No_2_1956 — Page 59

117

ANOTHER OFFICE BUILDING

FOR

DUDDELL

STREET

The development of the Central District proceeds apace, and the con- struction of the latest office block has just started at the south-east corner of Duddell Street at its junc- tion with Ice House Street. The shape is triangular with a curved hypoten- use coinciding with the turn of the latter street at this corner.

There is a difference in level of ap- proximately 33'0" between the north- west and the south-west corners of the lot which, combined with the rising slope of Ice House Street, does not make this area an easy one to develop. In addition, from a width of 61'2" on the north side, it comes to a point on the south side and the

F

F

I

C

E

CORRID

ON

LIFTS

FIRST FLOOR

O F

ICE S

PLAN

OPEN AREA

DUD DELL

STREET

CORRIDOR

RE

ICE HOUSE STREET

LOWER BASEMENT

PLAN

H

ON

LAV.

ENTRANCE HALL

LIFTS

YARD

57

Architect H. S. Tam, B.Sc.

☆

unusual shape had to be taken into consideration in the planning.

The main entrance will be on Duddell Street, and there will be a lower basement and an upper base- ment floor before the building rises above the Ice House Street level. Above these there will be six addi- tional floors, making a total of eight storeys. It was originally intended to have shops at the lower basement levei, offices for two or three floors above these and small self-contained apartments on the upper floors but, owing to difficulties of open areas required for residential construction. it was finally decided to dispense with the flats to make it an entirely office block.

A though the main entrance will.be on Duddell Street, the lift and stair- hall will be on the Ice House Street side. with the main stairway entrance on the ground floor level at Ice House Street and a connecting corridor leading to the lift hall. This arrange- ment conveniently divides the area into two main sections with the office windows of each section over- looking its respective street.

Commencing from the second floor there will be 4'0" setbacks on each of the succeeding floors, which will not on'y break the monotony of the elevational design, but will also pro- vide offices with the most unusual feature of open balconies.

The architectural design follows the conventional lines which are be- coming familiar in Hong Kong in present day construction. Interest in the elevation centres on the fact that from the Duddell Street side, the windows of the lower floor will be framed by projecting concrete fins whilst the windows on the upper floors, owing to the fact that they will be full length french doors lead- ing onto the balconies, will be fitted flush to the walls.