No_2_February_1969 — Page 30

Precast units ventilate

scenery blocks

2111⁄2"

2!115*

11;8

8!0"

BITUMINOUS

MASTIC

1!62",

1:5′′

5

2:3"

WIRE

13*DIA.

MESH SCREEN

MASTIC

SHAW BROS. (HK) LTD.

PETER Y.S. PUN & ASSOCIATES

FRANK NG, AA Dip, ARIBA

YAO KEE CONSTRUCTION CO.

ECONOMIC construction and effi- cient operation, the essence of any storage and workshop building, are the design bases of two such buildings erected within the compound of the Shaw Brothers' studios at Clear Water Bay, New Territories, Hong Kong. How- ever in providing two simple, framed three-storey blocks for the storage and repair of film scenery, the aichitects- engineers for this scheme have achieved a certain aesthetism, sympathetic to the function of the buildings.

Except for a small area of offices on the ground floor, a late require- ment of the clients, the two blocks have no windows. A considerable con- tribution to the economy of the pro- ject was made by the use of precast

28

owners

consulting engineers/architects

architectural consultant

main contractor

units for all external claddings and openings and, since through ventilation and not natural lighting was required for the storage levels, precast ventila- tion units are used instead of glazing frames.

Savings

Savings made on the total cost of the precast units, compared to the conventional solution of brick and plaster were quite considerable. The two costs were approximately:

4 in. precast reinforced concrete panels with exposed aggregate finish, including labour for fixing HK$2.30 per sq. ft.

9 in. brickwork and plaster on both sides HK$3.05 per sq. ft.

The two blocks, one approximately double the size of the other, contain a total of 37,511 sq. ft. of floor space. The larger one is sited parallel to two sound studios and the smaller is at right angles to another studio. Both are three-storeys high, with the two upper levels for the storage of scenery and the ground floor for workshop space. The three-storey height was a

Far East BUILDER, February 1969

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