load of the building deserved bringing to the attention of members of the architectural profession in Hong Kong.
The principles involved in the causes of settlement were well known and the effects could have been pre- dicted before any construction took place. "The respon- sibility for excessive settlements must rest with the ar- chitect," he states.
ENGINEERS DISAGREE
Violent disagreement with some of the conclusions drawn in the report has been expressed by two leading engineers in the Colony. One, Mr. K. T. Philcox, said that the statement that grouting was useless was "dogma- tic" and "ignores evidence from other parts of the world".
On settlement being the responsibility of the architect, he said; "An architect, by reason of his background and training, is not in a position to deal with foundation pro- blems". Foundations could only be dealt with by the well trained and experienced civil engineer.
BIG LAND SURVEY
THE Malaysian Central Government has commissioned two foreign firms to carry out a comprehensive survey for a broad-based planning of the 150,000-acre Jengka Triangle land development scheme in Central Pahang.
The World Bank is to help finance the foreign ex- change costs of the survey estimated at US$507,000
and the Government will bear the local costs. The two firms are Tippets-Abbet-McCarthy-Stratton of New York and Hunting Technical Services of London.
The survey, to start soon, is expected to be com- pleted in 18 months. It will include an aerial survey of the entire area, town planning and general economic recommendations.
A Government statement announcing the survey said: "There will be provision for community facilities, including townships and processing industries based on the agricultural product to be developed and on the economic utilisation of the indigenous forest resources."
FIRM GETS HK$30 M. CONTRACTS
Two contracts worth a total of HK$30 million have been won by Gammon (Hong Kong) Ltd. The largest, worth $23 million, is for site formation and reclamation for the proposed power station to be built on Tsing Yi Island for the Peninsular Electric Power Co., Ltd. (PEPCO). The second is a $7 million contract for the piling and substructure of Fu Centre, a shops and offices develop- ment on the corner of Murray Road and Connaught Road Central.
The Tsing Yi power station scheme was announced last month by PEPCO (see page 71). It is subject to Government approval, but Gammon hope to start work in October on the site forma- tion. The contract includes the reclamation of an area covering more than 3 mil- lion sq. ft. and the con- struction of a sea wall, which will take about 18 months to complete.
Fu Centre, when finish- ed, will be the tallest build- ing in Hong Kong. It will have two basement floors and 30 storeys above ground. A nine-storey square podium will be surmounted by a tower, cross-shaped on plan. The architects are Eric Cumine, with Mr. William Ling as architect in charge.
Almost 1,000 concrete piles are to be sunk on the site, and Gammon will start work immediately.
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الأبد
Fu Centre
SINGAPORE TOWER BLOCK
MULTIPLE business and tourist facilities are to be pro- vided in an 18-storey tower block development to be built on a one-acre site at the junction of Sungei Road and Jalan Besar, Singapore.
Construction is expected to year and be completed in 1967. being finalised, but the scheme authority approval.
start at the end of the Detailed plans are now is still subject to local
There will be a shopping arcade, banking premises a hotel, restaurant, airline, travel and other commercial undertakings. The building will comprise a two-storey podium and a slim tower, surmounted by a revolving circular restaurant.
Sim Lim Investments, Ltd. are responsible for the project and are expected to spend M$3 million on it. The architects are Malayan Architects Co-Partnership.
THAI ROAD CONTRACT
AN Italian firm, Vianini of Rome, has been awarded a contract to build the first section of a projected highway from Lampang to Chiengmai, in Thailand. The section is 37 kilometres long and is scheduled to be completed in 24 months.
The company's tender was 104 million baht, some 16 million baht lower than the official estimate for the work.
Other tenders received included: Philipp Holzman of West Germany, 115,896,100 baht; Sentab, Sweden, 110,027,725; Maeda Construction, Japan, 109,241,050; and Kajima, Japan, 106,383,000 baht.
The highway is being financed by a loan from the World Bank. Tenders for two further sections will be invited later.
MOBIL HOUSING PROJECT
A PROPOSAL to develop a 36-acre site at Laichikok, Kow- loon, Hong Kong, as one of the largest private housing schemes of its kind in the world is being considered by the Hong Kong Government.
Mobil Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of Socony Mobil Oil Company, Inc., New York, is discussing with the Government an arrangement under which a water- front site, at present used for a storage terminal for petroleum products, would become available for residen- tial and commercial purposes. A spokesman for Mobil said recently that the negotiations had reached "an ad- vanced stage".
The arrangement would permit the construction of up to 15,000 apartments for people in the middle-income group in Hong Kong. The company state that the de- velopment would be a substantial contribution towards providing housing accommodation for the rapidly in- creasing population of the colony.
Mr. John W. Galbreath, a US real estate develop- er, is acting as consultant in the matter for Mobil, who have also engaged Wong and Threadgill, Hong Kong, as architects.
It is proposed to move the Laichikok terminal to Tsing Yi Island, where a number of oil companies have been granted land for development.
REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION
A REAL Estate Developers Association has been formed in Hong Kong under the chairmanship of Mr. Henry Y. T. Fok. In an inaugural speech last month, Mr. Fok said that in view of the important role played by the building industry in the Colony's economy, it was felt that the formation of an association consisting of mem- bers who are actively engaged in the business should be of benefit not only to the business itself but to the interests of the public as well.
Summarising the aims of the association, the chair- man said:
"First, we would expect our members to exchange views freely from which constructive suggestions can be
Far East Architect & Builder August, 1965