Bulletin Summer 1975

Th e Architect o f the Science Centre The University Science Centre is the largest and costliest building project of the University. It enhances significantly the eye-catching magnificence of the campus, the credit for which belongs primarily to the University Architect and the Campus Planning and Building Committee. The University Campus Planning and Building Committee is appointed by the University Council, and chaired by Dr. R . C . Lee. It considers all the architectural plans of the various buildings and structures on campus and recommends to Council for approval all the plans for individual projects. Dr . Lee, as Chairman, works especially closely with the University Architec t and such other consultants invited by the University as Dr. I.M. Pei. Dr. the Hon. W. Szeto, the University Architect ever since the inception of the University, has the responsibility of preparing the maste r development plan of the campus and making recommendations on coordination of sitings and architectural styles within the campus to the Campus Planning and Building Committee. The least known aspect of his contributions is perhaps his responsibility for the site formation of the campus, including the engineering services and external works, without which the campus would not have acquired its present magnificent form. He accomplished the formidable task of conceiving an overall plan to integrate the various buildings of the University Headquarters' central activities and the campuses of the Foundation Colleges into an organic whole. In addition to serving as University Architect, he has also been responsible for designing the following projects on the campus: (1) Benjamin Franklin Centre, a gift of the citizens of the United States, (2) Institute of Chinese Studies, donated by the Lee Hysan Estate Co. Ltd., (3) Administration Building, (4) University Science Centre including extension, (5) the United College campus, (6) the Teaching Buildings o f the New Asia College campus and (7) the Olympic-size swimming pool. The Campus Planning and Building Committe e and the University Architect play an important role in promoting the University's educational ideals. The University Science Centre provides an excellent example. As a result of ingenious planning and adoption of innovative construction methods , the University has bee n able to bring the six Departments of the Science Faculty together under one roof, whereby the pooling of the human and material resources of the Science Faculty throughout the campus becomes a reality. 1 4 The University Architect briefing the press about the campus plan in 1965