How did this hotel get to be so narrow? The 1955 map shows there were 16 units along Connaught Road West from corner to corner, all of similar width including address #7. Present layout shows essentially the same number of units. One scenario is that #7 was the last site to re-develop, after its neighbouring unit had already "expanded" making itself grand.
I wonder how the interior layout looks. Regards, Peter
I guess the photo eluded us a bit. Street View showed it is actually not that narrow. Likely it occupied one slot of one forward shophouse, which means it is as wide as one shop front. There is one lady standing in front of the entrance in the Street View capture thus you may have a much better scale of reference.
Thanks tngan for correcting my mistake. Your street view shows the hotel's width about the same as the seed shop next door. I should have looked at the earlier street views for example 2009 which show its current neighbours on both sides.
Before the construction of the hotel, it was a 6-storey building and the exterior walls were thin. Now, the exterior walls of the hotel appear to be massive. If they are thick as the photo shows, I believe it has to do with building codes, that the building must be strong enough to resist sway when and if some day it has no neighbours - wind loads. Corrections welcome. Regards, Peter
Comments
Narrowest building?
Wow. How wide is it? It looks less than 3 metres.
I believe the narrowest commercial building in the world is Sam Kee Building in Vancouver, Canada. It is about 6 feet wide.
Lander Grand Hotel
How did this hotel get to be so narrow? The 1955 map shows there were 16 units along Connaught Road West from corner to corner, all of similar width including address #7. Present layout shows essentially the same number of units. One scenario is that #7 was the last site to re-develop, after its neighbouring unit had already "expanded" making itself grand.
I wonder how the interior layout looks. Regards, Peter
Re: Lander Grand Hotel
Hi There,
I guess the photo eluded us a bit. Street View showed it is actually not that narrow. Likely it occupied one slot of one forward shophouse, which means it is as wide as one shop front. There is one lady standing in front of the entrance in the Street View capture thus you may have a much better scale of reference.
T
Lander Grand Hotel
Thanks tngan for correcting my mistake. Your street view shows the hotel's width about the same as the seed shop next door. I should have looked at the earlier street views for example 2009 which show its current neighbours on both sides.
Before the construction of the hotel, it was a 6-storey building and the exterior walls were thin. Now, the exterior walls of the hotel appear to be massive. If they are thick as the photo shows, I believe it has to do with building codes, that the building must be strong enough to resist sway when and if some day it has no neighbours - wind loads. Corrections welcome. Regards, Peter