1
# d
Architect's perspective drawing of the new building from the waterfront.
ROOF
ROOF
CARETAKER ROOM
Up
MENS
OFFICE
OFFICE
CORRIDOR
UP
DH.
OFFICE
HALL
LIFTS
OFFICE
OFFICE
OFFICE
ASSEMBLY,HALL
FORM
LADIES
MEN'S
HALL
TS
REST. RM.
(Above) Plan of the seventh floor. (Left) Typical office floor plan.
15
Chinese
Chamber
of Commerce
Building
Tenders are being called this month for the new Chinese Chamber of Commerce Building, which will stand at the corner of Connaught Road and Douglas Street, opposite to Douglas Wharf. This building will replace the Chamber's present premises, also located in Connaught Road opposite the Custodian Wharf, which have al- ready been purchased by the Chinese Manufacturers' Union.
The new structure, which is expect- ed to
be ready for occupation by September 1954, has been estimated to cost $1,500,000.00. Original plans were for a 14-storey building, but for the sake of economy it was reduced to 10 storeys.
Nos. 24, 24A and 25, Connaught Road, Central were demolished to make way for the new building, after which work went ahead on the Franki piling, which was completed some weeks ago by the H.K. Engineer- ing & Construction Co., Ltd. Alto- gether 93 piles were driven to support the foundations.
The site is approximately 90 feet by 50 feet, and the structure will oc- cupy a little over 4000 square feet of this area. The entrance to the build- ing will be from the Connaught Road frontage, leading to a large vestibule and hall. The ground floor will con- tain two shops, one on each side of the entrance; the rest of this floor will be occupied by a restaurant, which will also occupy the entire first floor.
The next four floors will contain offices, six to each floor, which will be rented out to private firms. On the sixth floor will be the Chamber's club rooms and dining room with built-in bar and adjoining kitchen. The Chamber's offices will take up the seventh floor; these will include a general office, the board room, and of- fices for the chairman and secretary. The next floor will be almost entire- ly occupied by an assembly hall 62' 6" by 31' 0", which will have seat- ing accommodation for 192 persons in the auditorium and 27 on the plat- form. On the ninth floor there will be a gallery overlooking the assembly hall, which can be used as a commit- tee room when necessary.
All of the Chamber's floors, as well as the restaurant will be air-condi- tioned. Two Schindler lifts, supplied by the Jardine Engineering Corpora- tion Limited, will serve the building, which was designed by Messrs. Chau & Lee.