January_1965 — Page 7

STANDARD CONTRACT

A NEW standard form of building contract for Hong Kong is to be produced. To draft it a joint committee has been formed by the Hong Kong Society of Architects, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Hong Kong and China Branch) and the Society of Builders.

Chairman of the committee is Mr. N. R. Assiter, pasts chairman of the RICS.

The existing contractual system is thought to be inadequate in setting out the rights and obligations between building owners and contractors.

CONCRETE SERVICE

THE five Malaysian cement producers have agreed to form an association to be called The Cement and Concrete Association of Malaysia.

and

Remaining independent in the production marketing of their individual brands, the companies have formed the association "to promote the uses of cement and concrete in building and civil engineering, to encourage the improvement of building techniques, and to pursue the aims of economy and efficiency in the use of cement."

The association will set up an information service for architects, contractors and consultants.

SEATO HEADQUARTERS

SOUTH East Asia Treaty Organisation has grown too big for its existing headquarters in Bangkok and is planning a new building on a site of 30 rais off the city's Rama VI and Sri Ayudhaya Roads.

Architects of Thailand's Department of Public and Municipal Works, in

in collaboration with consultants nominated by the Governments of the UK and the USA, have been working on designs since 1961. Now prelim- inary work on the site is under way and the general construction contract will soon be signed.

The new building will be of reinforced concrete construction. It will face Sri Ayudhya Road and will have a central block rising to a height of five floors, flanked on each side by wings raised on pillars to provide

SEATO's proposed headquarters in Bangkok

three floors of office space above ground floor level. The total floor area will be some 8,000 square metres.

The overall design is simple and functional, and grounds surrounding the building will be planted with trees, shrubs and lawns to give it a garden setting.

KOWLOON LAND SALE

ONE of the most prominent and valuable sites in Kow- loon, Hong Kong, with an area of about 48,850 sq. ft. fronting Nathan Road, Salisbury Road and Middle Road is

to be offered for sale by public auction on February 22.

The upset price of the Crown land, which may be used for any purpose other than industrial development, will be HK$35,000,000, and the purchaser will be re- quired to erect buildings to the value of not less than HK$12,000,000 by March 31, 1969. No factory build- ing may be erected on the land.

The site is adjacent to the new Middle Road multi- storey car park.

Far East Architect & Builder January, 1965

Artist's sketch of the new building at North Point

...

BIGGEST PARLOUR

WHAT is described as the biggest and most modern funeral parlour in Asia is to built at North Point, Hong Kong. It will cost about $HK4.5 million.

The five-storey building is designed for funerals or various religions, with separate floors for Buddhist and Christian services. Covering a site area of 12.480 sq. ft.. it will include two embalming rooms and a number of business offices. There will also be a car park for 20 vehicles.

Hsin Yich Architects and Associates, Hong Kong, are the designers. Piling work is almost finished and tenders for construction are about to be invited. The parlour should be completed at the end of this year.

INCREASING DEVELOPMENT

THERE has been little change in the pattern of building development on Hong Kong Island, the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation states in his annual report for 1963-64.

Due perhaps in some measure to the pressure on public transport facilities, private developers were pay- ing much more attention to the central and off central areas, notably Wanchai, where the pace of redevelop- ment was considerably speeded up and many large land transactions took place.

at-

The report states that developers turned more tention to low-cost housing, generally in the range of HK$30,000 to $40,000 for a flat having a covered area of about 400 sq. ft., and a number of very large schemes were in progress.

Little new office space was added and the position was aggravated by the extensive demolition of old build- ings.

LONDON CONSULTANTS CHOSEN

A London firm of consulting engineers, Sir Bruce White. Wolfe, Barry and Partners, have been appointed by the Brunei Government, for the £3.7 million Muara project.

Chosen from among 50 tenderers from all over the world, they will prepare detailed designs for the nation- al development plan which aims at making Muara a Customs-free supply base for the Brunei coast.

FACTORY FOR CHINA

LIGHT concrete building materials of the Swedish Siporex type are to be manufactured under licence in China. An agreement has been signed between Internationella AB Siporex, Stockholm, and the Chinese Government. The plant will be designed for an output of 150,000 m. a year of principally reinforced light concrete units. The contract covers both manufacturing rights and the delivery of special machinery. Swedish engineers will supervise the erection of the factory.

cu.

35