Far East
ARCHITECT & BUILDER
The oldest trade journal in the Far East
EDITOR: A. G. BARNETT
FEBRUARY 1965
news review
Contents
News Review
World News
New Entertainment Building, H. K.
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41
47
Ipoh Grandstand Design Award..
:
50
Manila Tenement Building
51
Pedestrian Bridge, H. K.
53
Kuala Lumpur Block Given Pineapple Look
54
Hong Kong's Tallest Block Planned
56.
Methods of Air Conditioning Multi-Storey Buildings.
57
• Opinion, by Prof. W. G. Gregory
63
About People
65
Civil Engineering Section
East River Project, China..
67
Fabridam Installed at Plover Cove..
71
New Materials and Equipment
75
New Contractors' Plant
79
Contracts Awarded
83
Building Plans Approved
Index to Advertisers
105
55
85
Cover picture: Interwoven staircase and escalators in the King's Theatre, Hong Kong, lead from the main foyer to upper waiting areas for the circle and back stalls. See Page 47
Published monthly by Far East Trade Press Ltd., 113-114 Alexandra House, Hong Kong. Tel: 241031 European Office: Building and Contract Journals Ltd., 32 Southwark Bridge Road, London, 8. E. 1. Tel: Waterloo 2080. Printed by Shum Shing Print- ing Co., 7 Ship Street, Hong Kong. Tel: 724513.
Controlled circulation to 5,000 qualified readers
Far East Architect & Builder February, 1965
BOOM CONTINUES
and apart
THE building boom in Hong Kong continues from those sites affected by Building (Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance there is no sign of it diminishing.
During the year ended March 31. 1964, investment in new building work was at the rate of HK$1.5 million a day. "A year of tremendous activity" is how the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation describes it in his annual departmental report. And he points out that much of the preparatory work done will pave the way for increased building for several years to come.
Confidence of investors in the future was well demonstrated by the year's achievements, he adds, in- cluding the fact that many developers were now prepared to take a much longer-term view of their investments.
Only one warming note is sounded and that is in the so-called luxury class flats category. The over-develop- ment predicted the year before had its effects on the sales and lettings of such premises.
There can be little doubt that this situation still obtains in 1965 and luxury flat developers might do well to ponder on just how quickly they expect a return for their investment.
PROBLEMS STUDY
A STUDY of the problems of the building industry in Malaysia and its use of cement and concrete is to be made by Malayan Cement, Ltd., Kuala Lumpur. The aim is to help the industry obtain "the maximum results from the product."
Lasting from six to 12 months, the research will be carried out by Mr. Saw Ewe Seng who recently returned from Britain after attending a three-month course on concrete technology.
His training in the UK included a study of the operation of the technical advisory service which Asso- ciated Portland Cement Manufacturers, Ltd. provides to the building industry there.
HOTEL MALAYSIA
PILING has been completed and building plans are now being finalised for Hotel Malaysia, the first and largest of several international-class hotels which are to be constructed in Singapore over the next three years.
The hotel is being built by Singapore property company, Central Properties Ltd., in association with Island Hotels Ltd. The cost will be in the region of M$10 million.
Designed by local architect, Mr. Alfred H.K. Wong, the Hotel Malaysia will consist of a 14-storey tower block, on a slightly curved plan, providing 320 bedrooms. Among the public rooms will be a ground floor Chinese restaurant which, with space for 500 diners, will be one of the largest of its kind in the world. The mezzanine floor will accomodate a "Curry Room" and also a gymnasium with steam bath and massage parlours. On the thirteenth floor there will be a swimming pool, a
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