HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1935.
A
DRAMATIC
AND
SUCCESSFUL
New Home Of The Hong Kong Bank
FINEST BUILDING IN THE FAR EAST
When the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank officially opens its doors pn October 10, members of the public will be afforded the opportunity of viewing the most magni- ficent building that has been erected within modern times east of the Suez, and cer- tainly the finest building in the whole of the Far East.
'
17
The opening ceremony, according to present arrangements will take place at 11 a.m. a week hence, when the Acting Officer Administering the Government, the Hon. Mr. N. L. Smith, will open the door facing Queen's Road, Central with a golden key, made specially for this purpse.
Members of the Press were yesterday afternoon conducted on tour of the premises, which commenced at 2.30 o'clock sharp and terminated at 4.30 p.m.1 The inspection was conducted under the guidance of Mr. J. A. Ritchie, partner of Messrs. Palmer and Turner, architects of the building while Mr. J. Henshilwood, general Manager of Chudds of Loudon, suppliers of the vaults door system etc., and Mr. L. B. Woolley (Messrs. Renec, Ltd., London) steel office specialists, gave comprehensive des. criptions of the many interesting details in their respective branches.
Mr. Woolley
said that 500 tons of steel office equipment was used to fit the Bank with the most modern of furniture and it may truthfully be said that the Bank will look the last word. in modern efficiency and neatness, when everything is put into operation,
Two-Hour Tour Of The Premises
Hong Kong is generally con- ceded to be one of the lovellest harbours on the Pacific and it would be dicu. to imagine more picturesque setting for the new Head Office of the largest
the site on the ground sloping up wards from Des Voeux Road im- mediately behind Statue. Square. Here, cn a site 58,000 square feet in area, the new building of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking
first of which was the setting of the great square and solid base plates on which were erected th. Į huge main stanchions. The frame- work of the bufiding soon took shape, and, while it was rising,
walls to the basement and setting the intricate steel reinforcement of the new Treasuries. The stoel- work at the rear portion of the site did not at arst keep pace with that at the front, owing to un-
SKY-SCRAPER
The Hong Kong And Shanghai Bank Building
and
Telegrams, Secretaries, and the on either side by large bronze Brokers' 'Lobby
Waiting Hons, similar to those which have Rooms. There are Mezzanine attracted. the almost superstitious doors at each end, that on the reverence of the Chinese in Shang- Queen's Road front being given up hal Symbolic of the British spirit. to Stationery and Record storage. they were modelled and cast by Staf rooms and lavatories, and Mr. W. W. Wagstaff in Shanghai, that to the North to the Board Above the Des Voeux Road en- Room, Correspondence and Filing trance avé, bronze panels worthy of Offices, the Inspector's Office. Tele-special notice, representing China, phone Exchange, etc.
THE FINISHED BUILDING The new Head Office is 220 feet
EXTREMELY SIMPLE square, and rises to a height of
The barrel vault over the Bank- 220 feet; towering above all other ing Hall is supported by delicately buildings on the same level. T fluted colums of "dark Ashburton!
Japan, India and the Federated Malay, States (in which countries the Bank has important interests) while the centre panet bears the Bank's Coat of Arms.
The lobby within the entrance
it was the intention of those res-marble, which contrasts pleasingly dears gives access to the entrance
dont
gamble/
PURCHASE
YOUR
יו
AT THE STORE WHERE SATISFACTION AND SERV CE
ARE GIVEN
THE FAMOUS
"LANEFORD SHOE"
MEN'S DEPT.
MADE IN ENGLAND
PRICES FROM
$1050
LESS 10% DISCOUNT FOR CASH
the
LANE, CRAWFORD, LTD.
British Bank in the Far East than another batch of workmen were ponsible for the design to embody with the pale and highly polished hall, of which there are bronze
concreting the main retaining therein an appearance of confi-Botticino marble used for the wallgrills with doors leading on
dence and strength they have linings, and the cream coloured certainly succeeded.
The strong moulded columns elsewhere in the the upper storeys, and on the left right to the lifts to the offices on vertical treatment above the solid Hall. The sides of the barrel vault to the Safe Deposit Vault. This is horizontal base, gives an impres-embody richly coloured designs in sion of extraordinary strength Venetian mosales, representing on
a feature which deserves a para- and stability, which is fully in one. the progress of Transport
graph to itself.. keeping with the grandeur of the through the ages in the Eastern Peak in the background. Massive and the Western hemispheres, and piers which rise to the full height on the other, a composition por- of the tower are surmounted by traying the progress of Industry carved gureheads, severe in de- and Commerce in those hemis-
Corporation has been erected. It
Street, with a frontage of about 247 feet on both Des Voeux and Queen's Roads, towering. the Courts of Justice on its East,
and the Chartered Bank on its K.B.E. West
r
+!
