No_1_1956 — Page 25

PROPOSED HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTS

MEETING OF ARCHITECTS AT THE AMERICAN CLUB

G. Gregory and Mr. S. T. Kwok were elected Members of the Committee.

It was agreed that the Society should be founded for the general advancement of Civil Architecture and for promoting and facilitating the acquirement of the knowledge of the various Arts and Sciences

Members of the profession at the Meeting of 26th June, 1956, at the American Club.

Many years ago, before the Second that it was extremely desirable to form World War, various attempts had been an Architects' Association in Hong Kong, made to form an Architectural Association it was felt that the moment was not op- in the Colony, In June 1940, the late Mr. portune to attempt its inception. J. S. Gibson informed Us that two at- tempts had been made previously.

The After the War, in August 1949, through first was at a meeting in the Peninsula the efforts of Mr. N. H. Fok, a dinner Hotel, but the attendance was too small took place in the Hong Kong Hotel follow- to form a sufficient quorum, and nothing ed by a discussion on the possibilities of further was done in the matter. The forming such an association. Every au- second attempt was at a meeting held in thorised architect had been sent a written Messrs. Lane Crawford's premises. This invitation to attend this dinner and dis- meeting was convened by a fully qualified cussion, and of approximately eighty per- Government Official, and about thirty Architects, authorised and otherwise, at tended.

After a Chairman had been duly elected. was proposed, seconded and carried unanimously that an Association be form-

it

ed.

A Working Committee was then ap- pointed and all present were of the opinion that early action would be taken. The attempt was, however, not successful and the proposal lapsed.

sons

Committee was elected with Mr. B. W. H. invited, thirty-three attended. A

Bousted as Convener, Mr. G. D. Su as Treasurer and Miss M. de C. Basto as Secretary, to put forward proposals on which an Architects' Association could be formed. However, for various reasons, nothing further came of this effort.

Since that time, various architects who have had the interest of the profession very much at heart, continued working for On July 10th, 1940, a meeting was con- this cause and finally, at the suggestion vened at the Metropole Hotel in another of Mr. G. D. Su, a meeting of members of effort to form an Architects Association, the architectural profession was held on but unfortunately owing to the threaten- Tuesday, 26th June 1956 at the American ing political situation, the Hong Kong Club. Government was forced to order immedi-

ate evacuation of European women and It was decided at the Meeting that a children from Hong Kong a few days prior Society should be formed called "The to the date of the meeting. As a result Hong Kong Society of Architects', and a of the confusion into which Hong Kong Committee was appointed to frame a had been thrown by this order, only nine Constitution, with instructions to submit out of the thirty-one architects who had their proposals within two months. Mr. been invited to attend the meeting were G. D. Su was elected to be Chairman of able to be present, and although brief dis- the Committee, with Mr. D. P. Crease as cussions were held and a resolution passed Secretary: Mr. A. M. J. Wright, Mr. W.

connected therewith."*

The Meeting was attended by about forty architects.

that the Society should eventually become During the discussion it was put forward

Architects, in order that the Institute's affiliated to the Royal Institute of British

Examinations may be held in Hong Kong. This would not mean that the Society would be open only to members of the R.I.B.A., and the hope was expressed that the Society would be open to all who practise architecture in the Colony,

The importance to Hong Kong of an active Architects' Association can- not be too strongly emphasized, and it is a matter of surprise that in spite of the many earnest endeavours of members of the profession, that such an association had not been previous- ly launched.

However, it appears now that there is every likelihood of a successful conclusion to the present attempt. and we feel that the building indus- try generally, and the profession par- ticularly, will soon benefit by the formation of a well regulated and fully recognised society in Hong Kong.

THE EDITOR

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