Durban Art Deco Society

South Beach Art Deco Walk 2018

On Sunday, 6 May, 2018, Robert Brusse, well-known architect and specialist in conservationist architecture, led an interesting walk past several buildings, dating from 1930-1960, in the Gillespie Street and Marine Parade (OR Tambo Parade) area adjoining South Beach, Durban. These buildings exhibit varying degrees or Art Deco influence, usually more simply and cheaply finished than their Berea counterparts. A number of high-volume apartment buildings and hotels seem to have originated closely-spaced in time, probably in a rush to provide seaside holiday accommodation.

DOWNLOAD: Guide to South Beach Walk

Walk route along Gillespie Street and Marine Parade

Park View 17 Boscombe Place (1960’s?) International style features with horizontal bands. Popular corner windows of the era, made possible by reinforced concrete.

Tour guide, Architect Robert Brusse

Rydal Mount 130 Gillespie Street (1950’s?) A large L-shaped apartment building with double-volume windows emphasizing several entrances, together with a rising central feature with symmetrical window eyelids at each floor.

Olympic Court 35 Pixley Kaseme (West) Street (1940’s?) Art Deco with highly –modulated façade and strong pilasters rising to a roof feature similar to Surrey Mansions. Foyer includes an original wooden bench and lift doors, and a pedestal and niche feature similar to Hollywood Court.

Olympic Court c/r Pixley Kaseme (West) Street and Gillespie Street.

Olympic Court entrance in Pixley Kaseme (West) Street

Olympic Court entrance foyer - original wooden lift entrances in Art Deco styling. Original floor number indicator lights.

Olympic Court entrance foyer – floor

Olympic Court entrance foyer - Aztec style arch over stairway entrance.

Olympic Court entrance foyer - pedestal and fountain niche partly obscured by a new caretaker’s office. The niche is dominated by a plaster springbok head.

Olympic Court entrance foyer - Original wooden bench with recessed ash-trays and Art Deco patterning.

Olympic Court entrance foyer - doors to street

Oxford House 77 Gillespie Street (1935) Strange mixture of Classical Revival and Art Deco

Grandborough c/r Sturdee Place & Marine Parade (1930’s?) Classical Revival and Art Deco. Imposing corner entrance

Marlborough 27 Blenheim c/r Marine Parade (1930) Some Art Deco decoration above the ground floor. Otherwise quite plain.

Marlborough entrance

The Edward Marine Parade (1940’s?)

Art Deco streamline style (style moderne). Well maintained. Asymmetric entrance framed by rising bay windows on North end. Sympathetic transparent canopy extension for verandah.