February_1966 — Page 41

Model of Pathumwan Square project

Designers of the project are Mr. J.A. Pennecot and Mr. Ronald Vogel, both now with Intaren Architects and Engineers of Bangkok. The cinemas are the two focal points of their plan. Each is immediately adjacent to shopping arcades. Terraced roofs above the shops will allow scope for small gardens, open-air cafes or other enterprises.

The design also provides for the maximum use of prefabricated concrete units. The developers

developers have established two manufacturing yards on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Promoter of the project, and managing director of the South East Asia Co. is Mr. Kobchai Sosothikul. He is a graduate in civil engineering from Sydney Univer- sity and worked for two years with Tippetts-Abbett- McCarthy-Stratton in Thailand. His company is also building the new Siam Intercontinental Hotel due to be opened in August this year.

WATER SCHEME STARTING

CONSTRUCTION work on a M$6 million scheme to supply fully treated water to the whole southern region of Ulu Selangor, Malaya is expected to start soon. Tenders have been invited for the project.

Pipes for a total length of 24 miles have already been laid along the work site.

The scheme outlined in the First Malaysia Plan will benefit the people of Rasa, Batang Kali, Ülu Yam, Serendah, Sungei Choh, Rawang and Kuang. It is expect- ed to be operational towards the end of next year and eventually to cater for a population of 85,000.

The main feature of the scheme will be the con- struction of its treatment plant, suction well and service reservoir in Batang Kali, about 31 miles from Kuala Lumpur. Water from the village river will be used, treated and pumped to feed storage reservoirs in the surrounding kampongs.

BUILDING PLANS APPROVED

FORTY-NINE plans for new buildings of all types in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories were approved by the Building Authority in December, 1965, as com- pared with 54 plans approved in November, 1965 and 73 in December, 1964.

During the same month, a total of 103 completed buildings was certified for occupation. Of these, 19 were buildings for domestic purposes, 25 for non-domestic purposes and 59 for combined domestic and non-domestic

use.

In addition, the Building Authority approved the demolition of 62 buildings.

Cost of new building work in the Colony during the month of December was $157,879.546. Another $10,-

Far East Architect & Builder February, 1966

346,790 was spent on site formation work, according to statistics published in the Government Gazette.

New buildings of all types erected totalled 117, in- cluding twelve factories and godowns, five offices and shops. 87 houses and flats and 13 others.

TIMBER BUILDING SYSTEM

FACTORY-finished timber buildings, which arrive on site in the form of weatherproof "packages" ready to be erected, may soon be marketed in Singapore.

The plan depends upon the success of a forthcoming visit Mr. J. Ashworth, export director of Terrapin, Ltd.. of Bletchley, UK. Mr. Ashworth will be visiting Singapore on February 13 and 14, during a six-week tour which also includes USA, Canada, Honolulu, Japan. Australia, Sarawak and the Middle East.

The Terrapin system known as the Mark 36 is widely used in the UK. especially for school buildings. Based on a timber unit, comprising roof, floor and side walls which fold flat for ease of transportation, it enables a building of 2,000 sq. ft. to be fully finished in a day. Each unit of 200 sq. ft. is decorated inside and out at the factory.

Manufacturing and marketing agreements similar to those proposed for Singapore have already been negotiated by Terrapin in South Africa, Scandinavia, France, Germany and Portugal. The company has recently completed the prototype of a multi-storey industrialised building system.

NEW PRISON PLANNED

THE Thai Government has allotted an initial 25 million baht for a new modern prison. This was announced recently by the Director General of the Penitentiary De- partment, Naong Bandhit.

A total of 100 million baht will be required for the full project. The prison is to be built on a 475-rai plot of land at Lardyao. Designs are being prepared by the Public and Municipal Works Department.

RESETTLEMENT BLOCKS TO START

THE Construction of two multi-storey domestic blocks at the Sau Mau Ping resettlement estate in Kwun Tong is expected to start shortly.

The two buildings, both of which will be 16 storeys high, are to be built to the Hong Kong Government's standard Mark V design and will eventually provide ac- commodation for some 8,000 people. The Mark V design gives four different domestic room sizes to suit allocation for families of four, five, seven and nine people. Individual water closet and mains water supply is provided to each room. A 24-classroom school attached to one of the two

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