficient protection in summer. The lower building, being in the southern part of the site does not obstruct the summer breezes and winter sun from the higher building. On the other hand, the higher building placed on the northern side does not reduce sunlight on the smaller block and provides a good "shield" against winter winds Although determined by climate considerations, this layout of the buildings also provides, with the setbacks and recesses, an open space to give greater privacy to the buildings in relation to the road.
Description
The five-storey building consists of two groups of ten flats with inde- pendent access. Each group of flats (flats type A and B, flats C and D) has a common staircase located in the corner.
The internal organization of the flats was planned in accordance with continental tradition with the crea- tion of three different zones or "nuclei" correlated and interdepen- dent. The first zone is the "living and dining zone" at close reach from the entrance and from the
kitchen.
The "servicing zone" comprises
T
West elevation. The almost complete absence of windows on this side of the building is to prevent excessive heat and exposure to the sun--particularly intense on summer afternoons
the kitchen and servant's quarters and is also located near to the en- trance and to the living and dining zone. Finally the "intimate zone with bedrooms and bath, is a self- contained nucleus enjoying more privacy from the "life" of the other
zones.
All living rooms and bedrooms face south and east. Only the types A and C flats have one interior com- partment the servant's bathroom which is ventilated by means of a chimney, in accordance with Portu- guese sanitary regulations.
Ten-Storey building
are
In the ten-storey block the interior organization is identical to the smal- ler building. It differs only in the transversal positioning of the build- ing, although the different compart- ments and rooms
similarly orientated.
The vertical accesses comprise a staircase and lift for eight passengers. To reduce costs the lift stops are located half way between floors i.e., a stop at the stair landing between the 2nd and 3rd floors, 4th and 5th,
Main facade (east elevation), facing the street
Far East Architect & Builder April, 1965
IO STOREY BLOCK
OF APARTMENTS
(20 FLATS)
3 STOREY BLOCK
OF APARTMENTS
DE
PROPOSED
NEW
STREET
BLOCK PLAN
$ C A
E L
JA
NIFT.
6th and 7th and 8th and 9th. In this way all floors are served with only five stops and access to the lift is gained by walking up or down a flight of stairs with nine steps.
The building has a water tank at the top of the stairwell, supplying all the flats by gravity. There is also a refuse chute located in the servicing balcony near to the kitchens, with a storage (external and independent from the building) at ground level.
The materials used are the com- mon ones and, again for economical reasons, no place was found for luxury finishes.
This situation is typical in Macau where the tendency is towards low cost investments. Unlike Hong Kong, the real estate business in Macau is more concerned with meeting the demand for low cost flats. The general rule is "build cheap to sell cheap".
These two buildings fall within this local business policy and it is interesting to note that the ten-storey building was sold for 800,000 patacas
53