February_1967 — Page 1

Far East

ARCHITECT & BUILDER

The oldest trade journal in the Far East

EDITOR! A. G. BARNETT

FEBRUARY 1967

news review

Contents

News Review

Shatin Bridge Over the Shing Mun River,

H.K.

19

25

Prestressed Concrete in the Philippines 30

Sound, Slow Progress in Prestressing,

Malaysia and Singapore

33

American PCI's 1966 Award Winners, U.S.A. 37

The Evoluon, Eindhoven, Holland

42

The Mancunian Way, Britain

45

Horizontal Shear Connections in Com-

posite Beams

49

Materials and Equipment

53

Contractors' Plant

57

Building Plans Approved

61

Contracts Awarded

Index to Advertisers

63

70

Cover picture: Part of the precast concrete canopy which surrounds both the inside and outside of the covered mall, Greenbriar Shopping Centre, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The centre, designed by Edwards and Portman, was among winners of the American Prestressed Concrete Institute's 1966 Awards.

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, S. E. I. Tel: Waterloo 2060. Printed by Shum Shing Print- ing Co., 7 Ship Street, Hong Kong. Tel: 724513.

Controlled circulation to 5,000 qualified readers

SILVER MEDAL NOT AWARDED

THE Silver Medal of the Hong Kong Society of Architects for excellence in architecture was not awarded last year. The Medal was to have been awarded for buildings of the institutional type and the jury duly considered the 8 build- ings which were nominated: after very serious considera- tion the jury decided that none deserved the award.

The 1966 Annual Report of the Secretary of the Society draws attention to this decision and to its courage, making it clear that the Medal is intended to be awarded for "excellence" and not for ability or competence. The Report goes on to remind members that this year the Medal will be awarded for industrial and commercial build- ings and that the R.I.B.A. Bronze Medal for building of all types will also be contested; it is hoped that more members will support the contests by submitting projects for consideration.

FUTURE OF DOCKYARD LAND

THE Director of Public Works, Hong Kong, recently made an announcement on the future of the dockyard land. He said that it was now eighteen months since the Government rejected the only tender that was rceived for the former Royal Naval Dockyard. At that time it was indicated that the proposed redevelopment plan was to be abandoned and that the project was to be referred back to the Town Planning Board.

It was now agreed that the earlier plan had been too ambitious and, in particular, placed too many restric- tions on any would-be developer. This is an important central site and, quite apart from any aesthetic considera- tion, represents a very large capital investment by Govern- ment. The public expects to be informed of its plans to recoup this sum or to provide amenities to justify their disbursement. The tourist industry is. after textiles, the largest single revenue producer for the Colony. With the advent of jumbo and supersonic jets more and more over- seas organisations will look to Hong Kong as a possible venue for conventions and congresses but unless definite plans are made now for a large convention hall they will have to look elsewhere.

The Director believed that this site had been con- sidered in connection with the proposed comprehensive Conference and Exhibition Complex. There was already a shortage of hotel accommodation in the Colony and maybe it would be possible to utilise part of the site in this

way.

If it was the intention of Government to finance a part of the cross-harbour tunnel, he would rather see this sum invested in a Convention Hall, which is necessary for the expansion of the tourist industry and the economic growth of the Colony. The Convention Hall would also provide a quicker return than the tunnel.

It could perhaps be argued that the property market was still depressed and the time not suitable for the de- velopment of the site. But surely this was a negative attitude. What was needed now was a positive lead by Government to demonstrate its confidence in the continued

Far East Architect & Builder February, 1967

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