FU
HOUSE
Architects:
Palmer & Turner
Since the end of the war, the Cen- tral District of Hong Kong has seen some impressive development projects -Edinburgh House, Electra House, the new Jardine Building, Alexandra House (first section), the Bank of China, Caxton House, and the new Mercantile Bank-to name the most important.
Ice
One of the most arresting build- ings in this area, however, is the new office building at the corner of House Street and Des Voeux Read. Central, known as Fu House. This building is striking not only by rea- son of its admirable elevational de- sign, but also by its refreshing use of exterior colour, the more conspicuous when compared with the monoch- rome treatment of the surrounding buildings.
One cannot help but feel that if more present day buildings were to be designed with such a light, one may even say gay, touch, cities would be happier places in which to live and work. The architects seem to have successfully produced in Fu House a character which strikes pleasanter note in metropolitan office buildings.
a
contemporary
The new structure stands on
the
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ལལལ་
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Architects' perspective drawing of the new building.
from a study of the site, which is in and a good indication of the suc- the form of a narrow right-angled cess with which the architects over- site previously occupied by the Hong- triangle, the hypotenuse lying along came the peculiar difficulties pre-
Ice House Street and the other two sented. kong Sharebrokers' Association Building, which
sides bounded by the Bank of Can- was some 60 years tcn and No. 9, Ice House Street. The The new building is ten storeys old. The liquidators of the Asssocia- cituation was further complicated by high, and incorporates in addition a tion sold the old building to Mr. Lo the re-alignment of the new build- basement. a mezzanine floor and a Kin-fai, a well-known member of ing to conform with the frontage of penthouse on the roof. Due to set- the Hongkong Stock Exchange. in Holland House; although this result- backs, the office space available on 1947 for $975,000; he in turn sold the ed in an appreciable widening of the the 7th and 8th floors is 1.850 square property to the Kwong Hing Invest- whole length of this particular por- feet, and 1,680 square feet on the 9th ment Co., Ltd., the present owners, tion of Ice House Street, it meant the floor. who were responsible for the rede- loss of a not inconsiderable area of velopment.
the restricted space already available.
in consideration However, owners surrendering this land
With land in the Central District
to
which
the
The
ground floor contains five of the shops, each of which has ample showcase space and a staircase lead- ing up to a cock-loft. The office en- trance is located to the left of the centre of the Ice House Street front- age and opens into a large lobby. from which access may be had to the two lifts. the main staircase, and a corridor leading to the lavatories and The total area of the site is some an open yard, which in turn opens 300 square feet; in the lower floors to the lane at the back of the build- of the building, the net office space ing: frem this yard there is a ser- is about 2,200 square feet represent vice staircase to the basement and ing two thirds of the total area—a to the upper floors. Two of the high degree of utilisation when the shops have back entrances from the shape of the site is borne in mind. corrider.
valued at its present high rate, it Government, the Building Ordinance is essential from the economic point was relaxed to the extent of allow of view of the landlord to develop such land to the utmost extent per- ing the erection of a small tower at missible. It is also the duty of the the Des Voeux Road corner, architect to provide for his client in forms a distinctive feature of the finished design the maximum building. possible rentable accommodation within the limitations of the site, the restrictions of the Building Ordin- ance and the demands of his client's requirements.
The manifold problems confronting the architects can readily be seen
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