No_4_August_and_September__1941 — Page 7

Hong Kong Builder

THE NORTHCOTE SCIENCE BUILDING

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONGKONG

Architeets: Messrs. Leigh & Orange

Li

Photograph of the building on Pokfulam Road.

The new Science Block of the Hong Kong University, which has been named the Northcote Science Building, is now completed and in appearance and appointment far surpasses all expectations. Those who have occasion to pass along Pokfulam Road cannot but be impressed by the outstanding attractiveness of the design of the build- ing. Its unusualness of shape, its cleanness of line, its balance of masses and colourfulness of finish, makes it an outstanding structure and fully befitting its educa- tional and cultural importance.

The manner in which every advantage was taken of the position of the site in spite of the difficulties presented by its long narrow irregular shape is a credit to the architects. The site is ideal for the purpose of labora- tory block as the site runs roughly east and west, allowing good north lighting to all laboratories and workrooms, while the land slopes away sheer on the north side, so that there is no obstruction to light.

The plan consists basically of three sections. The long division to the west contains the main laboratories, staff rooms and lecture rooms. The centre division con-

tains the main entrance and staircase with lavatories and cloaks and subsidiary rooms, and to the left is a rectangular block containing two floors of advanced and special laboratories and a large lecture theatre capable of seating about 270, with a greenhouse above it for the biology department.

Following the irregular narrow shape of the site. the main laboratory wing is curved on plan. In this section one floor is given over to each department, physics taking the ground floor where vibration to galvanometers can best be eliminated, chemistry the first floor, and biology the top floor. Each department has an elementary laboratory, 116 feet by 29 feet, with north and south lighting, reached from the main hall by a corridor sepa- rating the staff rooms and stores and private laboratories

to the south and special and advanced laboratories to the north. Additional staircases serve the elementary labor- atories at the west end and the lecture theatre to the east.

Fuller details of the accommodations are as follows: On the ground floor-a complete physics laboratory, to- gether with smaller rooms where private and advanced work can be undertaken; an electrical measurement room,

*LEMENTARY LABORATORY