From
:
RAPID PROGRESS
y
MAIN ENTRANCE The official address of the new
>
SAFE DEPOSIT VAULT"
specially
The Safe Deposit Vault has been
designed Chubbs, of England. The walls, by Messra. floor and roof of the actual Safe
faces South towards the Peak, expected difficulties encountered with Its North facade to the in excavating, but by September Square and the Harbour, and it this portion of the foundation was occupies the space formerly cover- also completed, and by October ed by the old Bank building, the 17th sufficient of the stone-facing Theatre Royal, and Wordley had been put into position for sign, typifying "Men of Vision"-pheres. Straight overhead are two Deposit Room are constructed of the ceremony of laying the Foun-At the four corners of the tower- allegorical modales composed of special materials, including a pa- dation Stone. This was perform-top are sculptured Lions heads, Ceres, Goddess of Abundance, and tent form of steel reinforcement ed by HE the Governor of Hong typifying "Strength", each one of Hellos, the Sun-God driving his designed above
Kang. Sir William Peel. KOM.G..which is carved out of a five ton chariot across the sky. The de-form af atack, making it the to resist every known plece of stone.
coration of the vault is completed strongest in the Far East. Heavy by semi-circular panels at each steel grilles cut off the Safe De building is No. 1 Queen's Road, end, depicting Eastern and West-post Department from the rest
ern Banking. It Was
a happy of the building. Through them and it is therefore, on this conception of the Architects to one can see the 26 ton polished thoroughfare, facing away from keep the interior of the building steel door of the water-front, that
the main extremely simple,
the Safe Deposit save .in the Room. It is constructed of a entrance is situated. There richly coloured mosaics of
an alternative entrance barrel vault; the result is most im-
the special steel door which will re- however,
sist all known forms of safe- on the lower, Des Voeux Road,
posing and interesting.
breaking, including ory-acetylene level, South of Statue Square. It is from the harbour that one gets with travertine and Swedish green
The public space below is paved apparatus, yet it is so accurately the best view of the edifice as a marble, and surrounded by a well can be swung by the pressure of balanced that when unlocked it whole, dwarfing the adjacent
designed counter of the same dark one finger. buildings, and with the Peak Ashburton as the columns, with smaller but of equal strength, is An emergency door,
and on the top. The floors of the steel lined, and the Deposit is lined Belgian black marble at the base also provided
working space behind the counters from floor to ceiling with stainless is of Lintile which is a special steel boxes of various sizes. "The thick Linoleum of marbled finish, floor is of rubber, the ceiling lined laid in panels with dark bands in with polished steel and the light- which the telephone and othering is by comice illumination. To outlets from the grid are arranged, avoid piercing the walls for air Lighting of the Banking Hall is ducts, air conditioning is effected
the ceiling, which throw an effected by large, bronze laylights from outside when the door is open, by à very ingenious connec- even and shadowless light over the tion which swings around when entire working space. Bronz wall the door closes. Every known de. xtures provide indirect illumina-vice in the way of electric signals tion for the spaces which will not and alarins is installed. be lit by the celling lights, and in-
I
Demolition of the former Head
that time onward the Office was only begun on the 11th building seemed to grow visibly, October, 1833, but in spite of the The entire framework, was in post- ardous task of pulling down the tion by November, stonework was thick masonry of the offices and rising steadily on all sides and breaking up the reinforced con- keeping just ahead of the store crete of the strong rooma, which mašons were the workmen engag- necessitated the" employment of ed in installing the piping for the compressed air drills and oxy-plumbing of the building and the acetylene apparatus, the alte had network of conduits and cables been cleared by the 18th Decem- for the lighting and telephone ser- ber. Most of January was devot-vices, arid special panel-heating ed to the sinking of test boreholes colls were recessed in the ceilings by the Bank's Construction Man-to warm the building in Winter.
towering behind.
On a nearer view from either agers, Messrs. Logan & Amps, with Below in the basement the intri-
side one is a view to determining the best cate machinery, for the air con-
impressed by the type of foundation for the new ditioning was
magnificent bronzwork installed,
and and the
panels. Much cafe was given to building." As a result it was decid- ducts fixed and connected up.
the
these ed that no bearing piles should
EMPIRE PRODUCE
designing of
which be used, but that the foundations As the
were specially modelled and cast stone facing of each England. The main entrance should be sunk down to the hard noor was finished, windows wero
from Queen's Road is up a short decomposed granite which, pre- put into position in the sub-
fight of rious to the reclamation of the frames prepared to receive them.
granite steps; and through massive bronze land, had been below the harbour Hong Kong is not infrequently surmounted by Norman figures in gates bed. Driving of the 10. sheet in the track of typhoons, so the piling along the front portion was special steel windows, imported completed in February, 1934, and.
from England, have been tested progress was made, with excavat- to resist
a wind pressure of at Ing. Some difficulty was exper- least 130 miles per hour. ienced with the enormous boul- ders, large pieces of rock-some of which had to be blasted-and a thick bed of coral, and also in keeping the excavated portion drained by pumping.
