No_5_1955 — Page 10

NATKAN

ROAD

earlier history.

CAMERON

HUMPHREYS

ROAD

K. I. L 205

AVENUE

The existing building is over 50 years old and has seemingly al- ways housed shops on the ground floor and flats on the upper floors. This site is, and always has been, one of the best business locations in Kowloon and in earlier years it was also a desirable residential area.

The Dairy Farm has been conscious of the inadequacy of its shopping facilities in Kowloon since the war. In 1939 the premises at 74/78 Nathan Road were re- modelled inside to provide a first class shop, but this building was hit by a bomb during the Japanese occupation and part of the premises was lost in consequence. After the war, there was an urgent demand! for the provision of meals to the public and the former shop premises on this site had to be utilized for a restaurant.

In 1947 the Company bought out the Hongkong Meat and Dairy Produce Com- pany, operating at 64 Nathan Road, and restarted its Butchery Department in these premises which have since become over- crowded.

The Soda Fountain-Restaurant at 74/78 Nathan Road has always been regarded as being temporary as the building was not designed for this type of business. Con- sequently, the Company bas for some years been anxious to acquire and

de- velop this site to provide larger and more modern shop and restaurant amenities.

Directors wished to avoid.

(Left) Block plan.

(Right) Sketch diagram showing the fluc effect caused by the central well to pro- vide cross ventilation in the apartment floors. This drawing also indicates roughly the constructional design.

and butchery stores 1.3 well Fountain and Restaurant.

as

a

Soda

The late Sir Patrick Manson, G.C.M.G., who was for many years a medical prac- titioner in Hong Kong, first conceived the idea of a Dairy Farm. It was due prin- cipally to his efforts that the original com- pany came into being in 1886, and for this reason it seems fitting that the new

should building

be called "Manson

House.

The design of the new building has been greatly influenced by the architecture of Brazil, where the climate is similar in many respects to that of Hong Kong with the exception of typhoons. Sun-breakers have been incorporated on the elevations and these, together with other unuoual features of the design, give the structure a refreshing tropical appearance.

91111

Limest

Basically, the building will consist of a ing from single-room bachelor apartments 3-storeyed horizontal block separated from to 5-room family flats. a vertical block of 12 storeys by means of a complete break in the external lines. A maisonette or duplex plan is incor- This separation has been emphasized be. Porated at two corners of the building. cause of the vastly different functions of with gallery access on one floor only and here the flats are planned on two floors

these two elements. The tall vertical block will stand free above the lower mass, the

The sc-

an internal staircase in each flat to the other floor. This portion of the building floor between being enclosed by glass is virtually a series of superimposed terrace panels, so avoiding the crushing effect houses. which would otherwise result. paration is further emphasized by the more dominant facade of the lower hori- zontal block being arranged to face Na- than Road, while the main elevation of the vertical biock faces south towards the barbour.

square.

A development of this nature poses cer- tain problems in regard to refuse disposal and clothes drying in the residential por tions of the building. A refuse chute nas, therefore, been arranged with hoppers at every landing level of the service staircase; thus, garbage will be collected centrally with access for clearance in the open yard Clothes at the rear of the ground floor. drying cupboard in the kitchen of each drying will be carried out in a gas-heated

The site of 10,410 square feet is almost The planning of the building has been dictated by the fact that the logical position for vertical circulation is ap- flat. proximately in the centre of the structure, with gallery access to the flats on the Two passenger lifts will serve all floors upper floors. A central open space pro- while a service lift will be available for vides light to the galleries and acts as furniture removal and other incidental a flue to ensure good cross ventilation in traffic. the flats.

оп

To have erected a new building on this valuable property solely for the use of the Dairy Farm would have proved an un- economical usage of the land. However, a suitable structure would have resulted in the Company having much more ac- commodation than it desired, and this The basement and major portions of would have had to be rented out. This the ground and first floors are to be oc- would have meant the Dairy Farm going cupied by The Dairy Farm, who will into the real estate busines, which the reopen their main store on the ground

floor and provide restaurant facilities the first floor. The second floor will, all probability, be utilized for a modern Chinese restaurant. In addition to lift service, escalators leading from the lift hall will serve the first and second floors. At the third floor level, the building will be set back on all four sides, and this floor and the two above it have been de signed as offices. The 6th to 15th floors inclusive will contain flats in sizes vary.

For this reason an agreement was negotiated with Henry Fok Estates Limit. ed. They will purchase the site, the Crown lease for which expires in about B3 years time, and proceed with its de- velopment. More than $4,000,000 will be spent on the building, which has been de- signed by Moasrs. Harriman Realty Co., Ltd. The Dairy Farm will lease the whole of the basement, ground and first floors and will house therein its retail grocery

8

-

in

The main frame of the building will be of structural steel. Demolition of the old premises was started at the beginning of February, and it is hoped that piling will begin in April of this year. During the rebuilding, the Soda Fountain will be ac- commodated in temporary premises at 22 Carnarvon Road.

The steel will be supplied by Dorman Long & Co., Ltd., whose agents are The Jardine Engineering Corporation, Ltd., and the piling will be executed by Vibro Piling Co., Ltd.

The architects for this fine modern building which, when completed. will be the tallest on the Kowloon Penin- sula, are Messrs. Harriman Realty Co., Ltd.

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