These two fine pictures highlight the striking beauty of Beaconsfied House (opposite page) and the Car Park. In spite of the considerable reduction in site levels a large mature tree has been preserved in the re- maining area between Beaconsfield House and the Hotel,
(Photos supplied by Crown Land Department)
building were:
Architect: R. J. Phillips, A.R.I.B.A.A.
Structural engineer: J. C. Ku. A.M.I. Struct. E.
Quantity surveyor: M.M. Luxton, A.R.I.C.S.
Electrical engineer: B.M. Roach. A.M.I.E.E.. W.K. Lee. Grad. I.E.E.. Grad. I Mech. E.
Co.
General contractor was On Lee &
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ARDEN Road Car Park, the largest and one of the first multi-storey car parks in Hong Kong, is sited almost at the heart of the commercial centre.
Its proximity to the junction of two major roads leading from the Eastern and upper level districts enables it to absorb city-bound traffic from both these directions.
The site occupies almost a half of the vacant land previously known as the Murray Parade Ground.
The parking system is open-deck, right angle, ramp type. A total of 750 cars can be parked on eight floors served by two sets of central circular opposed ramps.
The main entrance and exit is off
Queen's Road, Central, passing
under the eastern end of Beacons- field House. A second exit from the first floor via a short tunnel under busy Garden Road discharges vehicles originating from the upper districts without interfering with other city traffic. The tunnel also pedestrian subway. Pedestrian access to parking floors is provided by two lifts and three sets of open stairs.
serves as
a
CENTRAL EXCHANGE
The Hong Kong Telephone Com- pany's central exchange occupies the whole of the top floor. A 12,000 sq. ft. basement houses telephone cables and other heavy exchange equipment.
Enough wire to reach from Hong- kong to London will be used to in- terconnect the equipment on the top floor exchange which will probably be the largest complete exchange to he installed on one floor of a build- ing anywhere. It will ultimately be able to provide service for 40.000 telephone lines in the central district of Hong Kong where it will replace the present exchange.
When it is brought into service in 1964 it will enable the Hongkong Telephone Company Ltd. to over- take the demand for telephone lines
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER-VOLUME 18, NUMBER 2
in the city centre despite the rapid rate of development there.
very
Later, when the Seacom cable is working to Hong Kong, telephone operators will be able to dial from Central Exchange direct to subscrib. ers in Britain, America and many other countries throughout the world. The equipment is supplied and in- stalled by the Automatic Telephone and Electric Co. Ltd. for the Hong Kong Telephone Co. Ltd.
Owing to the difficult nature of the site, the poor quality of the sub- soil and its proximity to existing buildings, the car park was built of reinforced concrete supported on a combined system of pile and raft foundation. The structural layout was largely determined by the heavy loading requirement of the telephone exchange floor and by the limits of
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