to the shopping complex and ample car parking space is provided within the hotel ground for residents, guests and shoppers.
The entrance facade, faced in Chinese marble slabs inlaid with the name of the hotel in gold, leads into a wide reception hall floored in 16in. by 16in. precast white terrazzo tiles, wax- ed to a gleaming finish. Slatted teak panelling is used for the wall facing the receptionist's counter and an alumin- ium ceiling, by Hunter-Douglas (Aus- tralia) extends into an adjoining wait- ing lounge. A cocktail bar and facilities
Reception
Cocktail bar
for light refreshments are provided in this lounge which is sound-proofed by glazed wall panels.
The reception hall opens out to the rear entrance of the hotel, screened by a featured wall with three sculptured lion's heads ejecting water into a peb- bled trough.
Placed east/west, the rectangular tower block has all bedrooms facing either north or south. The 168 bed- rooms are fully air-conditioned from a central plant, individual control of the ducted air being provided in each room. Each guest room has a private bath-
room attached and is designed as a bed-sitting unit, with large aluminium sliding windows to allows the guests unobstructed views over the neigh- bouring kampongs.
The rooms are equipped with three- way sound systems and telephones and the walls are decorated with reproduc- tions of batik paintings by local artists. With the exception of three floors which have a parquet finish, all bed- room floors are fully carpeted.
Apart from aesthetic considerations, finishes on the building have been se- lected for their durability and suit- ability to the hot, humid local condi- tions. External walls are plastered and sprayed with Fondikin a mixture of fine aggregate and sand in contrasting shades of grey. The external facade of the podium is elegantly screened by horizontal aluminium blades which contrast well with the textured surface of external walls.
Internal walls are finished in cement lime plaster and painted in colours to match the floor carpeting.
The structure of the building con- sists of conventional reinforced con- crete columns and beams with brick infill walls. Column spacing is at 20ft. centres in the podium and 16ft. centres in the tower block containing the bed- room units.
The building is supported on re- inforced concrete piling, the average pile penetration being about 86ft.
Contractors
Main contractor for the project was Ong Chwee Kou Building Contractor Ltd. The work took two and a half years and the cost, excluding profes- sional fees, was approximately $$3 million.
Sub-contractors included:
West Piling (Malaysia) Ltd. - piling. Choo Kok Jee
trical installations.
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sanitary and elec-
Diethelm and Co. Ltd., and Tong Bros Aluminium Co. Ltd. - aluminium grilles, etc.
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R.E. Morris & Co. Ltd. fire system.
McAlister and Co. Ltd. - fire fight- ing equipment.
Otis Elevator Co. - lifts.
Henry & Co. and Diethelm & Co.
Ltd. interior decoration.
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Jardine Waugh (M) Ltd. – air con- ditioning installation.
William Jacks & Co. (S) Ltd.-sound system and Philips PABX equipment.
Getz Bros. & Co. Inc. arcade ceiling.
Brady & Co. - bank ceiling. Borneo Co. reception ceiling.
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Far East BUILDER, July 1969