No_6_June_1969 — Page 11

Burmese pavilion

Mitsui Group pavilion

pearls. Burma teakwood and marble will also be used in the design.

The pagoda will be surrounded by a moat and a bridge will link it with a restaurant also of Burmese traditional architectural design. The pavilion will cost about US$500,000 and will be constructed by Mitsui and Co. Ltd. and the Zenitaka-gumi (Construction) Co., both of Japan.

Further details of the Mitsui Group pavilion for Expo have now been released. 'Creative paradise' is the theme of a multi-coloured, multi-shaped building with a 165 ft. symbol tower in the shape of a giant tusk. The tower will be of a pneumatic construction and at night it will be dramatically illuminated from the inside.

The central building in the shape of a space dome will enable visitors to enjoy a journey through the universe and the birth of the earth as images are projected inside the dome. A third section will contain a foam tunnel made of synthetic resin and will feature humorous events in the daily lives of people the world over and a round glass restaurant overlooking playing fountains.

Singapore to offer more urban renewal sites

The popular response by private enterprise to the sale of selected urban renewal sites has led the Singapore Government to plan a further sale by tender towards the end of this year.

Announcing this recently, the Minister for National Development and Law, Mr. E.W. Barker,

said that a total of 55 tenders had been received from 38 bidders for the last group of 12 sites offer- ed to developers. Altogether 14 sites had been offered, but two had not been taken up probably because their neighbourhoods had not been suffi- ciently developed. The Government would now give priority to developing roads and sewerage faci- lities around these two sites.

The minister said that the private sector would invest about S$130 million in three years on the 12 projects which comprise mostly shophouses and office-cum-shophouse complexes. Total land pre- mium for the 12 sites amounted to S$30 million, the balance of S$ 100 million being the total invest- ment in buildings, the cost of construction, furnish- ing and mechanical equipment.

The biggest single investment (S$25 million) was from the Overseas Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd., followed by United Industrial Corp. Ltd. (S$17.8 million) and Federal Investment Ltd. (S$13.3 mil- lion). Federal Investment had also gone for the most expensive sites (S$112 per sq. ft.) along North Bridge Road and High Street.

North Point market nearing completion

One of the most modern markets in Hong Kong, now under construction at the junction of Tsat Tse Mui Road and Healthy Street, North Point, is due for completion in three month's time.

It will have 12 large stalls for the sale of meat, fish and poultry and 42 smaller vegetable and fruit

North Point market

stalls, as well as quarters for the market staff. The roof will be used as a playground. Plans are by PWD architects.

Japanese to build Vietnam bridge

The Japanese constructors, Ohbayashi-Gumi Ltd., are reported to have submitted the lowest tender for constructing a new road bridge 126 kilo- metres south-west of Saigon and 10 kilometres west of Vinh-Long, South Vietnam.

Bids were submitted by six groups for two schemes: one for a 2,200-metre long bridge with a 170-metre centre span and the other for a 1,400- metre long bridge with a 110-metre centre span. The Japanese film were the lowest bidders for both plans.

Far East BUILDER, June 1969