world news
Theatre and sports centre in one building
The local authority for the north-east England town of Billingham reports complete success for its £1 million experiment to provide sports and cultural facilities for the whole town in one build- ing. Some 25,000 residents a week are now visiting The Forum, which includes in one complex an ice rink, two swimming pools, a theatre, an Olympic standard gymnasium, indoor bowling greens, squash courts, archery rooms, a sports hall, sauna baths, a creche, bars and a restaurant.
The Forum is designed by architects Elder,
The Forum, Billingham
Theatre of the Forum
Lester and Partners, to cater for family members of all ages who pay 1s. entrance fee. Its theatre seats 647 and includes family boxes which are the cheapest rather than the dearest seats in the house.
Of full international size, with a suspended roof covering half an acre, the ice rink has permanent seating for 1,000. By removal of the ice it can be converted to a large competitive sports hall and the seating capacity can be increased to 2,500 by means of portable tiered chairs.
The pool side has heated seats and there are adequate changing and shower facilities for nearly 400 people with spectator accommodation for 450. In the indoor bowls hall there are four rinks; the special floor is covered by underfelt and an Agriturf carpet which can be removed when the hall is used
for athletics.
Trade centre will be pentagonal
The design for a pentagonal office tower to serve as a world trade centre in the port of Baltimore has been accepted by the Commissioners of the Maryland Port Authority. The structure, a keystone project in the city's inner harbour renewal pro- gramme, will rise 430 ft. above the inner harbour basin and will have a total floor area of 467,440 sq. ft.
Cost of constructing the build- ing, which will include a lobby floor, 27 office floors, a restau- rant floor, an observational level and basement customs facilities, is estimated at US$15 million.
The block is believed to be the first high-rise building with five sides. Five massive claw- shaped piers at each corner of the pentagon will support the struc- ture which will also feature 65 ft. clear spans for each of the sides.
The building will thrust out-
ward into the harbour itself and Trade centre will be approached by a plaza flanked by extensive landscaping. It will be a poured-in-place reinforced concrete structure.
Cable-suspended floors in Vancouver block
Two features unique in Canada are incorporated in Rhone and Iredale's design for a new headquarters building being erected in Vancouver for the West- coast Transmission Co. Ltd. A total energy system utilising natural gas will provide heat, power and air conditioning and the building will be the first of its kind in North America to use a core-supported floor suspension system.
The first of the 12 storeys will be suspended some 30 ft. above a large plaza. All 12 storeys will be hung from the central core on steel cables, or hangers, attached to the top of the core. All lifts and stairways, together with restrooms and lobbies, and duct shafts are located in the central core which
Far East BUILDER, March 1969
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