General view of the So Uk Scheme looking north-west taken at the end of June 1960. All parts of the estate are seen under construction. Block S at bottom left is now completed and occupied. Blocks T and U are at
bottom right; O and R behind. The tower blocks G. E and H are seen in background.
SO UK SCHEME ENTERS FINAL STAGES
WORK on the Hong Kong Hous-
ing Authority's third and so far most ambitious housing scheme at So Uk, Cheungshawan, Kowloon, is now entering its final stages with the beginning of build- ing on Block M.
Blocks S and T are completed and occupied: block U is completed and in process of occupation.
The whole estate when completed will have involved the construction of 5,302 flats in eight, twelve and sixteen-storey blocks. for an estimat- ed population of nearly 33.000 people. about the population of Salisbury, England.
Cost will be in the neighbourhood of $53,000,000, divided about equal- ly between structural and general building costs, and the estate will contain two 24-classroom primary schools, a community hall, thirty- eight shops, a kerosene service store, a post office and an estate office.
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Work began with site formation tasks early in 1957 and it is hoped that the last block will be completed by mid-1962.
Aim in this large scheme has been to provide ultra-high density housing, without monotony and serious overcrowding, and yet with a high degree of repetitive design in order to achieve maximum economies.
Working to a master plan prepar. ed by Mr. Eric Cumine, four private architectural firms Messrs. Chau and Lee, Messrs. Leigh and Orange, Mr. H.S. Luke, and Mr. W. Szeto have designed the buildings and supervised construction.
All the buildings are of reinforced concrete fire-resisting construction. with reinforced cross walls and floor slabs, concrete block or brick screen walls and partitions, and a flat roof with mastic asphalt covering.
The standard of finish and decora tion has been determined with the aim of reducing initial costs to a minimum compatible with economic maintenance. Internal walls are lime-plastered and lime-washed, and floors cement-rendered.
Where possible steel windows are installed in pairs to facilitate clean- ing. Locally-made fittings have been made, including steel windows and plumbing fixtures, and much Chinese- made sanitary ware.
Surface electrical wiring is used inside the flats, and in corridors it is encased in plastic ducts.
Salt water is used for flushing purposes and conveyed to the site. from a high-level service reservoir; polythene piping isused throughout the buildings for this purpose.
Drinking water is laid on to each flat, individually metered. and one
THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER
VOLUME 15. NUMBER 4
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