No_5_May_1969 — Page 25

I will be built on the lower terrace

Social centre first at Chinese University

CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

W. SZETO & PARTNERS

SING FAT CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD.

Ribbed and hammered finish to external staircase

owners

architects and engineers

main contractor

KENDALATAAN I

THE first building ready for use at the new Chinese University campus at Sha Tin, New Territories. Hong Kong,

is a social centre to serve the staff and students of the three proposed con- stituent colleges.

Built and equipped at a cost of about HK$2.5 million with American funds donated by the United States Department of State, the Asia Founda- tion and the American business com- munity, the centre will be used temporarily as the university headquar- ters. But with the completion of the administrative block on a nearby site, the centre will assume its intended purpose of providing student offices, alumni offices, committee rooms, games, music and dining rooms, shops and two cafeteria.

"If there is a risk of the students of this university becoming narrow in out- look through intensive study in their own disciplines, it is here at this centre that they will have the chance to mix with members of other faculties and to widen their ideas through debate and social contact," said the Governor, Sir David Trench, when he opened the building last month.

Named after Benjamin Franklin, the centre stands overlooking Tolo Harbour on a site close to the plots allocated for the university headquarters build- ings which physically will form the spine of the three consituent colleges. It is thus centrally located in respect of the three colleges, but has been kept low in height to allow due deference to the headquarters complex.

The centre comprises a five-storey rectangular block and a wider single- storey block which contains the kitchen and staff dining facilities. The lower ground floor of the tall block houses

Far East BUILDER, May 1969

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