HOTLIN
TUNG HALL
Women's Hostel for the Hong Kong University
The rapid progress being made by the Hong Kong University in the rehabilitation of the buildings badly looted during the Japanese occupation and the organization of the University's curriculum to the prewar basis augers very well indeed for Hong Kong's position as leading educa tional centre of the Far East. The opening of all faculties has brought an influx of students which under present conditions of residential shortage has taxed the available accommodation to the utmost. As far as the male students are concerned difficulties are overcome as they arise as they can adjust themselves to inconveniences and reconcile them- selves to abnormal living conditions. In the case of female
Isometric view of single room showing arrangement and built-in furniture.
students, however, it was felt that a special effort should be made to provide them with accommodation under con- trolled conditions where their welfare could be safeguard- ed and their comfort catered to.
It is not generally realised how the number of women students have grown and how acute the problem had be- come.
As a result of the public-spiritedness of one of Hong Kong's leading citizens in the person of Sir Robert Ho Tung the dilemma was overcome with such effect as to provide a solution for many years to come. Sir Robert has contributed the magnificent sum of one million dollars for the sole purpose of erecting a Women's Hostel and we consider it a privilege to be able to present some prelimin- ary details of the building.
The Hong Kong University Women's Hostel is to be erected on Pokfulam Road between Ricci Hall and the Science Building. The building design is the combined effort of Mr. Hugh Braga and Mr. K. Smith-Mitchell. The Metropolitan Land Co. Architectural Department is pre- paring the working drawings and Mr. Y. C. Mok is assist- ing with the design of structural framework.
The Problem
The architects were requested to submit a design pro- viding within the budget of $1,000,000.00, the following accommodation:-
Single and double rooms for eighty to ninety students. Two-bedroom apartment for the Chief Warden with Kitchen facilities.
Single bedroom apartment for the Assistant Warden (No Kitchen).
Suitable Common Room.
Dining Hall.
Library.
Tennis Court.
Service Accommodation, with Kitchen, Laundry etc. and Garages or Car Shelter.
All furniture for Students' Rooms and Public Rooms.
Solution
Studying the nature of the site which slopes down from Ricci Hall towards Science Building and which also drops sharply away along the north side and also taking into consideration the view and orientation, it was decided to locate the students' rooms in a four storey block along the north edge of the property leaving sufficient land in the south for the common rooms and tennis court,