April_1971 — Page 24

View from west showing dormitory block and steps leading to chapel

more important function. On each floor of the dormitory block are ten cabins, each fitted with bunks for four people. Toilets for men and women are included on each floor.

The chapel stands on the front part of the lot where the hill slopes steeply away and is conspicuous from all directions. A tower, 25ft. high, is in corporated in the design of the main entrance to the complex to be sym- bolic of the religious purpose of the buildings.

A cellular structure was adopted for the dormitory block, door and window openings being kept to a mini- mum. The mess block structure carries

CONC_RAILING

an 'inverted' roof which gives it its dis- tinguishing character and additional lighting and ventilation through cleres- tory lights.

In the chapel, an interesting feature is the skylight over the entire area of the chancel. A cross invisibly suspend- ed from this skylight gives substance to the name 'Chapel of Transfigura- tion'.

Water supply

To provide a permanent source of water supply a dam has been built up- stream, from which water is piped through filter beds to a large reservoir converted from an existing concrete

tank. From this in turn water can be pumped up to the roof for general pur- poses or directly for fire fighting.

In constructing the complex the main difficulty was the comparative inaccessibility of the site. A temporary dirt track was bull-dozed up the hill to enable material to be brought in by vehicles, normal access having been planned as a stepped foot-path leading off from Shatin Pass Road. As an in- dication of the difficulties encounter- ed, the dormitory and mess blocks took nine months to complete and the chapel, stage II, a further six months.

No electrical power was available for the contractors on the site, and

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Ground floor plan of chapel

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CHANCEL

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North elevation

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SCALE

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Far East BUILDER, April 1971