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Plan of the principal Lodge Hall designed to seat 174 persons.
The overall size of the Hall is 34′5′′ X 60′0′′, of which the black and white tiled floor is 18'9" X 42′9′′.
The new building is a three-story one, with a basement below the Kennedy Road level. The facade of the building is actually only two stories high, the top floor being set well back from the front and containing a small 2-roomed flat. complete with servants' quarters, for the Worshipful Brother acting as tyler of the lodges and custodian of the building.
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Plan of the first floor. See description in text.
In the basement is located a changing room for the brethren who proceed direct to lodge from their offices, and which can be converted for use as a Ladies' dressing room in the rare occasions when ladies are allowed to visit the building. The transformer room and 3 boys' rooms are also located here.
The ground floor contains an assembly room at the rear of the premises, from which is reached the stairway leading to the upper floors. The entrance-way forms part of the long corridor which divides the floor. To the left of this cor- ridor are situated the committee room and office, the mem- bers' cloak room, and a bar. The large banqueting hall 24′0′′ wide and 60'0" long occupies the rest of the building to the right of the corridor. There is a mezzanine to the ground floor over the office, cloak room and bar, in which is located the main robing room with ample lavatory and wash basin accom- modation.
There are two lodge halls situated on the first floor. The No. 1 Lodge Hall is 80'0" long by 34′5′′ wide, entrance to which is through the general assembly room; whilst the smaller lodge is 47′5′′ long and 23′9′′ wide, with a small ante room attached. In a lobby between the two lodge halls are two candidates' robing rooms and a small private room for the Grand Master. This floor also has a mezzanine to the rear of the premises in which provision is made for the storage of regalia, and an equipment room in which will be placed the apparatus for the air-conditioning of the two lodges.
The furniture for the lodge halls will, of course, be of special design. The principals' chairs will be made in teak of traditional classical style, with the officers' symbols carved thereon, while the seats in the body of the lodge will be made wide and comfortable, also in teak. In the main hall, the leather upholstery to back and seat of the furniture will be in blue and in the smaller lodge in crimson. The raised tiers on which the seats around the lodges will be placed will be floored with rubber tiling. The floor of the working space in the centre of both lodges will be covered with carpets of tesselated design which are being specially made in England.
The suspended ceiling of the main lodge hall will be finished in blue, embellished with the traditional symbols wrought in gold leaf. The ceiling of the No. 2 ball will be somewhat simpler but of similar design. Most of the general illumination will be furnished by indirect lighting fixtures from cold cathode tubes, the design of the whole installation being now under investigation by specialists in London.
The external appearance of the building is perfectly plain, no effort having been made to embellish it with architectural ornamentation. The main front facade on the ground floor will be covered with plain ceramic tiles up to lintel height; the name of the building "ZETLAND HALL" set below the flagstaff with the Masonic Emblem above the doorway will form the only relief to the simplicity of the elevation which will be substantial and dignified, în conformity with the principles of the Craft.
The architects for the building are Messrs. Leigh & Orange, Mr. H. J. Tebbutt being in charge of the arduous task of collecting and collating all the technical and ritualistic details in connection with the decorating and furnishing of the lodge halls. Mr. E. W. Blackmore was entrusted with the reinforced concrete frame work.. Further details of the construction of the building have not yet been decided on.. The marble cornerstone was supplied by the firm of Raoul Bigazzi, who will also do the Venetian mosaic and bronze work for the building.