XN000022-1987-05-30 — Page 3

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1937

WORK BEGUN ON NEW MUSEUM OF ART

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FOUNDATION WORK ON THE NEW MUSEUM OF ART AT TSIM SHA TSU! HAS STARTED FOLLOWING THE RECENT AWARD OF A $11.6 MILLION PILING CONTRACT TO A LOCAL COMPANY BY THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

LOCATED NEXT TO THE SPACE MUSEUM AND THE CULTURAL CENTRE NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE NEW MUSEUM BUILDING WITH AN OPEN PEDESTRA IN PIAZZA WILL COVER AN AREA OF ABOUT 5 000 SQUARE METRES.

IT WILL CONSIST OF FIVE STOREYS AND A ONE-LEVEL BASEMENT.

FIVE EXHIBITION GALLERIES, WITH A TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF ABOUT 4 500 SQUARE METRES, WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THE DISPLAY OF CONTEMPORARY HONG KONG ART, ART IN CHINESE HISTORY, HISTORICAL PICTURES, CHINESE ANTIQUITIES AND CHINESE FINE ART.

THERE WILL ALSO BE A 1 300-SQUARE-METRE TEMPORARY EXHIBITION ALLERY FOR VISITING EXHIBITS.

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES INCLUDING A LECTURE HALL, LIBRARY AND A NUMBER OF ART STUDIOS, TOGETHER WITH WORKSHOPS FOR CONSERVATION, RESTORATION, GRAPHIC DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY, CARPENTRY, MÉTAL AND PLASTIC WORKS, WILL BE INCLUDED.

ARTEFACT STORES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE STORAGE OF OIL AND ACRYLIC PAINTINGS, PAPER AND TEXTILE WORKS, CERAMIC AND STONE WARES, AND WOOD AND METAL WORKS.

OTHER FACILITIES WILL INCLUDE ADMINISTRATIVE AND CURATORIAL OFFICES, A BOOK SHOP, SOCIETY ROOM AND REFRESHMENT CORNER,

THE PILING WORK FOR THE NEW MUSEUM BUILDING WILL TAKE ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

WORK ON THE SUPERSTRUCTURE IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN EARLY 1988 AND BE COMPLETED IN 1990.

THE NEW MUSEUM WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING MUSEUM LOCATED AT THE HIGH BLOCK OF THE CITY HALL.

THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE PROJECT IS $125 MILLION.

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