May_1965 — Page 15

Louvred ducts below window level

give a strong horizontal expression to

New Hong Kong University

Block

A N EIGHT-STOREY rectangular block, linked by pedestrian bridge at fourth floor level to a lecture theatre building, now houses the University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Medicine departments responsible for the teaching of preclinical subjects.

Called the Li Shu Fan Building, it is sited to the east of Sassoon Road and to the south of Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, on an area formed by a steep narrow valley carrying a nullah that empties into the sea at Telegraph Bay.

The site was selected because of its proximity to the Queen Mary Hos- pital, where the clinical departments are located; thus concentrating the medical faculty into one locality and allowing for the centralisation of the administrative and library facilities which form the second stage of the faculty's development now in pro- gress on an adjacent site.

Despite its difficulties, the site, commanding a magnificent view to the south, presented advantages in vertical circulation and the discrete location of certain parts of the ac- commodation such as cadaver storage and animal housing.

L

174

I

PREPARATION

ROOM

2 STUDENT LABORATORY

3 ASSISTANT LECTURER

4 SENIOR LECTURER

5 SEMINAR

ROOM

• SECRETARY

7 PROFESSOR'S

• PROFESSORS

OFFICE LABORATORY

9 DEMONSTRATORS ROOM

10 DARK

ROOM

INSTRUMENT ROOM

12 DRUG

ROOM

13 ISOTOPE LABORATORY

14 REFRIGERATED ROOM

15 HOT LABORATORY

16 LAVATORY

17 STORE ROOM

18 LECTURE

19 ENTRANCE

20 CORRIDOR

THEATRE HALL

20

Li Shu Fan Building seen from lower down the valley to the south

The planner's original brief pro- vided for an annual intake of 100 students, making total of 300 students who will be using the facili- ties, and for about 50 staff.

20

a

5

6 7

13

14

19

Γ TT

Γ

19

18

--12:40 SEATS

GROUND

N

15

FLOOR PLAN

PHYSIOLOGY DEPARTMENT

The architectural form of the pro- ject is a large rectangular block con- taining the main laboratories and practical spaces, linked by a light bridge, spanning the drive-way, to a wedged-shaped structure, which ex- presses the function of the lecture theatres within.

The main building has a strong horizontal expression dictated by the column-to-column glazing and the horizontal louvred ducts below the windows. The elevations are relieved by changes of plane in the glazing; in the larger rooms glass is fixed to the face of the columns, while in the smaller rooms it is recessed between the columns.

Two Parts

On the south-east elevation the projecting animal house forms a semi-podium, which visually carries the building across the valley, as op- posed to "sitting" in it, and closes the vista up the valley with a com- manding climax. The building is in a peculiar situation, in that it may be viewed from a number of directions, particularly from above and from below, making it essential for the expression to be consistent and uni- fied.

The building is planned in two parts, to take advantage of the levels. Entrance direct from street level is gained to the lecture theatre building, from which access is also obtained by the bridge to the middle floor of the main building a plan which

Far East Architect & Builder May, 1963

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