XN000022-1988-11-18 — Page 2

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1988

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARCHITECTS: GOVERNOR

TREMENDOUS

SIZE

HONG KONG'S BOOMING ECONOMY HAS PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS OF AND QUALITY PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN IN HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE ANNUAL AWARDS EXHIBITION OF *THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, SIR DAVID SAID THAT NOWADAYS ARCHITECTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR IMAGINATION AND FLAIR ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALF.

"ARCHITECTS MAKE A SIGNIFICANT

MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY,

IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF ALL

--

HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT BUILDINGS WERE LOOKED AT BY EVERYBODY: "THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT OFTEN A STRIKING PART OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, PARTICULARLY IN A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING CITY LIKE HONG KONG.

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"ARCHITECTS CAN THEREFORE PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN MAKING SURE THAT BUILDINGS NOT ONLY FUNCTION WELL BUT LOOK GOOD," HE SAID.

HOWEVER, SIR DAVID NOTED THAT ARCHITECTURE WAS NOT ONLY A MATTER OF DESIGNING NEW SKYSCRAPERS AS HONG KONG PROVIDED OTHER CHALLENGES.

TAKING THE EXAMPLE OF URBAN RENEWAL, SIR DAVID SAID THAT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WAS ESTABLISHED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR TO OVERSEE THE REDEVELOPMENT OF RUN-DOWN PARTS OF THE OLDER URBAN AREAS, WITH THE AIM OF PROVIDING A BETTER LIVING ENVIRONMENT.

"THERE WILL BE A NEED TO BUILD MANY NEW BUILDINGS TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES NOW LACKING IN THESE AREAS," HE SAID.

ARCHITECTS WOULD HAVE A KEY ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS.

SIR DAVID SAID THAT ARCHITECTS COULD ALSO HELP PROVIDE EXPERT ADVICE OF EFFECTIVE BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION FOR OLDER BUILDINGS WHICH WERE STILI IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

THE GOVERNOR ADDED THAT HE HOPED THE EXHIBITION WOULD SHOW THE PUBLIC WHAT WAS BEING DONE BY ARCHITECTS IN HONG KONG, AND GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TO ARCHITECTS FOR YET GREATER FEATS OF EXCELLENCE.

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