No_2_1959 — Page 29

BICYCLES

BANK

0

[MAL

CHUTZ

LOSSY

VAULT

1.0° WALK WAY

UP DN.

MAIL

LOBBY

BANK

20FT.

T

BROKEN LINES INDICATE TYNCAL, FLOOR SUB-DIVISION

Top, ground floor plan, Shaw House.

Middle, upper floor plan.

Above, longitudinal section (theatre).

STAURANT

AIR CONA

AIR COND.

pings and white Portland cement. The fins which are a feature of both the main facades are faced with special Italian glass mosaic tiles, and the spandrel walls between the win- dows on these facades are faced with glass, to give continuous glazing throughout the full height of the building. Floors are finished through- out in either vinyl or Japanese mosaic tiles.

External asbestos louvres are provided as permanent sun baffles to all windows in the West facade.

The most notable design feature is the use of the inclined windows on the two main facades. Because of the North-South orientation of the building, and the fact that Singapore lies almost on the Equator, it has been possible in this manner to elimin- ate sunlight from the interior for all but a few weeks of the year without necessity for the usual protective canopy. Another object in using this type of windows was to relieve to some extent the usual "shut in" effect of an air-conditioned office by making it possible for a person to lean out a little if he wishes to look down into the street below not an important consideration perhaps, but nevertheless desirable to many people.

Another interesting feature is the provision of floor ducting for tele- phones throughout the building. These ducts, which run across the width of the building every nine feet, can be readily tapped for telephones at any point.

The cinema, named the "Lido," was envisaged from the outset as Singa- pore's premier cinema. Spacious in- teriors, rich finishes everything was planned with this in view. The main entrance lobby is nearly 100 feet long and 50 feet wide, floored with lustrous porcelain surfaced tiles, and the walls are finished in marble and teak and plastic panelling. The upper floors are served by two lifts. Above the foyer

to the

ing conditioned air through a broad floors of only 11 feet. There are no is a restaurant, and above that the central duct. Space for this duct has longitudinal beams other than the main lounge and entrance been provided by the elimination of centre beams just mentioned, thus balcony. At the balcony entrance a transverse beams across the centre of allowing maximum daylight and large crush space has been provided the building, throughout its length. avoiding unsightly crossbeams.

within the auditorium for the comfort

The conditioned air is distributed Construction of the office building of patrons. At a higher level again through slots in the longitudinal is in reinforced concrete throughout. is a large private lounge, 92 feet long, beams at either side. By this means The lower section of the building is and a private balcony to seat 42 per- it has been possible to keep all duct faced externally with Italian marble, sons. The total accommodation of work above a 9 feet false ceiling, and the upper floors with bush ham- the cinema is 1,628, with 1,170 in the within an over-all height between mered plaster of white marble chip- stalls and 416 in the balcony.

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER

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VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2

21