Durban Art Deco Society

City & Berea Driving Tour

An informal rating of the Art Deco significance of each building is given as high to low: (A), (B), (C)

Go to Walking Tour

Go to Driving Tour

1 C

Suncoast Casino

Snell Parade

2003

Latter day art deco (1990’s). New casino, restaurants, entertainment and hotel with exterior and interior in exuberant art deco style. Notable for the decorative fluorescent lighting

2 A

Jubilee Court

63-93 Clarence Road

A large, low-rise block with complex face brick detailing in geometric patterns framing plaster surfaces. Very original brick & plaster motifs. Good entrances. Brick deco motifs are unusual in Durban

3 C

Janora Court

158 Florida Road

Style Moderne. Horizontal string courses and curved glazed bay windows

4 C

Hertford

Musgrave Road

1998

Fransen (?)

Modern apartments with streamline bay windows and stepped cantilevered balconies

5 C

Fallodon

727 Musgrave Road

2000

Style moderne. New apartments in stepped structure with some window eyelids and portholes

6 C

Gleneagles

Musgrave Road

Style moderne with horizontal shading string courses, curved bay windows and strip windows.

7 B

St Aubyn Court

Musgrave Road

1940’s

Deco-ish geometric modelling of façade. Most balconies now enclosed.

Face brick base with garages is awkward.

8 A

Cheviot Court

c/r Musgrave Road & Poynton Place

1940’s

A well maintained six-storey apartment block with notable flagpole & crest motifs. Semi circular pavilion form on southwest and horizontal sunshades. Good entrance. Redecorated in interesting colours.

9 C

Nordbury

130 Marriott (Gladys Mazibuko) Road

Rectangular modulated facade and horizontal shading

10 C

Glamis Court

113 Marriott (Gladys Mazibuko) Road

Style moderne with horizontal shading string courses, curved bay windows and strip windows.

11 C

Whittington Court

71 Marriott (Gladys Mazibuko) Road

Style moderne with horizontal shading string courses, curved bay windows and strip windows.

12 C

Coral Court

Lawrence Road near c/r Cowey (Problem Mhhize) Road

Three-storey rectangular facade with vertical emphasis over the entrance

13 A

Surrey Mansions

323 Currie Road

Langton & Barboure

-William B Barboure

1937

One of the great Art Deco buildings. Eight-storey apartment building with detailing of imagination and sensitivity. Block-like ground and first floors, rounded corners up to a squared off top floor. Fluted giant order pilasters rising up the entire height. Richly varied stucco reliefs with flying lions high up. Excellent resolution of geometry in the use of rectangular and curved forms. Well maintained and authentic colour scheme.

14 C

Dorrington

c/r Clyde Avenue & Musgrave Road

Three-storey apartment building with horizontal shading courses and curved balconies

15 C

Roslyn

173 Musgrave Road

Modulated facade. Cantilevered concrete sunshades. Floating corners

16 C

Astra Court

163 Musgrave Road

Roger Cooke & LT Obel

1937

Elaborate vertical & horizontal intersections at entrance.

“Eye-lid” sun shields. Integrated face brick at ground level and plaster above.

17 B

Lowry’s Corner

c/r Musgrave & Silverton Roads

Hispanic deco. Now considerably extended, the original cylindrical corner entrance to Lowry’s Pharmacy has interesting ceramic tile and geometric glazing bar patterns. Good window detailing. Cantilevered balconies.

18 A

Berea Court

399 Berea (King Dinizulu) Road

Langton & Barboure

1937

41 apartments built for Langton. Stucco finish with good mouldings in authentic Art Deco style. Fluted pilasters rise through the façade to a crenellated parapet with lion features. Central balcony at high level is richly decorated with sunburst pattern and the entrance below has an African feel to the surround mouldings. Well-designed rear elevation with cantilevered walkway and an amusing range of stained glass windows to the lift shaft, and flat entrances.

19 B

Ashburn

358 Moore (Che Guevara) Road

Highly modulated facade. Horizontally-shaded glazed corner windows. Facade modulated with a turret

20 A

Ellan Vannin

62 Bulwer Road & c/r Wooodburn Place

HF Sparks

Central vertical feature with well-detailed “sunburst” motif.

