No_8_August_1968 — Page 20

21.0"

Soil investigations revealed that the top of bedrock from road level varies from about 10ft, at the south western corner to over 100 ft, at the north eastern corner.

A total of 1.733 Colcrete piles of 211⁄2 in. and 201⁄2 in. diameter were driven on the site by Gammon (HK) Ltd.

Being a low cost housing project it was necessary to develop the site to the maximum extent permitted under the Building Ordinance. A very tall building (300ft.) is the obvious result and, since structural economy was another necessity, the designers gave long consideration to the shape the building should take.

An H-shape was eventually adopted as it fitted well into the site, par- ticularly from the point of complying with certain building regulations. In addition it was structurally feasible

·LIGHT AND VENTILATION

LTATATAB

1. REFUSE CHUTE

LIFT .OBSY

LIFT LOBBY

and provided the long perimeter which is required as frontage for a large number of flats.

The structural cost is about two- thirds of the total building cost. In order to achieve an economic design various structural systems were con- sidered and comparative costs made.

The form of construction selected was reinforced concrete slabs and beams on shear walls from the second to the 28th floor. Loads from the shear walls are transmitted to heavy girders to columns at first floor, so providing the required space for non- domestic purposes.

Considerable research too went into the question of ceiling heights. A study was made of apartment build- ings under construction in Hong Kong and prospective purchasers were in- terviewed. Eventually a height of 9ft. was chosen for the tower floors.

LIGHT AND VENTILATION

LYTYTY

DEFUSE CHUTE —

REFUSE CHUTE.

REFUSE CHUTE

UTTU

TATATATATATATAT

...-LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Typical floor plan

LIGHT AND VENTILATION.

Found to be structurally economical, this is the conventional height pre- ferred by occupants of this type of housing in Hong Kong.

In its planning the building is divided into three sections:

2.

1. A tower containing 1,836 flats A podium for vehicular access, parks, children's playground, clinics, kindergartens and amenities associated with domestic development

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3. The ground floor, which is de- signed solely for multi-owned com- mercial purposes. A cinema was in- cluded in the plans, during the course of construction, as an entirely separate unit.

Although there are 68 flats on each floor, the building is divided by smoke lobby doors into five completely separate groups, each group having independent access from the lift lobby.

There are 16 lifts, eight of 250ft./m for the low zone and eight of 350ft./m for the high zone. These are in two banks of four at each arm junction of the H-shape. A staircase adjoins each lift bank and there are further staircases at each corner of the block where a 4ft. diameter refuse chute runs the entire height of the building to serve each floor.

106

The ground floor contains shopping spaces, a restaurant, petrol filling station and the cinema which occupies half the area of the north wing, the other half being taken up by the filling station and a supermarket.

At first floor are a children's kindergaren and games area, an open car park for about 70 vehicles and a garden terrace with fountain on the harbour side of the building. Fixed chairs and benches of precast concrete

BED ROOM

BED AREA

DRYING AREA

no

BATA

LIVING

KITCHEN

DINING

Plan of the two flat types

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19:374

2214살

DRYING AREA

00

BED

AREA

BATH

LIVING

KITCHEN

DINING

144

Far East BUILDER, August 1968.

Page 20Page 21

are scattered around the fountain which is decorated with mosaic tiles.

The design approach of the dwelling units is quite simple, the object being to utilise the very limited space in the best way for the every day life of the family. There are two sizes of dwelling, with building areas of 465 sq. ft. and 385 sq. ft.

In both types the kitchen door is close by the corridor entrance to the flat. This aids ventilation and enables the clothes drying facilities to be provided in the recesses of the build- ing. Bathroom and kitchen adjoin in each flat, so achieving savings in the plumbing installations. Through ven- tilation is assisted by adjustable louvred ventilators over the flat entrance and bathroom doors.

The flats are tiled throughout in mosaics. Generally walls are of skim coat plaster with a lime wash finish. A white wall tile dado is fitted in the kitchen. Windows have galvanised metal fittings.

Externally the finish is Ipcomem cement paint on cement plaster for all upper floors, and colour mosaic and terrazzo for ground and first floor columns and canopies.

Cost

Construction of the building sub- structure took nine months. The superstructure was completed in only 17 months, five months ahead of schedule.

The approximate cost of construc- tion was HK$23,500,000, made up as follows:

Piling

Piling caps

Superstructure

Electrical

Lifts

1,500,000

3,200,000

15,000,000

1,400,000

Plumbing