news review
HK architects elect new officers
Mr. Ian J. Campbell, senior partner of Palmer and Turner, has been elected president of the Hong Kong Society of Architects for 1969. An honours graduate from AA London and Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Mr. Campbell has been resident in Hong Kong for more than 15 years.
In 1965 he won the HKSA's first silver medal award for his design of the Choi Hung housing estate in Kowloon. His other well-known projects in Hong Kong include the Hilton Hotel, Union House and Prince's Building.
The society's officers for 1969 will be: Mr. Leslie Ouyang, vice president, Mr. Andrew Lee, secretary, Mr. Samn Lim, treasurer, and council members, Mr. William Su, Mr. B. C. Pedersen, Mr. J. C. Faber, Mr. David T. W. Lee, and Mr. J. Prescott.
At the society's annual dinner last month the retiring president, Mr. A. V. Alvares, spoke of the pressing need for the establishment of a register of architects in Hong Kong, backed by the necessary legislation. He said that an ordinance to protect the title 'architect' and the term 'architecture' was first proposed in 1962 but little headway had been made.
However in 1968 the council received a general vote to proceed with the ordinance and an ad hoc committee was formed to liaise with the allied professions on the issue.
Mr. Alvares pointed out that with this ordinance no person not admitted to the register would be entitled to practise as an architect. Rules of pro- fessional conduct would be laid down by a board made up of ex-officio members of the PWD, the HKSA, the HK Joint Overseas Group of the In- stitutes of Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engine- ers, the HK Branch of the Institute of Structural Engineers and the HK Branch of the Institute of Surveyors. A supreme body would be created to preside over architectural affairs, so ending the present hodge-podge of effortless accessibility into the ranks of architects.
S$50 million for Singapore Housing Board
Provision for loans totalling S$50 million to the Housing Development Board are made in Singapore Government's development estimates for 1969-70.
Large loans are also allocated to the Develop-
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ment Bank of Singapore S$30 million, Jurong Town Corporation - S$30 million and the Public Utilities Board - S$20 million.
Of the national development projects, S$16.8 million is provided for the four phases of the East Coast foreshore reclamation scheme. It is expected that phase 1 - from Bedok to Singapore Swim- ming Club - for which S$8.5 million is allowed, will be completed in 1969.
Development and ancillary works connected with urban redevelopment schemes will receive S$17.6 million, of which S$6.4 million is for the redevelopment of areas classified as Precinct North 1, Precinct South 1 and other precincts.
Among the Ministry of Social Affairs' estimates is $$3.4 million towards building the National Sports Stadium at Kallang Park.
Indoor stadium at sketch plan stage
Hong Kong Government architects are preparing sketch plans for an indoor stadium to be built at Hung Hom. The director of public works, the Hon. A.M.J. Wright, said recently that a feasibility re- port on the construction of the stadium, within a
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Artists sketch of Hung Hom stadium
financial limit of about HK$10 million, has been presented to the relevant select committee of the urban council and accepted in principle.
Preliminary sketch plans which formed part of the feasibility study were now being drawn up in greater detail so that more refined estimates of cost could be prepared and the final schedule of accommodation agreed, he said.
KL architects and engineers in dispute
The recent collapse of a newly built four-storey apartment block in Kuala Lumpur has led to a public debate through the columns of the local press on the responsibilities of architects and en- gineers in general.
A spokesman for the Association of Consulting Engineers has even suggested that for safety all structural plans for buildings over two-storeys high
Far East BUILDER, January 1969.