BUILDING PROGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 8

BUILDING PROGRESS.

NEW BANK PREMISES,

THE PATHOLOGICAL BLOCK.

STRUCTURES DESCRIBED.

In tho summary of building work in . progress in tho city, published last week, brief reference was made to the now premises which are being erected at tho conior of Cuba and Manners Streets for illio Bank of Now Zealand l , ond tho new pathological and bacteriological block at the Hospital. Some further particulars of theso two buildingsl are given below. l'lio new branch premises for the Bank of New Zealand on the corner of Manners Street and Lower Cuba Street take tho form of a handsomo steelframe brick building of three stories, of a style of architecture ■which at once arrests the eye. Tho new structure has ; frontages of 70ft. to Manners Street and CJnha Street, but t'he square of tho ■block is slightly distorted and' comcs to am acuto angle at tho corner, where tho two tlioroughfare!»meot, and where, ' naturally, tho main entranco. to tho banking chamber has bcou placed. The style of architecture may best be described! as modern renaissance, of a rather florid order. The throo entrances to the. building. are flamke'd with doric columns, surmounted by entablatures in the same stylo, but the main feature is a colonnade of four tluec-quartcr Corinthian (Halted), columns, with decorative entablatures and balustrades in harmony. The . surmount,in'.; central feature on eaoli frontage is a largo pedi--vinont, with small pediments, on each cornor of the building. Tho entire facade is richly embellished with ornamental work of an. artistic quality, strength and beauty being happily ooiir ; voyed by the architect' ■ (Air. William Turnbull), who may bo said to havo 6trayecl slightly from the conventional in bank architecture to gain his effects. The first floor is occupied' by a commodious and lofty.bank chamber, which occupies two-tlhirds of the floor space. The other third' is walled off to provide .for a shop and entranco'to tho floors above ow ' the ; Mft»n«ra Street frontage (at\ the oml_ adjoining the Opera House). There is 22ft. ■betweeh tho floor and ceiling of the . banking chamber, which may bci entered from either side or from tho main entrance , on the cornor. These " entrances give access to public spaces (10ft. .wideV, running parallel to the frontages. On the side fronting Cuba Street behind counters of polished cedair, accommodation is provided' for tellers and' bill'olerks, and on tho Manners Street side for- tho lodgers . and exchange clerks. The public space on the Cuba Street side terminates in the manager's office (17ft. x 12ft.). The remainder of the internal space is occupied by the bank staff. The ceiling is coffered with beams carried by Corinthian- columns and entablatures, at once ornamental and dignified. Over the shop is a mezzanine 'floor,' where provision is made for caretaker's quarters and cloak-rooms for the staff. The first and second floors havo been given over to suites of .well-lighted offices (26 in all), which are to be let, Besides a staircase entrance, from Manners Street, 'the top floors are to be served by an electric press-button elevator, which anyone can work by pressing a button, • providing all the s -doors >be closed.". . If. one of tho lift doors on any flat has been accidentally left open', the current is _ automatically cut off, and the lift will not respond to the pressure on tile button. The provision is> one which ensures safety to those likely to use the lift. Tho-build-ing has been provided throughout with gas and electric light services, and a telephonette system of. inter-communi-cation between the bank officos has been installed. Tho partitions and floors are of reinforced concrete, fireresisting materials thaving been used 'wherever possible. The flat roof is faced with Limmer asphalt. A-feature of the building is the degree of artistic finish noticeable in tho modelling) which refleots credt on' tho sub-contracors, ■ Messrs. Foley and Co., and their head modeller (Mr. H. Coleman), who is tlio product of the Wellington Technical School. The build : ing has been erected by Messrs. Campbell and Botirke, tho contract price having been £12,698.

The Pathological Block. The latest addition to the colony of Hospital, buildings at Wellington South —tlie new pathological and\ bacteriological block —makes for utility rather than architectural -eminence. 'The building has been erected in the Hospital grounds botween the Carrara Company's premises and the western wing of the main-Hospital building. Its main entranco faces the southern sweep of the main drive, and is erected on sloping ground, which has given-, the architects the opportunity of providing a large basement, extending over half the area of the building, which has a frontage to the drive at ono end and right-of-way at tho other of 72ft. by a depth of 88ft. It is a solidlyconstructed steel-frame, brick building, finished throughout; with white plaster, care having been taken in every room to round out the corners and cornices so that 110 dirt of any kind can lodge .unobserved... The pathological block has becn.'erected primarily for tho treatment of out-patjents, .and tho ground floor is most ingeniously and conveniently designed to that end. A porch entrance in the centre admits to a. vestibulo, and from there right through '.tcv tho farther'(or southern end) of the building the rooms on either side correspond. To the right (west) aro the brooms for tho reception and nttentioii to .female patients, and to the loft (east) a corresponding suite of rooms for tho treatment of male patients, i Tho central vestibule (common to both sexes) admits to the secretary's whero each . applicant gives his or. her name, and is supplied ivith a nunihored card. The patient then retires to tho waiting-room, a commodions arid lofty room, 34ft. by 25ft., in conjunction with which thero is splendid lavatory accommodation. .When tho number of tho patient is called, he passes into the doctor's room, whore his trouble is inquired into and diagnosed"-.. If it is a case for medicine n, prescription is written out, and the patient is shown the door to. the disnensary (ill tho centre of the building), Bhero 'to get his curative potion. Jf there., is a wound to bo jttended to v hn is shown to tho dressingroom, whero lie will receive attention. .Finally the patient passes out a door at 'iho opposite end of the building to that frhich he entered. The rooms for the treatment, of female out-door patients are arranged in tho same sequenco, the sexes having different exits to tho right-of-way at tho south end of tho block. Half of the upper floor has been especially dosijjnetl for the accommodation of the. Government Bacteriologist (who is to be the. joint servant of tho Government and tho Hosipital Board for the future). He has been provided with a commodious-' and well-arranged laboratory (30ft. by 22ft.) over tho front main entranco, a room to bo devoted te Hi'.' making of vaccine, offices for. the ntaff, a well-appointed scullery, _ and lavatories. Tho basement will be utilised as a manufacturing dispensary.• and general workshop. On tho western sid< of the building an annexe ' (25ft. _bj lift. Gin.) is provided for tho reception nnd observation of animals that are used in bacteriological work. It is partitioned into tfbreo apartments—one fol tho animals, tho centre apartment foi observation work, and the third is t< be used as ..'a store. Tho new Patholo weal Block has been erected at a cosl M about £8000 from plans provided bj Messrs. Crinhton and M'Kay. Messrs M'Lean and Gray were fcM builders The building-should be ready tor us< about. of me-month. >