No_5_1956 — Page 57

BELCHER GARDENS ESTATE

:0:

CO-OPERATIVE

PROJECT

COMPLETED

(Above) View of the project taken from

the roof of the University Engineering School, looking in

a north-west direction.

(Right) Site plan of the project showing the arrangement and positions of the buildings.

When His Excellency the Governor, Sir Alexander Grantham, formally opened the Belcher Gardens Estate on 20th December, 1956, it marked the successful crowning of over four years of effort. The Hong Kong Civil Servants' Co-operative Building So- ciety, led by their Chairman Mr. F.K. Leung, started the planning of this scheme as long ago as the middle of 1953, and during that period almost insurmountable difficulties were over- come by the Society, ably aided by the architect Mr. W. Szeto, and by the contractors who undertook the work.

The main difficulty was presented by the site formation work on very rugged terrain, on which was formerly the old Belcher's Battery, and in the words of Mr. Leung "the geological features and impregnable cement con- crele structures presented great hin- east drances and difficulties in the course of construction.”

TAT

FU

LAKE

BELCHER'S

corner.

STREET

HOP

STREET

TURFED

TUNFLO

SLOPE

The

#III

TO:

TURVED

TURFLO

AREA

ARCHITECT:

W. SZETO, B.SC., M.I.C.E.

TURFED

|HOUSE

TYPE A

HOUSE

retained

HOUSE

FIRE-BRIGADE

CURVED

BOUNDARY

BUILDING

HOUSE

SLOPE

す

areas buildings.

were in two almost flat terraces with the exception of some isolat- The massive ruins of the old fort ed ruins of gun mountings. and its underground passages and entrance

to

The

24079

TURFED

HOUSE TYPE TAS

HOUSE

| HOLLE TYPE

TUAFLO

SLOPS

TURFED

PLAYGROUND

Drag mis

UNIVERSIT

SCIENCE

BOUNDARY

-

The topography of the site and the existing banked-up areas in the cen- tral portion of it, allowed for an an air-raid tunnel was economical terraced development, and structures were mainly located in the situated at the north-east corner of the enabled the site to be used to its central portion of the site at high site, at the junction of South Lane fullest extent for housing purposes, levels, and were contained by a and Yat Fu Lane; there were several while still possessing adequate open continuous loop of masonry retain- cther tunnels near the western boun-

spaces and playgrounds. ing walls. The ground towards the dary adjoining Belcher's Street, and northern and eastern boundaries was their direction and penetration were very steep, but there was a com- ascertained to make sure they would flats, paratively flat

affect the foundations of the "A" area near the north- not

The scheme consists of two types of "A" type and "B" type. The type flats are located on two

55