The Emerging University 1970-74

Szeto, an d th e Ch a i r ma n o f th e Campu s P l ann i n g an d Bu i l d i n g Commi t t ee, D r . R . C . Lee . Conce i v i ng a suitabl e l ayou t fo r th e Un i ve r s i t y campu s wa s not on l y a un i qu e challeng e bu t a mo n ume n t a l tas k a s we l l . Cons i dera t i on ha s t o b e give n t o th e f o l l ow i ng : (1 ) th e existin g Ch u ng Ch i Colleg e campus , (2 ) th e u r ba n deve l opmen t p l a n fo r H o n g K o n g w i t h pa r t i cu l a r referenc e t o th e Ne w Te r r i t o r i es , (3) th e creatio n o f i n d i v i d u a l campuse s fo r eac h o f th e Fo u n d a t i o n Colleges an d (4 ) th e i n t eg r a t i o n o f th e Colleg e bu i l d i ng s i n t o a n a r ch i t ec t u r a l ly a t t r ac t i v e an d mu t u a l l y comp l emen t a r y who l e i n keeping w i t h th e ove r a l l deve l opmen t p l a n fo r th e Un i ve r s i t y . Perhaps a b r i e f resum e o f th e Mas t e r Deve l opmen t P l a n w i l l give reader s a bette r ide a o f ho w th e ne w Un i ve r s i t y campu s wa s developed. I t wa s conceive d tha t th e thre e Colleg e complexe s wo u l d b e g r oupe d a r oun d a cen t ra l platea u (elevatio n 33 0 feet) , on wh i c h th e Un i ve r s i t y headquarter s an d cen t r a l activitie s bu i l d i ngs wo u l d b e located . Ch u n g Ch i Colleg e wa s t o r ema i n o n the l owe r p l a t ea u t o th e sout h (elevatio n f r om 1 4 t o 15 0 feet) , wh i c h i t ha s occupie d sinc e 1956 . Un i t e d an d Ne w Asi a College s wer e t o share th e 38-acr e p l a t ea u t o th e no r t h (elevatio n 46 0 feet) . T h e a r ch i t ec t u r al styl e fo r eac h o f th e Colleg e complexe s an d th e Un i ve r s i ty cen t ra l activitie s wa s t o b e va r i e d wh i l e a t th e sam e t im e ach i ev i ng a n ove r a l l h a r mo n y o f design . Aestheti c feature s wer e t o be i nco r po r a t e d i n t o th e f unc t i ona l l y designe d bu i l d i ng s an d pa r t i cu l ar a t t en t i o n wa s t o b e give n t o th e preservatio n o f th e site' s na t u r al beauty , th e i n t eg r a t i o n o f landscapin g an d th e effectiv e display o f th e variou s structures . The bu l k o f the fund s r equ i r e d t o bu i l d Th e Chines e Un i v e r s i t y was t o b e p r ov i de d b y th e Ho n g K o n g Gove r nmen t . Howe v e r , f i nanc i al suppo r t f r o m othe r source s wa s no t on l y we l come d b u t actively sought . I n thi s regar d th e Un i ve r s i t y ha s bee n mos t fortunate. Sizeable con t r i bu t i on s t o t a l l i n g app r ox ima t e l y 2 0 % o f th e overall cost s o f th e physica l p l an t hav e s o fa r bee n receive d f r o m bo t h loca l an d oversea s sources . Benjamin Frank l in Centre Funds fo r th e firs t b u i l d i n g t o b e constructe d o n th e ne w campus—t he Ben j am i n F r a n k l i n Cen t r e 一 we re dona t e d b y citizen s o f th e Un i t e d State s t h r oug h th e Stat e Depa r tmen t an d T h e Asi a Founda t i on. Th i s b u i l d i n g wa s comp l e t e d i n Decembe r 196 8 an d o f f i c i a l ly opene d b y Hi s Excellenc y th e Gove r no r , Si r D a v i d T r en c h, i n A p r i l 1969 . I t wa s designe d t o p r ov i d e a socia l centr e for th e student s an d staf f of the Un i ve r s i t y a s a who l e. Use d i n i t i a l l y to hous e th e Cen t r a l Office s o f th e Un i ve r s i t y , i t wa s release d t o serve it s o r i g i na l purpos e whe n th e Un i ve r s i t y Adm i n i s t r a t i o n 7 8