November_1965 — Page 16

is very similar in plan to the latter type of resettlement buildings. They are however of a somewhat higher standard. The highest difference is that in resettlement estates each per- son is allocated 24 sq. ft. while in Government low cost housing he is allocated 35 sq. ft.

Since the decision was taken in September 1959 to provide Govern- ment low cost housing of this type, 63 blocks to house 75,000 people have been completed in six estates. Under construction are a further nine blocks to house 34,000 people. These buildings are now 12 and 20 storeys high.

The first 20-storey building has just been completed at Wong Tai Sin in north east Kowloon. In this scheme there are four 20-storey blocks and one 12-storey block, built abutting each other to form one building housing 14.000 persons.

Medical Buildings

The outstanding achievement dur- ing the past five years has undoubted- ly been the completion of the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital. This is the largest acute general hospital in the Commonwealth and was opened by the then Governor, Sir Robert Black, in September 1963.

A total of more than 1,300 beds is distributed between surgical, medical, obstetric, orthopedic, radio- logical and gynaecological wards. It also houses the central laundry of the Medical Department.

The building is 13 storeys high and has a total area of 980,000 sq. ft. After completion of the basement it took 30 months to construct.

The hospital, which is sited in central Kowloon with commanding views of the city and harbour, was awarded the Bronze Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects for the most outstanding architectural achievement within the area of the Hong Kong Society of Architects for the three year period 1960-1963.

Mannnnn!

Sixteen-storey resettlement block and school annex at Wong Tai Sin

While the hospital itself was being constructed, blocks of flats for senior medical officers, one hostel for sisters and nurses and another for house officers, senior officers, male nurses and dressers were designed and built.

The interest which this project at- tracts must not be allowed to dwarf the achievement of the Architectural Office in other fields of medical building. For example, a 1,000 bed mental hospital was opened at Castle Peak in the New Territories in March 1961.

Considerable extensions are being built at the Queen Mary Hospital on Hong Kong Island. These consist of additional operating theatres. phar- macies, central sterilizing and radio diagnostic units, a professorial block and additional quarters for sisters and nurses.

Additions have also been made to

the Kowloon General Hospital con- sisting of a new operating theatre and ward, a central kitchen and some children's wards. Proposals exist for a further 500-bed ward block at the same location, and another project which is already at the working drawing stage is the 1,300-bed general hospital at Lai Chi Kok.

Besides the great increase in hos- pital beds several small clinics have been constructed throughout the Colony, particularly in the outlying Many of them also incor- porate lying-in and delivery accom- modation for maternity cases.

areas.

Educational Buildings

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For some years, Government schools have been designed where possible to standard plans, with resultant speeding up of the construc- tion programme.

חוות

RBMA

Nightview of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, completed in 1963

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Far East Architect & Builder November, 1965