February_1965 — Page 17

are clear spans, unsupported by in- ternal columns.

To meet the present trend of large screen projection the screen is over 60 ft. wide. The seating plan pro- vides good sight lines from any point in the theatre. A reverse pitch slope is adopted for the auditorum and the steep balcony gives viewers an impression of closeness to the screen. Seating capacity is 1,302.

The projection room is suspended in the void between the ceiling and the rear wall. This has given an increase in the seating capacity of the cinema as the balcony seats are taken right back to the rear wall, and these seats are not disturbed by noise from the projection machinery.

Lighting cables and other services for the cinema are hidden between the roof and a suspended ceiling which is stepped down towards the

screen.

Construction

Apart from its steep gradient, the site of over 13,000 sq. ft. proved to be one of the most difficult in Hong Kong for foundation construction.

Deep sheet piling was sunk around the perimeter to retain the surrounds and to safeguard against settlement of the adjoining roads. But within the site there were many boulders and there followed the tedious task of setting up coffer dams around the boulders, removing the rock in- side, replacing it with fill material and then in some areas sinking piles through the new material.

To support the office block piles were sunk to a depth of 50 to 60 ft. Part of the cinema is also supported on piled foundations, the remainder standing on а reinforced concrete raft. 5 ft. thick.

Gammon (Hong Kong) Ltd. were responsible for the foundations. The raft was constructed using Acrow steel formwork, and for all other

Dress circle

reinforced concrete work, cast in situ. timber shuttering was used.

The building is carried by a rein- forced concrete frame with columns spaced at 15 ft. 6 in. centres. In the office block they measure up to 24 in. by 27 in. and in the cinema block they are generally 18 in. by 18 in.

There are no floor supporting beams in the office block. Rein- forced concrete plate floor construc- tion, 6 in. deep, is used. This saves headroom and permits easy conceal- ment of the air conditioning ducts which are carried beneath the ceiling soffit.

In the cinema structure massive 72 ft. span reinforced concrete beams support the roof and the balcony. The three largest are the balcony beams, 7 ft. 3 in. deep by 24 in. wide.

The seven roof beams are 6 ft. 9 in. deep by 24 in. wide. They are of this proportion in order to take a line of columns for a part of the office block riding over the cinema

waiting area

roof and to carry heavy loading on the roof where two large circular water tanks and the cooling tower of the air conditioning plant are located.

Wind bracing for the building is provided by the two separate banks of lift shafts. In these cores the minimum thickness of the walls is 12 in.

Finishes

Finishes on the building have been chosen for both appearance and hard wear, requiring a minimum of main- tenance. Wide use is made of marble

mostly imported from Belgium mosaic tiles and teak panelling.

The upper floors of the office block are clad in glass and red mosaic tiles facing the apron beams. The first three floors on the Queen's Road frontage have a Carrara White marble facing from floor to sill level and white mosaics are used on the theatre block.

Escalator linking auditorium waiting area

Far East Architect & Builder February, 1965

and dress circle

Balcony with projection suite suspended over rear

seats

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