No_1_1960 — Page 44

MALAYA GETS

GETS LOW

LOW-COST WOODEN HOUSES By R.H.H. Davis, B. Arch., A.R.I.B. A. and H. J. Burgess, B. Sc., A. M.I. Mech. E, A. M.I.E. E.

EXPERIENCE led the Housing

Trust to reconsider the desir- ability of prefabrication for work subsequent to that which had been undertaken. The low structural ef- ficiency of a conventional prefabri- cated design requires a તે larger quantity of timber than one built up

on

the site from unprepared ma- terials. In the case of the building shown in Fig. 4, (article 1) 25 percent more timber was required. Prefabri- cation is not worthwhile unless ma- chine facilities exist which allow con- struction time to be reduced by tak- ing full advantage of the prefabricat- ed design. It became apparent that adequate woodworking facilities would not normally be available on most sites of future interest to the Housing Trust, and accordingly de- signs were prepared for more economical construction on a non- prefabricated system.

near

Figs. 8 to 13 illustrate buildings under construction at a site Kuala Lumpur, using the more recent designs. Fig 8 shows the rendered brick columns which have replaced the wooden columns of earlier de- signs. The

be

brick supports can

made of different heights to accommodate varying ground levels, thus saving levelling costs compared with the previous system, which used precut posts of constant length. Fig. 9 is a view of part of the large site, showing houses of different sizes at various stages of construction. The completed frame in the foreground is for a large building, too large to be termed "low cost" house. Like many others on the same site, this house is pro- vided at the request of the State Government of Selangor to rehouse a family whose former dwelling of the same standard was dismantled to make room for a river diversion.

a

on

Fig. 10 is a close view showing typical window framing, built as an integral part of the structure more or less traditional lines. In Fig. 11 is shown another of the larger houses. This one has accom modation at three levels. The brick portion below, containing the kitchen and bathrooms, is built almost as an independent structure, the upper

42

storey having its own supports extending to ground level. The total cost of this house is $5500 for 1511 square feet, i.e. about $3.60 per square foot. The house in Fig. 12 is of 1200 square feet, costing $4600 ог $3.80 per square foot. The

Fig. 8. A part of one of the non- prefabricated buildings on a site near Kuala Lumpur. Note the brick pillars (with termite traps) used in this design.

Fig. 10. In the non-prefabricated design, the window fruming is an integral part of the structure.

interior view of the same house in Fig. 13 shows the internal partition framing before it is covered with hardboard, and illustrates the simple construction of the external walls, which will be left without lining to avoid harbouring insects, rather than for reasons of cost.

A United Nations expert on hous- ing visited Malaya recently and stated that Malayan low-cost housing is cheaper per square foot than in any other country of South-East Asia. Despite this fact, it has not so far been found possible to provide a house within the reach of the lowest income groups earning $60 to $80 a month, who can only afford a rent of $8 to $10 a month. From the cost figures given for the range of houses described above, it will be noted that prices per square foot range from $3.60 for a large house up $5.20 for the smallest one described, the price including ser- vices in all cases, and the greater cost per square foot of the smaller houses takes them out of the reach of these groups. To overcome this problem, the Housing Trust now has plans for much cheaper methods of construction and for much cheaper designs. To cheapen construction, an "aided self-help" scheme is proposed, in which families would be supplied with prefabricated parts and skilled advice to enable them to build their own houses. The prefabricated parts are of a type to be described below, requiring very little knowledge or skill for their assembly. In another scheme, a group of families would work together under skilled super- vision to build small houses similar to the type shown in Fig 4 but of non-prefabricated design.

The prefabricated parts to be sup- plied for the former of these two schemes are of a type that must be made in a properly-equipped factory under strict technical supervision; the system will be used only at sites that are within reach of the necessary equipment, so there is no question of the prefabrication system break- ing down because such equipment is not available. The standard pre- fabricated parts can be used to

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER

-VOLUME 15, NUMBER 1