INTERIOR REDECORATION
:
HONG KONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORP..
IN SINGAPORE
Ground floor on cumpletion of the work.
All photos by Jimmy Photo. Service, Singapore.
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Another view of the ground floor.
Extensive alterations were complet- ed recently to the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation offices at Collyer Quay, Singapore, making this office one of the most modern in the Far East. Au interesting part of the work was its phasing, which re- quired thoughtful and careful planning as it was essential to avoid any inter- ruption at all to normal banking hours and routine.
The alterations included enlarge- ment of the banking hall by removal of two vaults on the ground floor, the installation in the basement of a new security vault, and removal of the dome over the ground floor to permit the conversion of the original first floor of the main building into a mezzanine floor approached from the banking hall. A feature of the job was the erection of a new dome sus- pended from second floor level and its completion before demolition of the old dome. A cash lift, transferred from the Hong Kong head office, was re- built in Singapore and installed, and a new passenger lift provided between the ground and mezzanine floors.
Both floors are now air conditioned and a comprehensive fluorescent light- ing scheme has been installed. To ensure quietness the marble floor has been replaced by rubber tiles and
acoustic tile ceilings erected to both floors. The existing marble columns and facings were reconditioned and polished. In keeping with modern trends, changes have been made to the layout of the banking hall, the original wooden counters and furniture being replaced throughout by steel furniture.
Probably the most difficult, and at the same time, most interesting phase of the entire change over comprised the lighting installation, the success of which was due to early architect- engineer collaboration, the association of luminous lines with the air-condi- tioning outlets, the use of standard fittings, and the planned arrangements of luminous architectural elements to produce the most efficient work-place lighting.
At a very early stage in the design of the new interior the architects and the lighting engineer were in close collaboration. An illumination level suited to banking tasks, together with the use of standard lighting fittings formed the basis of the planning. The application of standard units to A particular interior frequently creates difficulties in merging the units with the architectural treatment particularly if pendant fittings are to be employed.
In this instance slim, Perspex- enclosed fluorescent fittings were chosen, to be attached close to the "Baxtile" ceiling. The pattern selected conformed to the central feature of the interior, the rectangular galleried opening through the first floor, dominated by the lofty glass-bricked lantern roof.
Thus the lighting for the central area is provided by a rectangle of four and five feet twin-lamp fittings placed end to end in symmetric forma tion around the well. The use of the two sizes of fitting was necessary due to the dimensions of the rectangle which were such that only a carefully worked out arrangement of “fours" and “fires" could be fitted in.
Similar problems were encountered in applying the luminous lines to the outer spaces. Here, the air-condition- ing outlets had to be associated with the fittings and, again, combinations of the two sizes became necessary. The anticipation that these variations would produce an interesting rhythm effect was realised.
For the banking areas on the first flour the same system was followedl.
The service illumination of 15 lumens per sq. ft. was attained by a total of 69 "fives" and 77 "fours" for the ground floor and for the first floor the totals were 23 and 56 respectively. The dimensions of the ground floor are approx. 100 ft. x 150 ft. with a ceiling height of 18 ft.
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