HOUSE AT JARDINE'S LOOKOUT Architects: Messrs. Leigh & Orange
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The area of ground to the east of, and above, Tai Hang Road known as Jardine's Lookout has been the scene of extensive development in the past few years. 358,230 square feet of land was sold in 1948 by Government to The Home Building & In- vestment Society by private treaty at a cost of $1.00 per sq. ft. for development by the Society for the benefit of its mem- bers under restricted conditions which covered the sale of residential ground by private treaty.
The Society was formed as a result of the extreme shortage of housing facilities then in effect and the difficulty of obtain ing land ready for building. The Com. pany, which is now known as The Hong Kong Home Building & Investment Com- pany. Limited. was formed with the ob- iet of co-ordinating efforts to develop a fairly large area of ground in as short a time as possible so as to permit the haill ing of houses by people who had the means to do so but for whom the acqui- sition of land was a difficult and laborious
process,
The original title of the company of Home Building & Investment Society was viven as it was visualized at that time that a Building Society would be formed
the lines of those in Great Britain
However, it was soon found to be impos sible to carry on as planned owing to the difficulty of obtaining capital at reason- able rates of interest. It was decided, however, that the usefulness of the Societe would lie more in the assistance it could give to progressive builders in developing land at a reasonable cost and it is on this basis that the Company has been working
since
com-
An unusual house was recently pleted on site No. 46 of the estate at the top of Perkins Road. The client, Major
H. F. G. Chauvin, wanted a view of the harbour. Because of houses on the op- posite side of
the road, the harbour could only be seen well from the top floor of a three-storeyed house. This, together with
a site on two levels, dictated the orientation and disposition of accommoda- tion on the lower ground, upper ground
and first floors.
The house lies in the north-east part of the irregularly shaped site and possesses a high degree of natural privacy because of its isolated position between permit garden lots on either side and the new quarry road and hillside at the back. It was partly for this reason that the service TOOMS are located at the front of the building.
The first floor is occupied by the master bedroom, a large second bedroom, the master bathroom, a dressing room and a verandab located over the kitchen.
All main rooms have unusually good
has been wasted for circulation purposes. cross ventilation. Surprisingly little space
Although the individual rooms are large, the plan itself is compact and convenient.
Load bearing walls are of brick and granite with mass concrete retaining walls. Floors and roofs are of reinforced concrete with hollow blocks. Water-proofing con- sists of 3 membranes and asphalt, finished with granite chips.
roons
Walls and ceilings in the main are finished with
gypsum plaster and emulsion paint; the bathrooms have glaz- ed tile dadoes; the garage is finished in- ternally with cement paint on the granite
all other walls wails;
with are finished
lime plaster and colour wash.
On the lower ground floor are the on- trance porch and hall, from which open a lavatory and the staircase to the upper floors. Adjoining the entrance is the gar- age, together with an air-conditioning Floors in the main rooms are of teak plant installed by the client. A door blocks. in the bathrooms composition leading directly from the garage into the hall avoids the necessity of car driver and passengers going out into the open during rainy weather.
The large living/dining room 14' 0" by 26' 10" is situated on the upper ground floor with the kitchen adjoining it. Other accommodation provided at this level includes a covered terrace, bedroom, bathroom and ap air-conditioning room. In a small single-storeyed wing to the
tiles, in the hall terrazzo with brass divi- sion strips, and on the terrace washed granolithic. The staircases are also finish- ed in terrazzo; black non-slip strips are fitted to the treads to add to their safety and appearance.
of copper, the hot water being supplied The hot and cold water supply pipes are
from an electric immersion heater and from an automatic kerosene heater. Gas, kerosene and electricity are used for cook- ing in this modern household.
Electric wiring is carried mainly in "New Duct" formed conduits cast in while
"surface."
south-west of the kitchen, and with access to it, are the servants' quarters comprising two rooms, a W.C. and shower; this ac- commodation opens onto a partly covered the concrete was poured; other wiring is yard, which is screened from the terrace and garden by a stone wall and a concrete grille fitted with adjustable glass louvre windows.
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It it believed that this is the first pri- vate house in which the "New Duct" unit has been used. This ingenious device con-