Far East
ARCHITECT & BUILDER
The oldest trade journal in the Far East
EDITOR: A. G. BARNETT
AUGUST 1966
news review
Contents
News Review.
On-Site Prefabrication
The Tilt-Up Method
Battery-Cast Concrete Units
Lift Slab Technique
Factory-Made Systems
Larsen & Nielsen Method
The Camus System
The Balency System
Skarne Light and Heavy Systems
Timber Systems
Terrapin Mark 36 System Prefabrication in Timber
Leslie G. Mills
New Materials and Equipment
Building Plans Approved
Contracts Awarded
Index to Advertisers
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31
39
44
51
55
8885
62
66
71
75
79
83
2868
85
30
92
Cover picture compares traditional and modern methods of building in concrete. Above: Hakka women of Hong Kong handle site-mixed concrete. Below: A factory-made panel is positioned on a European housing site.
Published monthly by Far East Trade Press Ltd., 1908, Prince's Building, Hong Kong. Tel: 241031 European Office: Building and Contract Journals Ltd., 32 Southwark Bridge Road, London, 8. E. I. Tel: Waterloo 2060. Printed by Shum Shing Print- ing Co., 7 Ship Street, Hong Kong. Tol: 724513.
Controlled circulation to 5,000 qualified readers
INDUSTRIALISING ASIAN BUILDING
THE term Industrialised Building means the the mechanisa- tion of any part of the construction process to bring about a speed-up of site work and a reduction of site labour. But the term has become generic and is now associated with the factory manufacture, on or off site, of the com- plete components of buildings, so that the job-site be- comes merely the assembly plant of the production line.
An analagy is often drawn with the motor car in- dustry; the designer retains his importance but his designs must be adapted to mass production techniques.
Industrialised or system building was pioneered in Western Europe after World War 11. spreading quickly to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, and later to Great Britain where, in the space of a few years, the number of patented building systems on offer to local au- thorities for their housing programmes has grown from a handful to well over 400.
The construction of dwellings with large, factory- made precast panels has not yet taken hold in South East Asia, probably because the economies achieved in Europe are not reflected here, where labour costs are small by comparison. In situ reinforced concrete construction is cheaper here than in any part of the world.
Nevertheless, once the speed and economy of sys- tem building is proved in this area, South East Asia with its tremendous housing needs will provide a huge market for prefabricators. This fact is already realised by sys- tem patentees in Europe and Japan and licencees or joint venture companies have already been established in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
UNFORTUNATE INTRODUCTION
Industrialised building had an unfortunate introduc- tion into South East Asia. A French method was tried in Singapore, but only two of ten proposed multi-storey blocks were completed before the project was abandoned. The reasons for this were complex and were detailed by Mr. Teh Cheang Wan, Head of the Building Depart- ment, Singapore Housing and Development Board, in the July, 1965 issue of this journal. The Board however is continuing its research into the future use of industrialised methods.
In Kuala Lumpur giant strides are being taken. There are now several licencees of European systems or joint venture companies in the capital and the first large- scale housing project for system building has just been let by the Municipal Authority. The Danish firm, Larsen and Nielsen, in association with Gammon Malaya, Ltd. have won a contract to build 3,000 flats in 17-storey and four-storey blocks on a 23-acre site at Jalan Pekeliling. The scheme, estimated to cost M$13 million, is scheduled for completion in September, 1968.
In Hong Kong, rising labour costs and the gradual introduction of more mechanical aids to building are tend- ing to bring nearer the use of prefabricated methods. The Public Works Department is taking a close interest in a pilot scheme now being carried out for the Housing
Far East Architect & Builder August, 1966
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