East Meets West Talk & Walk 2019
On Sunday 13 October, 2019, the Durban Art Deco
Society hosted a Talk & Walk featuring Art Deco styled buildings in the
vicinity of Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street (previously Grey Street) in Durban. This
area, to the West of the city centre, was developed by Indian traders and
businessmen in the first half of the 20th century. Some of these
would have been descendants of the original 1860 settlers, brought as
indentured labourers for the sugar industry. Others would originate from the
subsequent immigrations of more skilled businessmen. What is notable is the
apparent adoption of the Art Deco styles which were popular in the “white” city
areas in the 1930’s and 40’s.
But wait, as Prof Franco Frescura explained in his
talk. These styles had already become popular in Indian cities such as Bombay –
were they not referring to their home country? Or perhaps they were
independently rejecting the staid classical styles, and embracing the pacey
modern age of fast cars, streamlined ocean liners and all that jazz. Unlike the
large Art Deco apartment buildings in the “white” city, in this “Indian” part
of town Art Deco was almost exclusively employed in two-storey buildings with
shops and businesses on the ground floor, and living apartments above. Usually
the upper floor projected over the pavement, protecting passers-by from the
sub-tropical heat and rain. Decorations and motifs sometimes reflected local
influences, such as nautical portholes, and sometimes Eastern influences, such
as finial urns.
About 25 Society members and friends gathered at a
very fitting base for the event – the “1860 Settlers Heritage Centre” in Derby
Street. There they were able to peruse the various displays before Prof
Frescura presented a thought-provoking illustrated talk entitled “Casbah Chic”.
Having been involved in an extensive architectural survey of the area, and with
an extensive knowledge of its history, he was able to explain how the “Western
Vlei” came to be developed, the type of people settled there, the impact, and
sometimes lack of impact, of apartheid, and the relationship to the rest of the
city.
After the presentation, those attending proceeded
on a 3km walk through the area, taking in a number of buildings with Art Deco
styling, with explanations by Prof Frescura. En route, a visit was made to the
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Museum garden at 95 Dr Goonam Street. This site was
originally purchased by Gandhi during his period in Durban.
On Sunday 13 October, 2019, the Durban Art Deco
Society hosted a Talk & Walk featuring Art Deco styled buildings in the
vicinity of Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street (previously Grey Street) in Durban. This
area, to the West of the city centre, was developed by Indian traders and
businessmen in the first half of the 20th century. Some of these
would have been descendants of the original 1860 settlers, brought as
indentured labourers for the sugar industry. Others would originate from the
subsequent immigrations of more skilled businessmen. What is notable is the
apparent adoption of the Art Deco styles which were popular in the “white” city
areas in the 1930’s and 40’s.

Architect and author Prof Franco Frescura presents
an illustrated talk entitled “Casbah Chic”.

Carlisle Street group: Berea View, Mount View, Vel-vet Mansions and Carlisle
Castle (WJ Cornelius, 1940). This charming cluster of well-scaled small blocks
looks as if it would be at home in Miami. The buildings are well-cared for and
have good quality geometric meso-American inspired decorations in stucco (Dennis Claude).

300 Dr Yusuf Dadoo (Grey) Street. An imposing streamline-styled building which has
retained its open balconies.

Vedic Temple, Carlisle Street. This now unused temple is part of the
original Ayra Pratinidhi Sabha (APS) compound. A number of struggle leaders
were associated with the APS, so that it was constantly under the surveillance
and scrutiny of the Security Branch of the apartheid regime. Eventually,
attendances at the Vedic temple and Aryan Hall declined, partly due to
migration to the suburbs and safety concerns. The compound was sold to Joint
Medical Holdings in 2014. JMH owns the nearby hospital and planned to use APS
as a training facility.

Empire Court, 256- 260 Dr Yusuf Dadoo St c/r
Charlotte Maxeke Street.. Curved veranda over the pavement with elaborate
geometric patterning. Nice contrast between the sweep of the veranda and the
rectangular roof parapet above.

Randaree Charitable Trust, 401 Bertha Mkhize Street c/r Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street.
Built in 1941, this building was originally a Muslim Guest House. The trust was
founded by Mr. M. S. Randeree in 1932, thus this year is displayed in relief on
the building.

NM Ebrahim Building, 19 Cross St c/r Bond St. Built in 1931, it embraces sidewalk
on two levels. Decorated balustrades and stepped arch beams.

Sayed Fakroodeen Building, 1937, c/r
Cross St & Dr Goonam St. The building is named after one of the
founding members of the Muslim Darul Yatama Wal Masakeen (Muslim
Home for Orphans and Destitutes) in the 1930s.

Abad Court & Essop Moosa
Building, 125-131 Dr Goonam St. Abad Court – Taj
Company #125; AM Khan & Co. #127. Essop Moosa Building – 1935. Small and
large arches at lower and upper levels. Pilasters capped with numerous finial
urns along the skyline.

Members of the walk take a
break in the garden of the Mahatma
Gandhi Memorial Museum at 95 Dr Goonam Street. (Ruben
Reddy Architects, 2008). The site was originally purchased by Gandhi himself.