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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1975
HA KWAI CHUNG ESTATE TAKING SHAPE
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ON A TERRACED HILLSIDE COMMANDING A PANORAMIC VIEW OF TSUEN WAN, KWAI CHUNG AND TSING YI ISLAND, A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE IS GRADUALLY TAKING SHAPE.
IT IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S HA KWAI CHUNG ESTATE WHICH WILL, ON COMPLETION IN 1977, PROVIDE HOMES FOR ABOUT 19,300 PEOPLE,
BLASTING TO PROVIDE A 22-ACRE SITE HAS TAKEN OVER A YEAR. PART OF THE ROCKS OBTAINED WERE USED FOR THE BUILDING OF THE ESTATE BLOCKS AND THE REST FOR RECLAMATION PURPOSES.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST STAGE, INCLUDING THE BUILDING OF TWO TWIN-TOWER BLOCKS AND THE FORMATION OF A PODIUM WITH A +Z+-SHAPE BUILDING ON TOP AND A THREE-STOREY CAR PARK UNDERNEATH, IS FORGING AHEAD AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED EARLY NEXT YEAR.
THE +Z+ BLOCK WILL PROVIDE A NUMBER OF SHOP SPACES ON ITS GROUND FLOOR AND TWO RESTAURANTS ON THE FIRST FLOOR WITH DORMITORY ACCOMMODATION ON THE TOP FLOOR.
SITE FORMATION WORK ON THE SECOND STAGE IS BEING CARRIED OUT CONCURRENTLY, THIS PHASE OF WORK COMPRISES THE BUILDING OF ANOTHER TWIN-TOWER BLOCK, A SLAB BLOCK, TWO SCHOOLS AS WELL AS PREMISES FOR WELFARE AGENCIES.
THE ESTATE WILL HAVE 2,415 FLATS OF VARYING SIZES, INTAKE FOR 5,000 RESIDENTS WILL START EARLY NEXT YEAR.
MA. HENRY NG, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ARCHITECT IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT, SAID THAT DUE TO THE HILLY TERRAIN MUCH EFFORT HAD TO BE PUT INTO THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE ESTATE.
+THE TWIN-TOWER BLOCK IN THE SECOND STAGE HAS TO BE CONSTRUCTED AT 60 FEET ABOVE THE PODIUM AND THE SLAB BLOCK IS EVEN FURTHER HIGHER UP. BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAVE TO DESIGN A COVERED WALKWAY AND A LIFT TO LINK THESE BLOCKS WITH THE PODIUM WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY BE DEVELOPED INTO A SHOPPING CENTRE. HE SAID.
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