between the parking decks on the south side to form an integral six- storey block, accommodating minor repair and maintenance facilities, offices, storage and a workers' can- teen.
A saw-tooth shape roof covers the entire second floor parking area.
The designers were asked to evolve a space saving parking plan to ac- commodate the 34 ft. long double- deck buses, which require a turning circle of 50 ft. radius. The layout had to be within the limit for econo- mical spans of concrete beams, and the parking area floors had to be de- signed to take an unladen bus load of 10 tons, plus 50 per cent for vibration of the bus in motion.
While long spans were desirable, they had to be limited for econo- mical reasons. A maximum span of 35 ft. and a floor height of 21 ft. were decided upon, and as the build- ing now stands the cost has been kept well within the planning budget of about HK 80 cents per cu. ft.
re-
The depot is sited on land claimed from the sea and consider- able piling work was necessary to support such a heavy loading. Some 760 cast in-situ piles were sunk to a maximum depth of 90 ft. This work was carried out by Gammon (Hong Kong) Ltd.
Because of the floor height of 21 ft., special square wooden props were designed to support the formwork during the superstructure construc- tion. The concrete slab floors are 7 in. thick and, like the remainder of the building except for the offices, are left in fairface concrete.
Expansion joints, running north- south and east-west, divide the struc- ture into four separate quarters.
Main trusses supporting the saw- tooth roof span 77 ft. The trusses
:141
are of steel section, encased in con- crete for fire protection. The roof covering is corrugated asbestos sheets.
Two ramps, one on either side of the building, serve each floor. There are four staircases and one passenger lift is installed in the office section.
A mechanical ventilation system serves the parking areas. During the early hours when there is a concen- trated movement of buses, exhaust gases are drawn up a vertical duct system by a blower located on the roof. Through each deck are four large steel ducts and two
smaller
ones.
are
No facilities
Ramp between floors
for major servicing included in this depot. Such work will be carried out at the new Lai Chi Kok depot, where 23 ser- vice pits and a complete line of mo- dern maintenance facilities will be provided.
Architects and engineers for all three depots are Wong Cho Tong, Union House, Hong Kong. The pro- ject architect is Clifford C.F. Wong, B.Arch, MRAIC, ARIBA.
The general contractors are Win- some and Co. (Engineers and Build- ers), Ltd.
OFFICE
WORKSHOP
CANTEEN
WORKSHOP!
HOW MING OFFICE
STREET
OFFICE
RAMP
HOW MING LANE
Fur East Architect & Builder July, 1965
ט
B
D
D
D
0. D
EXHAUST DUCT
RAM
SECTION A-A
Yor
+
SECTION
B-B
0 10
อ
ם + ים
ᄆ
0
ᄆ
J
EXHAUST DUCT
2ND. FL.
ااد
IST. FL.
KWUN TONG RD.
GRD. FL.
--
SCALE
48 FT
RAMP
55