January_1968 — Page 32

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Haffner: I don't think it is neces- sarily too late. There is a lot that can still be done in the Central District. The problem of linking buildings at a higher level for instance is not very difficult and can easily be achieved.

Fawcett: We have been talking about Hong Kong and the people of Hong Kong but there is one thing I would like to put to you all. We rely very much on the tourist here, which makes me think of the waterfront. Couldn't this be made more attractive. We are expecting to have a road run- ning from Central District_right through to North Point which is go- ing to cut through part of Victoria Park I believe. How can this water- front he made a tourist attraction?

Wong: Anything that can be done to improve the enchantment of our harbour would be good. What we need out of the central area is a con- tinuous promenade 20 or 30 ft. wide where people can walk freely and un- hampered by traffic.

Fawcett: Don't you think that such a promenade would be misused by hawkers and parked vehicles.

Haffner: Such a promenade could be made accessible to pedestrians only without being accessible to vehicles. There is no reason why it should be at the same level as the waterfront road. or lower.

It could be higher

Fitch: I do not think the tourist would really care whether he could go all the way down the waterfront road on a promenade or not. Tourists are usually here for a limited time and they have an awful lot to see. How- ever, I think a promenade would be appreciated by the local people.

Wong: Yes. We only have to look at Victoria Park and what is happen- ing at the moment in Statue Square. Both are full of people. This is be- cause these are the only spaces we have in the middle of the city, and any continuation of them, such as a waterfront road would be bound to be used by the local population.

Fawcett: There was one last ques- tion I wanted to put. Hong Kong is entering a stand in the Expo 1970 in Osaka. It has been said that this might well be designed by a Japanese architect. Surely the HKSA would want to be in on this from the very beginning? I wonder is there likely to be a design competition which your members could enter into?

Fitch: This problem came up when it was mentioned in the press that Hong Kong Government had appoint- ed a director to take over the or ganisation of the pavilion at Expo 1970. As president of the Society I went to see the Director of Public Works to find out what the present position was with regard to the design

of the pavilion. The Government is taking a very responsible position on this and Mr. Wright assured me that there would be no Japanese designer, though a Japanese architect, who speaks the language, would be em- ployed to do some of the necessary work on the spot.

It had also been rumoured that the scheme was going to be designed and executed by the School of Architec- ture of Hong Kong University. In fact it was given as a programme to all students a very good practical idea but there is no intention that the scheme will be carried out in that way.

Í also asked about a competition. The director said that there would not be a competition, but there would be an architect selected who was a resi- dent of Hong Kong. The students de- signs have been reduced to 10 from 80, and whoever is selected will have

great say on whether any of these ideas are used or not, or whether he must start again.

So having talked to Mr. Wright, I can say that there has been no inten- tion of casting slight on anyone and the Government is well aware of the need to make the pavilion a really first class thing, because Expo is an inter- national exposition and it will be be- fore the eyes of the world. It is very important that Hong Kong has its im- age well and truly established in Osa- ka in 1970.

Shanks Curzon Bath

IN VITREOUS CHINA

Apart from its sheer beauty, this bath has many desirable features. The reduced height is convenient for both old and young and the two handrails are most care- fully and correctly designed. The botton has been flat-

tened and widened for grea- ter comfort and safety. The illustations show our easily- cleaned panels in matching fibre-glass with atoe space and smooth rounded corners, but this beautiful bath is of course adaptable to any of the conventional designs of panelling if preferred.

SOLE AGENTS:—

ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.

1927-1928, UNION HOUSE, HONG KONG.

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Far East Architect & Builder January, 1968