February_1968 — Page 34

shopping decks and assist the shopper to select his route around the build- ing.

In addition to the numerous stair- cases, the main access to the upper floors is by means of escalators which are placed under the large voids along the main entrance to the concourse in order to heighten the effect of space and movement into the upper shop- ping decks. A pedestrian bridge at the first floor level across the main road is provided to facilitate move- ment and create a flow towards the shopping facilities on the first floor.

Shops

There are three storeys of shops, totalling some 140,000 sq. ft.

The shops vary in size from a small lock- able kiosk to a large emporium. They are expected to cater for a compre- hensive range of goods and are arrang- ed so that the impulsive buying type shops are situated on the ground floor with the more sophisticated shops on the upper two floors. The two large emporiums are situated on the first and second floors respectively.

The shops will be likely to remain open at night in keeping with the existing usage. The whole shopping complex is expected to remain lit and filled with people in the evening, ser- ving as a focal point in an area which is already noted to thrive during the day and continue to tick at night.

Office Accommodation

Office accommodation of approx- imately 45,000 sq. ft. is provided on the third floor. The route to and from the offices is by way of lifts at the front entrance, or by escalators from the main concourse entrance.

Restaurant and Cafe

A large restaurant is accessible from the main concourse entrance by es- calators and a walk-up ramp. Dur- ing the day, the restaurant will serve the tenants and shoppers in this com- plex, besides people working in the surrounding vicinity.

Two cafeterias, one situated on the ground floor and the other on the second floor, will cater for the numer- ous shoppers.

Parking for approximately 500 cars is provided on five levels of parking decks and the roof. This is arranged vertically and in such a way that shop- pers can enter directly from the car park into the shopping areas. This also facilitates easy loading and un- loading for delivery.

Flats

The 25-storey slab-block will con- sist of 300 flats varying from one- room to five-room units towering over the shopping complex.

The flats have independent means of access by lifts from the proposed road

at the rear of the site. The lifts stop at every fifth floor and discharge into wide corridors which serve as pedes- trian "streets in the air", where ten- ants and their children can meet, play and gossip.

Access is provided to flats from the pedestrian street two floors above and below this level. The flats next to the pedestrian street are one-room units with the living bedroom facing the view to the north-east. In this way, all main rooms of every flat will have not only quiet and privacy, but also an excellent panoramic view of the city-scape.

The planning of the flats also allows a sufficient degree of flexibility in providing various combinations of larger and smaller flats depending on market demands.

On each level of the pedestrian "streets in the air", provision is made at one end for a small communal ser- vice area. At the other end facing the sea. a larger community area serves the flat dwellers and their child- In this way, inter-mixing and communal living on a small and in- timate scale will be encouraged and fostered.

ren.

On the roof level, a community floor is also provided on a larger scale to serve the flat dwellers in the whole block. The facilities will in- clude a creche, meeting rooms, games room and open air play space.

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Artist's impression of shopping complex interior

Far East Architect & Builder February, 1968