HIVES OF INDUSTRY While the foundations were be-
ing prepared, activities were tak:
ing place elsewhere. The stone quarries at Kowloon had become nives of industry, and each shaped and finished stone was numbered to correspond with the Architects'
plans, so that work could proceed
as the
armour:
The main fight of steps is flanked on the East by stairs leading to the hall and lifts for the offices above the Bank: and
one f
16
The vestibule is
clients of the Bank, in addition
THE STRONG BOOMS
to renting Safe Deposit Boxes, have at their disposal six large- steel strong rooms if they require greater space than provided by the
It may be noted here that every on the West by a similar short direct cornice lighting is employed thing used in the construction of fight, giving access to the for the public. space and the the new building, with the excepChinese Department of the Bank mosaics of the barrel vault. A tion of some of the decorative within the bronze doors is an grid below the floor, enables tele- material, is a product or manu entrance hall which acts ash phone or light connections to be facture of the British Empire. air-lock to prevent too rapid a made at every desk by means of The marble, British and Italian, leakage of conditioned air. En-plugs, without long unsightly wire largest box. Within the beary stest like the Kowloon granite. arrived trance to the main Banking Hall connections.
grille that shuts off the Safe De on the spot cut and numbered itself is gained through, an im- to show the
!posit Vault from the entrance hall, exact Dosition
in posing bronze screen, 13 feet in
BRONZE LIONS
but outside the 20 ton door, is the which it was to be placed, and so width and 18 feet in height. it accurately was it worked to the contains three generously propor-
At the North end of the Banking Custodian's Lobby, at each end of Hall is the landing of the marble which are small inspection rooms ing was necessary on the Architects drawings that no cutt- tioned doors. surmounted by ar- staircase leading down to the Des or offices, Atted with steel disks,
site tistic panels, the centre
Voeux Road. "entrance Here, a telephones and other conveniences, marble have been used for the Arms. The Ashburton and Italian Botticino which depicts the Bank's Cost of bronze screen separates the. Hail for the use of clients who desire without delay, as soon
offices of the Chief to deal with their valuables" with- partico interior columns and wall linings, throughout with granite.
is finished from the builders were ready on the site. Swedish green and travertine for
Manager, Managers, Chief Ac-Fout removing them from the Bank
etc, The Banking Hall, 210 feet in countant, Steel works in England were al-
which overlook premises. Each of these rooms is the floor... Specially skilled length and ready making and shipping out
95 feet In width, Statue. Square. The Managers' | fitted with a special lock, permit- the framework of the new build- Venetian
workmen were enlisted to fix the occupied an area of 14,000 square and Brokers' rooms are finished ting the occupants to open the ing, which is constructed entire-
mosaics in the barrel feet and is 27 feet high, rising to with unpolished marble on the doors from the loside, but only the vault of the Banking Hall. No 45 feet in the barrel vault over walls, travertine floors, and simple Custodian can open them from the 1y of Chromodor steel. This ma-
wood has figured in the construc- the cent terial has 40 per
space. The public plaster ceilings, and here, as in the outside, thus ensuring complete tion of the building.
space extends the whole length rest of the building, all the furni- privacy. Electric indicators show strength, than mild steel, and has
It is worthy of special note that of the Banking Hall, the barrel tore is of metal. Separate ventila- which of the Inspection rooms are not before been used for the en- this important puilding, with its vanit over being 81 feet in length tion has been provided for these occupied. In the Safe Deposit tire framework of any large build-
numerous trades and sub-con- and 31, feet in diameter. The administrative offices, so that con- ing. For the new Bank 2,400 tons
tracts, many of which were let in Savings Bank, Inward were imported into Hong Kong.
Buis, ditioned air is avaliable when the England and Canada, has been Drafts, Fixed Deposits and Out Banking Hall is closed, The excavation of the front opened within one year of the ward Bills Departments extend The Das Voeux Road entrance is portion of the site was finished in laying of the Foundation Stone. along the right hand side, in the reached by a marble staircase with A Chubb's Night Safe, of ingen!- March, and during April the Con Both the Architects and Construc-order named Facing them (and a solid balustrade of Botticine and ons construction, has been provid- struction Managers completed the tion Managers deserve the fullest taken in order from the Queen's Ashburton marble. Carved panels: et in the exterior masonry near waterproofing of the raft and praise for the efficiency of their Road entrance) are the Chinese. in low relief and bronze wall bowls the Main Entrance for the benefit foundations below the tower, and organisation and for the close Cash, Current Accounts, and Cer-for lighting are features of this of clients who desire to dépott the laying and concreting of the co-operation with each other. respondence Departments. At the staircase, di
Again their daily takings in safety when main beams of the reinforced con Their labours have been reward- far Des Voeux Houn) end, are the Let us pay a visit to the actual the Bank is closed to nusineša. frete raft. Everything was now ined in the most satisfactory re- Chief Manager's, the Managers' entrance before inspecting ... the fammenke vinmann y dar readiness for the steel work, the sult.
and Chief Accountant's offices, the lower ground floor. It is flanked
(Continued on Page 11
more
public
Vault Itself there are 7,000 steel boxes of varying sizes, which will be available at a reasonable"`"`an- nual rental
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