November_1965 — Page 15

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THE CONSTRUCTION SCENE IN HONG KONG

The Government's Programme

VER the last five years a total of almost HK$740 million has been spent on various types of public buildings in Hong Kong, including $320 million on resettlement housing, $66 million on Government low cost housing and $353 million on general projects.

The design and supervision of this vast building programme, normally the responsibility of central or local authorities, is undertaken in Hong Kong by the Architectural Office, one of the six sub-departments of the Public Works Department.

The Director of Public Works is assisted by the Director of Building Development in P.W.D.H.Q., having overall control over the Architectural Office whose head is known as the Government Architect. The staff of the Architectural Office includes architects, quantity and building sur- veyors, structural, electrical and air conditioning engineers as well as as- sistant professional and inspectorate staff.

Due to the size of the public works programme, which is all carried out under contract, it is necessary to engage private architects and quantity surveyors to undertake some of the work, whilst consultants are also ap pointed for any very specialised buildings.

In view of the shortage of land in Hong Kong, building development is generally in the form of multi- storey reinforced concrete buildings. Foundations are always a problem as, although there is bedrock, it may be deeply overlaid by alluvial ground or decomposed granite full of boulders. Piling is frequently necessary and in many places sites must be formed from steeply sloping hillsides.

The public building programme includes all types of projects from park shelters and lavatories to hos- pitals and the City Hall.

On com-

pletion they are occupied and used by various Government departments some of which are listed below.

Resettlement and Low Cost Housing

The pace set by the Government of Hong Kong in building low cost housing has been an example to the world. Since the Second World War the Colony population has swelled enormously and now stands at nearly four million. The pace of private building was not able to cope with such an increase and the Government began to provide housing for the thousands of squatters living in in- sanitary and dangerous temporary structures in the urban areas and on

Far East Architect & Builder November, 1965

of Public Building

Aerial view of the Wong Tai Sin resettlement estate in Kowloon. It has a population of more than 87,000

the steep hillsides above the town.

The first resettlement blocks were H-shaped with back to back rooms and balcony access in the long arms of the H and communal lavatories in the cross arm. Access was by stair- case.

At first they were six storeys high but this was later increased to seven and then to eight storeys. The first block of this type was completed in September 1954.

In November 1959 the Governor of Hong Kong opened the 100th block and in all 240 blocks of this plan have been built housing some 480,000 people.

The ground floors are used for shops, schools and clinics and in some cases light workshops. Accom- modation for schools and clubs has also been provided on the roof. At one time these blocks, each of which housed some 2,000 people, were being completed at the rate of one every eleven days.

The second type of block, also eight storeys high, developed in 1963, has a central access corridor. The rooms on each side have private balconies. Later this type of block was increased in height from eight storeys to 16 storeys with lift access: individual W.C.s being provided to each domestic room.

In the 16-storey block develop- ment, 24-classroom primary schools are provided in six-storey annexes attached to the domestic blocks.

At present 130 of this type of eight-storey block and six of the 16- storey blocks have been completed, while a total of 60 domestic blocks and 21 annex schools are under con- struction.

Besides clearing people from areas to be redeveloped, it is also necessary to clear "squatter" factories. Ac- commodation for the majority of these is provided in multi-storey flat- ted factories which can be sub-divid- ed into units of 265 sq. ft. Fifteen of these factories have so far been completed and four are under con- struction.

Resettlement blocks are occupied mainly by people moved from land required for development. After completion the blocks are administer- ed and maintained by the Resettle- ment Department.

Government low cost housing also designed by the Architectural Office of the P.W.D. is allocated on a basis of need and income to families ap- plying for the accommodation. On completion, the dwellings are ad- ministered and maintained by the Housing Authority.

Low cost housing accommodation

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