June_1965 — Page 4

At technologist level are two Higher Diploma Courses, which will lead to professional qualifications acceptable by the "Burnham Committee” of the United These courses are re- Kingdom as degree equivalents cognised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Institute of Builders and the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The minimum entry qualification for these two courses is either the English or the Chinese School Certificate including passes in English, mathematics and physics. However, the professional bodies have raised their entry requirements recently. A high standard of English is essential and most professional bodies require G.C.E. English at “O” level or equivalent.

In an attempt to satisfy the big need for technicians in the building industry in the colony, the Department is running for the first time a two-year, full-time course at technician level. Minimum entry requirement is the completion of Form V. The course is designed to train foremen, clerks of works, draughtsmen and assistants in contractors', architects' and surveyors' offices.

Also being held next session is a large number of evening classes at senior, advanced and endorsement levels. For the first time Ordinary Certificate classes and Higher Certificate classes are being run in the evenings in both general building and in structural engineering.

CHALLENGE TO DEVELOPERS

URBAN renewal was the biggest problem facing the Singapore Government in its forward planning to meet the needs of a population of four million by 1990, said the Minister for National Development, Mr. Lim Kim San, in a recent State Day message.

Redevelopment in a rapidly progressing society could only have the effects intended and produce the required results if it was of a magnitude to make the necessary impact, he said. The challenge that would be posed to developers and architects would consist of invitations by the State to participate in comprehensive develop- ment schemes.

Instead of thinking in terms of one or two build- ings or a conglomeration of small buildings in a hous ing estate, they would be encouraged to think big, to apply their talents to the comprehensive development of certain areas of the city. Private investors would be encouraged to group themselves into syndicates which would have sufficient resources to attempt large-scale development schemes till now unknown in Singapore.

While the present types of piecemeal applications for development would continue to be allowed, he con- tinued, the Government would give greater encourage- ment to comprehensive schemes so as to ensure the resources of the State, both private and public, were applied to development that would affect areas where the need was greatest.

Mr. Lim added: "Until the advent of the Housing and Development Board it had been held that the building capacity in Singapore was such that to exceed 6,000 units of low cost housing a year would lead to a serious rise in building costs.

"The efforts of the Board in putting up an average of 10,000 units a year without any serious increase in costs and with the building industry simultaneously expanding on the private sector has once and for all exploded that myth".

HOSPITAL WARD JACKED - UP

INTERNATIONAL contractors, Christiani and Nielsen (Thai) Ltd., commissioned to raise the surgical ward of the Bangkok Christian Hospital, successfully completed to the work early last month.

Of reinforced concrete construction, the four-year old single-storey building is supported by 16 columns and has walls of brick. It measures 65 ft. long by 50 ft. wide and weighs a total of 400 tons. The purpose of the raising a distance of 4ft. 6in. was to bring the

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First day. Supporting framework in position

Third day. Jacks rest on second steel framework

Fourth day. Ward in final position

floor of the operating suite level with that of the adjacent building.

The jacking-up process was achieved by supporting the building on a framework of steel beams and lifting by means of eight hydraulic jacks, supplied through three hydraulic pumps. The jacks rested on another steel framework, placed on the footings.

This feat, the first of its kind in Thailand, was car- ried out at a rate of six inches an hour, the lifting operation lasting a total of four days. During this time, the work of the surgical ward continued without interruption.

NEW HEAD OF ARCHITECTURE

MR. D. W. NOTLEY, previously head of the Nottingham School of Architecture, UK. has taken up the post of head of the Department of Architecture and Building at the Singapore Polytechnic.

Far East Architect & Builder June, 1965