July_1965 — Page 10

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CBS headquarters in New York

In addition to their support function and contribu- tion to design, the building's triangular columns house air ducts, supply and return piping to the window heat- ing and air conditioning units as well as telephone and electrical conduits.

Special techniques were developed to cast the con- crete columns, floors and building core. "Unitized" steel forms, one to each column, were designed and fabricated. Starting at street level the forms were moved, or “slip- ped" up a floor at a time.

The forms also had bolted side attachments to sup- port exterior canvas screening for weather protection of the work crews. With a 20 ft. high screen around them. men at the perimeter of the building were not aware of the height at which they were working, and the screens prevented materials from dropping to the street below.

The contractors, Brennan and Sloan, were able to pour one complete floor and 54 columns every four working days.

For and Against Using

Metric System

THE announcement in May that Britain is to adopt the metric system over the next ten years has met a mixed reception from the country's architects and builders.

The Royal Institute of British Architects are reported to be very much in favour of the move because of the enormous advantage in standardisation and the resulting speed-up of the design of new buildings. For these reasons, the institute urged the Government in 1962 to switch from the 4in. module to the slightly larger 10 centimetre module.

A similar reaction came from the builders organisa- tion, the National Federation of Building Trade Em- ployers. They said that the metric system would enable manufacturers to decide on the dimensions of their pro-

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ducts

more easily and would remove most of the exasperation that now abounded.

Less optimistic was Mr. A. G. Day, technical officer at the Building Research Station. He said that the move would cause “a fair bit of chaos in the building indus- try". Factory production could be switched to the metric system fairly easily but the small builder was going to find it very hard.

Plan for Parliament Building Ready Soon

NEW ZEALAND Government architect, Mr. F. G. F. Sheppard, has completed detailed sketch plans for the proposed addition to Parliament Buildings in Wellington.

The designer of Coventry Cathedral, Sir Basil Spence, last year suggested a beehive design to replace the old wooden part of the buildings. The design has been one of the most controversial ever suggested in New Zealand.

Mr. Sheppard said he was certainly recommending the beehive to the Government. "I agree entirely with Sir Basil's idea,” he said, "The modern circular form he suggested a year ago has been developed over the past 12 months and now incorporates a lot of new features." Since Sir Basil's suggestion the Ministry of Works has conducted tests on soil and strata of the land on which the building could be built.

140-acre Canadian Town Centre Plan

WORK has started on the C$8 million first phase of the Guildford town centre redevelopment scheme in Vancouver, Canada.

Grosvenor-Laing Development Co. (Canada), Ltd., are developing the area, which will cover 140 acres and cost between $40-50 million over a ten to 15-year period.

Phase one, due for completion by August, 1966, will include a central pedestrian mall system on two levels. a large departmental and food store covering 180,000 sq. ft., about 40 shops, a hotel, theatre, an out- door skating rink and extensive car parking facilities. The remainder of the town centre will have further de- partment stores, shops, offices, flats, recreational and medical facilities and varied commercial development. The area will also include a swimming pool and a one- acre ornamental lake.

The development is planned by Grosvenor-Laing (BC). Ltd. (chief architect, Mr. Frank Donaldson, ARIBA).

Greater Use of Glued Plywood Forecast

PREFABRICATED plywood houses held together with glue are the dwellings of the future, according to an American scientist. Dr. R. F. Blomquist, of the United States Forest Research Laboratory.

He said recently that such houses would be virtually earthquake resistant, comparatively cheap, long lasting. attractive and extremely comfortable. Much research was being done in the United States to find new types of glue which would be extremely strong, weatherproof and waterproof. This glue would be used to glue house parts together without nails.

Dr. Blomquist said that it was much easier for houses to be built of plywood at a factory and erected at the home site. To weatherproof the ply, sheets of special plastic were glued to the exterior.

Automated Tile Plant

ADVANCED automation is a feature of a remodelled tile factory opened recently at Upsala, Sweden. by Upsala- Ekeby AB. One of its many innovations is a computer which sorts tiles according to colour variations and does the work of 18 men.

Far East Architect & Builder July, 1965

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