1959-1960 — Page 48

now being carried out for these to be accommodated on a revolving turn-table. Refuse disposal points, via chutes and hoppers, are being planned on each floor level, less than 200′ apart.

Lifts

147. It is planned to use single 12-person, 100 f.p.m., freight type lifts at frequent intervals along the buildings, and the possibility of manufacturing the lift cars locally is being examined. Staggered open- ings will be arranged.

Structural Design

148. Mr. Leslie OUYANG, B.Sc., A.M.I.Str.E., has been appointed to work with the Authority's staff on the structural design of the buildings, and preliminary studies using two way slabs, as an alternative to span- ning the floor slabs one way on to a beam, have been investigated. Comparative estimates have been prepared for these alternatives, from which it is apparent that the beam and one way slab design is the cheaper form of construction. Thin cross walls (5′′ and 6′′) in reinforced concrete, carrying loads transmitted by these slabs and beams, will be possible, and work on finalizing the structural design is in hand. The economics of cross wall construction compared with columns and beams have been examined, and the former adopted as being the cheaper.

149. It has been decided that an alternative tender using the pre- stressed concrete method should be submitted through an authorized contractor when tenders are invited. A local firm has offered to prepare a design without any commitment to the Authority, and it is felt this is a good opportunity to ascertain the feasibility or otherwise of adopting this system locally.

Quantity Surveyors

150. Messrs. Langdon & Every have been appointed as Quantity Surveyors for this scheme, and have prepared comparative estimates on the alternative structural arrangements.

Progress So Far

151. In October 1959, a planning brief was approved by the Authority, following which sketch plans to fulfil the requirements were prepared and forwarded to Government for completion of the Condi- tions of Grant for the land (though these have not yet been finalized). Until this is done it will not be possible to determine the cost of the land (a figure of $13.00/sq. ft. has been used in preliminary calculations),

38