Architect's sketch of one of the tower blocks.
Other Amenities
of
may be separated by a curtain: the entail a monthly expenditure kitchen has a small balcony for a $9,000. dustbin, mops, etc., and access to the laundry lines; there is a bath- room with a W.C. and a bath, while The school and clinics are plan- the wash-basin is located in an al- ned according to the recommenda- cove outside the bathroom, thereby tions of the Education and Medical allowing two functions to have se- Departments respectively, and will parate areas; this is necessary in a be taken over and run by Govern- flat with high density.
ment upon completion.
room
with their rear access and yards ac- count for about 46,000 square feet of space.
Since it is necessary to set the buildings back on the East Estate on account of their heights, it is proposed to make use of this space and that in front of the shops of the Central Estate along Java Road with market stalls. The district needs a market and 8,850 square feet is allowed for this; the nett rentable area will cover 4,200 square feet and the remainder will be taken up by the gangways between the shops and the stalls.
In the open areas of all three blocks will be provided gardens with walks and extensive playgrounds: in the West Estate will be two full- size basket-ball courts. Along the harbour frontages of the East and West Estates will be embankment walks. The open playgrounds, em- bankment walks and the gardens will occupy 132,700 square feet or almost half of the entire site. covered playgrounds and walks will cover 37.826 square feet.
Construction
The
The blocks of flats are to be built of reinforced concrete framing with brick infill walls, cement floors.
is reclaimed land. It will be neces- sary to drive about 3,500 piles carry- ing between 40 to 70 tons each.
In the kitchens, no gas or elec- The school will contain 18 class- steel windows, hardboard doors, and tricity will be provided for cooking, rooms giving accommodation for a brick partitions. The entire scheme which will be by kerosene stoves total of 810 pupils, as well as a will be built on piles as the ground only. The electrical installation woodwork room, a housecraft will be very simple with a ceiling and an all purpose room. The point in each room and a plug in school will cover an area of about the living room, although no power 25.500 square feet. points will be provided. Refuse chutes will be provided on each floor, and these will be placed, where pos- sible, on the intermediate floor land- ings.
The Lifts
There will be 20 lifts-all to be automatic and operated by the pas- senger. Skip floor stops are posed. Each lift will have a capacity of 2.400 lbs. or 15 persons.
clinic
Finances
The cost of the
buildings is
The school health clinic and the out-patient
will share a pharmacy, the three units occupying estimated to be over $20 million, about 5000 square feet.
and the cost of the land is about $4 million. A loan for this project has been approved by Government, re- payable in 40 years with interest at 3 per cent.
The assembly hall will accom- modate 555 persons and will have an attached lobby, lavatories and a store, the total area being 6,500 square feet. pro-
A side entrance connects the out- General patient clinic to the covered shelter The scheme will be completed and lobby of the assembly hall, thus its entirety towards the end of next providing additional waiting space
year, but some of the buildings are for the patients.
expected to be ready for occupation
lava-
in
There has been some criticism of the use of automatic lifts in а scheme of this nature, but the ar- chitect considers the use of opera- The 48 shops will have paved rear sooner. tors an unwarranted expenditure. An access lanes, kitchens, yards, automatic lift costs $2-$3000 more tories and sleeping cocklofts. It is than a standard one; however, one proposed to auction these to the Housing Scheme is Mr. Eric Cumine, operator costs $150 per month and public, and the income derived from F.R.I.B.A. The estate will be as 60 operators would be necessary them will help somewhat to reduce ministered by a housing manager in the proposed scheme, this would the rents of the flats. The shops under the Housing Authority.
The architect for the North Point
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