Newsletter No. 38

No.38 January 1993 CUHK Newsletter The Chairman of the University Council making a speech on a banquet for honorary graduates From Graduation Dinners to Banquets in Honour of Honorary Graduates Up to 1974 congregations for the conferment of degrees were held after office hours at 5.30 p.m., and followed by a graduation dinner on the same evening, usually at a Chinese Restaurant in the City Hall, where University guests, staff members, and graduates gathered to congratulate one another and celebrate. One interesting feature of such dinners was that a Loyal Toast would be proposed during the feast, and all would rise to drink to the Queen's health. Maybe because the number of graduates increased too rapidly, maybe because congregations were soon moved back to the campus and held earlier at 3.00 p.m, or maybe because students of the early 70s cared more about student movements and less about social gatherings, graduation dinners were cancelled in 1975 and replaced by refreshments served on the University Mall after the congregation. The University has however continued to hold banquets in honour of honorary graduates each year, and Hotel Furama is by far the most favoured venue for such banquets. For years the banquets were hosted by the Chancellor, who is also Governor of Hong Kong. But as the Governor becomes the titular head of more and more institutions, he finds less and less time to attend their official functions. From 1989 onwards, the chairman of the University Council has taken his place as host of the banquet. In Anticipation of the 46th Congregation The best way to know more about congregations is to observe them first-hand. Readers shouldn't miss the opportunity to participate in the University's 30th anniversary congregation this October if they are invited. And chances are high that they will become members of the longest procession ever formed in 30 years. Side Lights From Tin Ka Ping Building to Comments on Building Design F o r m V i n c e n t W . S . C h e n D i r e c t o r , B u i l d i n g s O f f i c e Numerous comments have sprung up of late from various sectors of the University community regarding how a building should or should not look like. While we must respect the freedom of speech and press, the passing of judgments should always be based upon sound and unbiased principles or criteria. Design is subjective. Any new attempt is always a tough morsel to swallow. Every new building, whether it be created by an internationally renowned architect or one of lesser recognition, never fails to attract the toughest of critics, not only from laymen but also from members of the design community. Perhaps one needs to critically analyse the elements of design employed in the Tin Ka Ping Building before jumping into any conclusion like ‘spoiling the integrity of the existing campus design’ or 'not in harmony with the environment, as some have put it. In the initial stages of design, a clear line had to be drawn between making the new building look like the old ones or stand out distinct. A compromise between the two was decided upon. The Tin Ka Ping Building borrows to a great extent elements that already exist in the vicinity: the light coloured fins of United College, which forms the backdrop; the greyish tones of the surrounding fair-faced concrete, which are repeated in the middle of every facade of the new building; and the horizontal two-level podium with windows matching the existing library and strongly uniting the two buildings together. The selection of colour to match fair-faced concrete buildings has always been a difficult decision for any designer confronted with such a task. Tiles in our case with a greyish-maroon tone and metallic touch were selected to provide an ever-changing tonal gradation under different natural lighting conditions. 9