More East than West in ap- pearance, this building typifies what can be done to modernise traditional Chinese architec- ture. The neglect of this type of design is particularly evident in Hong Kong.
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MODERN
SHANGHAINESE
STYLING FOR
紅
SINGAPORE CHINESE CHAMBER
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
THIS
M$2.5 million
ten-storey
building for the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce has been built at Hill Street, where a fine example of Chinese domestic building previously existed for nearly a century. It is expected to be com- pleted in December this year.
a
The new building is a combination of Oriental and Western architectural design, which follows closely the classic rules of Chinese architecure and yet interprets them in modern techniques and materials a system basically originating in Shanghai.
A special main gate leading to the entrance of the building with "red-
button doors" modelled along the line of Chinese palaces is one of the unusual features of the building.
This gate is traditionally flanked by two six-foot tall lions carved in red granite by craftsmen in China. They cost the chamber more than M$10,000. Further along, on either side are two screen walls decorated by richly coloured * nine-dragon murals" in relief. These
are also from the same
source, and are be- lieved to be the only type in existence in Malaysia. These murals are 35 feet in length and five feet in height each, and the Chamber paid over MS20,000 to acquire them.
THE HONG KONG & FAR FAST BUILDER-VOLUME 19. NUMBER 3
The main gate will be opened to admit only VIP's. Normally people will enter by two side entrances situated at the ends of the screen walls. Between the decorated dragon walls and the main building, there is a spacious court.
The facade of the building is faced with marble on the ground floor and On artificial stone-rendering above. top is a pagoda roof covered with green coloured glazed tiles.
The chamber will occupy the lower three floors for all its activities. The rear half of the ground floor is re- served for car parking. The remain- ing half houses the presidential suite,
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