No_5_May_1968 — Page 22

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Assembly hall, main stair block and classroom block seen from south west

Site plan

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TOLETS

ASSEMBLY KALL

TOLETS

WARWICA ROAD

BASKETBALL

COURT

МАМ

BLOCK

resist wind stresses, rather than column and beam construction.

The assembly hall building was planned with reinforced concrete walls wrapping the ends, so allowing the intermediate columns to be de- signed without reference to wind

stress.

In addition detailed investigation of the subsoil conditions permitted the foundations to be designed to the minimum possible size and depth, as it was found possible to use greater bearing capacities for spread footings than is normal.

The early consultations between architect and engineer also enabled the elevational treatment, classroom design and other details to result logically from a full consideration of both interests.

Classrooms are without beams, and ceiling and wall shapes result from haunching the floor slab to span the cross walls and thickening the ends of the walls to bear wind stresses without increasing the thickness (and the cost) throughout. This interior arrange- ment is shown in the arched design of the wall spandrels of the north and south elevations, which are not de- corative but result from the structure.

School layout

The 20-classroom Beacon Hill School is built in accordance with the Hong Kong Education Department standard schedule for a primary school, which includes covered play- ground, staff rooms, caretakers' quar- ters, and two special rooms (art and music). This was given normal Government financial support.

In addition the school includes an assembly hall, dining hall and food preparation area, and four staff flats with lift access: this accommodation was financed entirely by the Founda- tion.

The site is at the junction of Ede Road and Warwick Road, to the north of Kowloon Tong. It is in the centre of a residential area comprising pri- vate blocks of flats, Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation flats and older Government flats. Being near the Lion Rock road tunnel en- trance, it is easily accessible from Kowloon and the New Territories.

Granted to the Foundation partly formed, the site has an area of 30,640 sq. ft. It is roughly triangular in shape, the apex pointing south.

The building area is restricted by building lines on 85 per cent. of the boundary length and by a 45-degree slope on the east boundary, giving an area available for building of about 20,000 sq. ft. Access to the site is from Ede Road, which slopes steeply along the north boundary, varying from 15ft. above to 20 ft. below the formed site level.

The site is subject to an airport height limit, and this means that the building could not exceed 100 ft.

Far East BUILDER, May 1968.

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