21 A

Deo Valente

5 Woodburn Place

M Vengan

1939-1940

M Vengan 1939-40 for Newfaze Properties (Pty) Ltd

6 apartments on 3 floors. Central core with vertical pilasters embraced by dominant rectangular projecting bay window elements

22 A

Alder Court

7 Woodburn Place

M Vengan

1940

Drawing by M.Vengan 9 March 1940.

For Messrs Newfaze Properties (Pty) Ltd. Stylistically similar to No5, but the applied stucco relief, both horizontal and vertical is more elaborate. Vertical accent over the entrance goes the full height.

23 C

Fazeton

Woodburn Place

A modest attempt to harmonise with the precinct

24 A

Pavo Court

15 Woodburn Place

M Vengan (?)

1940

Drawing by M Vengan (?) February 1940. For Messrs Newfaze Properties (Pty} Ltd.

Similar massing to No’s 5 & 7. Stepped facade, central hall with vertical pilasters flanked by residential units with horizontal windows. Excellent ‘sunburst’ and ‘roundel’ decorative motifs at attic level.

25 A

c/r Grey (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street & Carlisle Street

Streamline style. Very bold design, sweeping around the corner. Embraces sidewalk and balcony has not been enclosed. Unsupported corner creates space at the entrance.

26 A

(1) Berea View

(2) Mount View

(3) Vel-Vet Mansions

(4) Carlisle Castle

Carlisle Street

BEREA VIEW, 43 Carlisle Street.

Islamic geometric patterning, notable small vertical feature collonettes.

Poor condition. (4/02)

MOUNT VIEW, 45 Carlisle Street

Twin of Berea View.

Alterations, proposed conversion to shops, P. Joseph, 1996.

VEL-VET MANSIONS, 51 Carlisle Street..

Miami-style apartment block with good AD motifs. Windows changed inconsistently.

CARLISLE CASTLE, 53 Carlisle Street.

W J Cornelius, September 1940.

Similar to Vel-Vet Mansions.

TOGETHER THEY MAKE A COHERENT GROUP OF FOUR LOW RISE MIAMI STYLE APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH EXCELLENT GEOMETRIC PATTERNING IN STUCCO ON THE FAÇADES. BACKS OF BUILDINGS ARE SIMILARLY DETAILED.

27 A

Empire Court

256-260 Grey (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street c/r Beatrice Street

Curved veranda over the pavement with elaborate geometric patterning. Nice contrast between the sweep of the veranda and the rectangular roof parapet above. Needs renovation.

28 B

69/71 Beatrice Street

B Jeet, March 1939

Bobby Naidoo's Travel. Sunburst pattern gable; stepped beam over balcony; horizontal shading slab.

29 B

Hattia Trust

Prince Edward (Dr Goonam) Street

Small building with numerous art deco elements: round windows, horizontal shading slab, balcony over the sidewalk, decorated capitals.

30 A

Ebrahim Court

49-55 Prince Edward (Dr Goonam) Street

Two-storey mixed development with balcony over sidewalk. Very sophisticated use of horizontal motifs. Exceptional starburst pattern over the entrance.

31 B

Arbee Mansion

102 Prince Edward (Dr Goonam) Street

Stepped facade. Entrance emphasised by giant arch. Good detailing. Original windows replaced by aluminium frames. Corner curved glass has been removed. Rich patterning. Rear of the building has mosaic patterning

32 B

Himat Court

Avni Court

134-138 Prince Edward (Dr Goonam) Street

J E Jessel Drawing Office. January 1942.

For N Naran.

Decorated columns and spandrels. Dramatic eagle hidden by sign. Open balcony over sidewalk

33 B

Sayed Fakroodeen Building

Prince Edward (Dr Goonam) Street

Decorated columns and spandrels.

34 C

Surat Hindoo Association Building

Victoria (Berta Mkhize) Street

Indo-african style with a few art deco features.Symphony of arches, ballustrades and Dutch gables.

35 B

N.M. Ebrahim Building

21 Victoria (Berta Mkhize) Street

Embraces sidewalk on two levels. Decorated ballustrades and stepped arch beams.

36 C

Yagashree Mansions

113 Victoria (Berta Mkhize) Street

1927

Indo-african style showing deco Cape Dutch and Indian influences

37 B

Victoria Court

Victoria Street

Covers sidewalk at two levels. Prominent vertical columns. Streamlined finials. Modestly decorated spandrels.

