No_5_1959 — Page 40

Main facade, by night.

The American Internationa! Assur- ance building in Singapore took two years to complete. It is an outstand- ing addition to the number of high buildings which are bringing a new

38

MECH.

RM.

STORE

ELEVATORS

STAIR

STAIR

skyline to Singapore. The construc- tion is of 1:1:2 reinforced concrete framed structure on present concrete piling.

DRINKING FOUNTAIN

Typical floor plan (3rd. to 11th.).

The building is 17 storeys with a penthouse on the roof adjoining the water tower, lift motor machine- room etc. The penthouse is intended for the use of visiting executives and other V.I.P.'s calling at Singapore, and overlooks the busy Singapore Harbour on one side and Chinatown on the other.

Three high-speed lifts travelling at 500 ft. per minute serve the build- ing. No goods lift is installed as one of the passenger lifts can be converted into a goods lift as and when required. The building is fully air-conditioned and incorporates the latest centrifugal compressor equip-

ment.

There are 36 separate control zones with a highly sensitive auto- matic temperature control mechanism in each zone. These ensure a uni- form temperature control throughout the building and the engineer-in- charge can ascertain from a central control panel the exact temperature in any zone at any given time. This ensures that cool comfortable work- ing conditions in all parts of the building are established at all times. whether any particular office is exposed to the hot afternoon sun or

not.

Mail and refuse chutes have been installed. serving each of the 11 up-

THE A. I. A. BUILDI Architects:

John Graham & Co., (N.Y,

per floors. The building is also equipped with showers as an addi- tional service to the company's tenants. Electrically-operated drink- ing fountains are also conveniently positioned on each floor. The glass and aluminium facade is cleaned down by resident cleaners who use an electrically-operated cradle which is controlled from the platform by the window cleaners themselves.

As far as possible, all exposed surfaces, both internal and external. are finished with permanent materi- als.

Italian and Belgian marble have been freely used on walls both internally and externally, together with Italian glass mosaics, and on one floor a very attractive copper tile has been fitted to the lift lobby

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER

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VOLUME 14. NUMBER 5

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