No_6_April_1963 — Page 71

CREMATORIUM

AT CAPE

COLLINSON

▲ The bare hills around and above

the new crematorium give it a dignified setting.

شرما

TYTAM GAP ISLAND

RD

COLONIAL CEMETERY

SCALE ONE INCH-200 FEET

LOCATION PLAN

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER

TRIKINGLY situated on a steep

hillside at the head of the new Colonial cemetery area at Cape Col- linson, Hong Kong, the Colony's new Sai Wan crematorium. com- pleted towards the end of last year at a cost of HK.1,820,000. posed a set of novel problems to the archi- tect quite apart from those dictated by the site.

First condition of the design was that the completed crematorium should cater for the last rite obser- vances of three different religious denominations by providing a Christian chapel, a Chinese farewell pavilion and a Hindu temple. It was further laid down that the chapel. the pavilion and the tem- ple should be independent buildings with separate entrances and not overlooked, and that none should be given prominence in placing or size over the others. A further condition was that the flue stack should be concealed as much as possible.

was

Throughout the planning of the crematorium close consultation maintained by the Colony's Public Works Department, who designed the building, with representatives of the three denominations with the result that the completed structure meets all requirements and is at the same time a completely satisfying addition to the Colony's architec- ture, as well as being technically and functionally correct.

a

The final design was dictated by the laid down conditions and by the fact that the chosen site lay on hillside which falls 30 feet in 130 feet and between a projecting hill shoulder on the west and the only approach road on the east.

- VOLUME 17, NUMBER 6

Solution adopted was to split the crematorium into three levels with the individual denominations hav- ing their pavilions for the last rites. on a separate level but grouped round a central cremator room.

Overall design is in a simple modern idiom with a suggestion of the appropriate traditional motives in the treatment of the portions set aside for the three different deno- minations. The result is that al- though each section is distinctive of its religion, the building as a whole emerges as a uniform and harmoni.

ous structure.

The Buddhist farewell pavilion (26 feet by 38 feet) on the lower level is partitioned in two. After the Yat Pit Sing ceremony (Farewell Once but not For Ever), in the outer portion, the coffin moves along a transfer bier, through an opening in the dividing wall and into the Family Farewell Room be- fore cremation.

Two stone-carved lions a sym- bolic feature of Chinese buildings- stand at the entrance to the temple. and in the gardens outside is a bronze joss bowl six feet in diame- The temple roof is slightly "lipped" in Chinese style and the exterior colours of red and gold were chosen by Hong

Hong Kong Buddhists.

ter.

Also on this lower level are the general transfer and hoist room, a mortuary, an urn store, a general store, a gardener's store and toilet facilities.

On the middle level is the Hindu pavilion (40 feet by 36 feet), do minating feature of which is the

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