No_2_August_1964 — Page 88

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The end of the west wing showing Nil Zainal's 30 ft. high window panels with designs based on Trenggam fishing boat figure - heads.

signs were drawn by Nik Zainal and executed by two expert Malay wood- carving craftsmen brought from the east coast for the job.

So successful were the designs for the doors that the architects decided to include woodcarving on the cen- tral beam in the main entrance hall and at the base of the crossbeams. For this Nik Zainal produced an

exquisite leaf design. These were also executed by Malay craftsmen from the east coast, most of whom had never left their homes before. Alto- gether the woodcarvings took about 15 months to complete.

Precast concrete can hardly be called a traditional Malay decorative medium. Yet one of Nik Zainal's first commissions on the building was

▲ The architect, Mr. Ho Kok Hoe.

to produce suitable designs for the great precast concrete screens at the museum entrance and for tall window panels, also in precast concrete, at After either end of the main hall. much experimentation, he

he finally evolved a series of designs based on leaf and flower patterns used in anti- que Perak silver and Kelantan wood- work.

(Continued on page 85)

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GROUND FLOOR PLAN

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24

10 4 FT

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LAV.

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LIBRARY CLERKS MUSEUM RECORD

CHEF CLERK

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STRONG RM.

LOWER. CENTRAL HALL

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DISPLAY OFFICER

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ELECTRIC SUB-STATION

SWITCH

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WORKSHOP

DARK RU.

STORE

STOAL

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POOL

FUMIGATION

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST EUILDER-VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2

AG, PLANTIN

PARKING

TANNING

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