ROAD
SECTION
THROUGH
HILLSIDE
PATH
FLATS
FLATS FLATS
T
7-STOREY UNIT
GALLERY
FLATS
ROAD
FLATS
FLATS
TO WORK,
TOWN CENTRE,
ETC.
LOWER LEVELS
PATH
HAMBURGUNDIN
UPPER LEVELS
PLAN
ROADS SHOWN THUS PATHS
CROSS-CONTOUR
PLANNING
ROAD
N
FOR STEEP SITES
walls the traditional ledge and on it erect a building of conventional de- sign, as for a site originally flat. The other way is to launch boldly up the hill with long blocks and step the foundation across the contours in storey-high leaps. The former method has up to now been almost univer- sally employed. T.S.C. Feltham's scheme for the Housing Authority at Sai Wan Chuen is the first to employ the cross-contour system on a large scale. It is worthy of study.
What advantages does cross-contour development bring? The first is that site formation costs are much reduced, because the long retaining walls and large excavations necessary in terraced development cease to be needed. The second is that site acquisition costs, or the grants of land or of special moneys in lieu, cease to be so large a problem, since the market value of hilly, inaccessible sites is low. The third is that by an extension of the principle employed at Sai Wan Chuen of providing points of access from the hillside itself (at several different levels up the building) the need to increase the rent to cover the expense of lifts is avoided. With cross-contour devel- opment every floor can be a ground floor.
Height Limited
With a
cross-
This idea needs elaboration. The height of the very cheapest form of housing, the resettlement blocks, is sperous folk who wish to withdraw cheaply on hilly sites must be faced, limited by the fact that lifts are not from the crowded streets below. The That it has not so far been faced, or economically possible. In better-class conventional way of building on slopes even generally posed, is a matter for schemes, where it has been found is to form a level space or ledge by surprise one might have thought necessary to go higher to provide means of excavation and retaining it more logical to adapt the building enough homes on scarce sites, it is not walls. The excavated material is remov- to the landscape rather than the lands- possible to ask tenants to climb many ed to a reclamation and there helps to cape to the building but should it storeys of common stairways. Lifts form another flat site. The costs fall now at last be solved an exciting must be provided and the expense of upon the hillside development and prospect would open. Both rents and their installation and maintenance is force the rent beyond the pocket of densities could be lowered, standards reflected in the rent. the ordinary citizen. This extensive of space raised and whole new com- contour building having ground access surgery of the landscape is, in fact, a munities freely sited in places hitherto to upper storeys the case is different. very expensive thing to do and is considered impossible or not consider An estate of such buildings, having only made possible at all by the exis- ed at all. At one blow the amount of its normal complement of site roads, tence of the ill-paid earth coolie. usable land would be doubled.
would afford its occupants access by Low-cost housing projects have not the purpose of this article to suggest living on an upper floor would then road to the upper levels. A tenant been able to support this expense and have relied on the grant of flat land thought which might lead to such a the mid-levels above Victoria.
to architects and planners a line of
be in the same case as a resident of in urban areas at rates considerably
No-
below market value, or, more recent-
one in Caine Road or Robinson Road ly, on a money grant from external
two ways of siting the or Conduit Road expects his landlord funds for site formation. Unless such large blocks typical of low-cost hous- to pay his bus fare home; many walk subsidies are to be continued inde- ing on hilly sites. One is to form by to save paying it themselves. When finitely the problem of how to build means of excavation and retaining the same opportunity is given to the
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER
solution.
There are
VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2
It is
17