February_1968 — Page 30

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Section A-A

Above the office floor is the chapel which has an area of 3,400 sq. ft. and can be divided into six classrooms by movable partitions. At one side of the chapel is a small yard which can be used as an outdoor space for the children.

The main church hall, or nave, is placed over the chapel. Capable of seating 420 persons, it is 27 ft. high and has a gallery for a further 80 over the entrance end of the hall.

The large cross which is the con- ventional background to main altars has been replaced here by a long

WATER TANK

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GALLERY

FUNNSTERS

PLAT

NATE

BROUND FL

rectangular screen depicting in bronze the Greek letters Alpha, Omega and Jesus. These may be translated to mean: "From the beginning to end, Jesus is complete and all wisdom". Natural lighting filtering through coloured stained glass is provided at both sides of the altar.

The minister's flat, with an area of 1,150 sq. ft., is placed between the floors of the main hall and the gal- lery. It comprises two bedrooms, a study and living and dining space.

Situated above the staircases, the bell tower has been specially designed

to accommodate two huge electrically operated bronze bells, each weighing 34 ton and having a diameter of 4 ft. The belfy is protected by typhoon shutters. A 16 ft. concrete cross is placed on top of the bell tower as a dominating feature of the whole building.

Materials used internally include Travertino flooring and blue wall fac- ing tiles in the entrance hall, coloured mosaic tiles and 4 ft. dado on the main staircase, coloured mosaic tile flooring in the chapel, and teak parquet floor- ing and stained glass for the window openings in the nave and gallery.

Externally the white shanghai plas- tered facade of the main hall and chapel contrasts with blue facing tiles on the staircase and the bell tower and light chocolate coloured mosaics the window panels.

Cost

on

The building was completed in nine months. When it was nearing the end of construction a torrential rain storm collapsed the rear slope and much time was spent in removing the debris and fallen boulders and rede- signing the slope. A 4 in. minimum concrete surface was eventually pour- ed in place to protect the slope which was further trimmed back to give it better stability.

A total cost of the building, exclud- ing site formation, was HK$530,000, while the site formation cost eventual- ly totalled almost HK$300,000.

Metal Casement Fittings

S.F. WONG, Box 1232, Hong Kong

Agents: N.P. KING, Box 79, Singapore

SMITH WALLIS & CO. LIMITED Highgate Road: Birmingham 12: England

Far East Architect & Builder February, 1968

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