38 B

112 Victoria (Berta Mkhize) Street

Richly decorated. Medallions at column tops. Union Jack motifs on ballustrades

39 C

Sedson’s Building

c/r Grey (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street & Victoria (Berta Mkhize) Street

Indo-african style with a few art deco features

40 B

Aboobaker Mansions

c/r Grey (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street & Queen (Denis Hurley) Street

1937

Good classic deco details. First floor balcony, supported on fluted columns, sweeps around the street corner, shading the side walk below. Unsupported corner opens entrance.

41 A

Moosa’s Building

148-152 Grey (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street, c/r Commercial Road (Dr A B Xuma Street)

Highly original and eclectic detailing to balustrade and pediments.

Open veranda over sidewalk well preserved. Re-decorated 2002.

42 A

Broadway Court

57 Broad (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street c/r St Georges (Maude Mfusi) Street

A G Frolich

1933

A G Frolich, November 1933.

For P E P Rorvick.

Strong horizontal emphasis. Verging on “Style Moderne”. Zigzag parapet.

43 A

Nordic Court

55 Broad (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street

c 1933, addition by AG Frolich 1938

Additional floor added by Frolich & Kass, 1947. Strong verticals.

Good, imaginative decorative panels. Similar to a building in Miami.

44 B

Plymouth Hoe

45 Broad (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street

S Patraka

1936

S.Patraka, 1936. Salisbury House, P O Box 1111. Flats for C L Moon. Alterations by Hirst & Simpson, 1962. Good skyline.

45 A

Manhattan Court

11 Broad (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) Street

A G Frolich

1937

Horizontal emphasis maintained by the new aluminium windows. Authentic and original Entrance Hall with fine light fittings and benches.

46 A

Broadwindsor

7 Broad Street (Dr Yusuf Dadoo) & Victoria Embankment (Margaret Mncadi Avenue)

W C Moffatt & Hirst

1935

Contrast between horizontal and vertical expression leading to the climax of the flying birds. Steel windows, originally with curved glass corners, fixed flush with the stucco façade. Strong geometric resolution of rear elevation & escape stairs.

47 A

Willern Court

157 Victoria Embankment (Margaret Mncadi Avenue)

William Barboure

1937

Fine entrance canopy with stone facing panels and stained glass features. Original curved glass corner windows have been replaced. Strong contrasts in vertical and horizontal elements; rectangular and curvilinear forms.

48 A

Victoria Mansions

124 Victoria Embankment (Margaret Mncadi Avenue)

Nelson Secombe

1935

Vertical pilasters rising through accentuated first floor. Rich in geometric, animal and marine fantastical decorative features. Glazed tile panel above the entrance commemorates the Union Castle mail ships that called at Durban for so many years.

49 B

Quadrant House

c/r Field Street and Victoria Embankment (Margaret Mncadi Avenue)

W. Street-Wilson (?)

Formerly a residence for Merchant Navy cadets, now the corporate Headquarters of a shipping line and associated companies. Richly decorated in "Spanish, sub-tropical Deco." Good glazed shell motif. Well maintained.

50 B

Devonshire Court

103 Victoria Embankment (Margaret Mncadi Avenue)

Multi storey mixed use building with curved flanks and central bay framed by strong verticals to a final moulded pattern on the upper segment. Superb inlaid hardwood elevator doors.

51 A

Heronmere

c/r Smith (Anton Lembede) Street & Stanger (Stalwart Simelane) Street

Multi storey residential building with ground floor shops. Chunky geometry and an asymmetrical façade to Stanger Street. Curved corner bay windows and vertical emphasis over the entrance.

52 B

Westcliff Apartments

c/r Prince Alfred (Florence Nzama) Street & Smith (Anton Lembede) Street

Chunky geometry. Geometrically modulated facade. Vertical elements.

53 B

Metropole

106 Smith (Anton Lembede) Street

Formerly the Metropole Hotel, now apartments. Brightly painted Miami style building with vertical & horizontal framing elements.

54 C

Rydal Mount

Gillespie Street

Gently modulated facade with planes linked by horizontal courses. Former hotel. Ground floor has been lost.

55 B

Olympic Court

35 West (Dr Pixley Kaseme) Street

Strong vertical emphasis with strong horizontal lid capping. Rhythmical facade articulated by vertical elements

56 C

Edward Hotel

149 Marine (O R Tambo) Parade

Style moderne. Substantially altered - unclear whether there was a matching North wing. Entrance element with curved corners, projecting balconies and capping.