Umbilo Road Walk 2023

Billed as "UMBILO ROAD: City Gateway - Industrial, Commercial & Residential", a walk along the East end of Umbilo Road was guided by Arthur Gammage on Sunday 28 May, 2023. With his background in Urban Planning and Design, and his keen interest in the history of Durban, Arthur was able to account for the way this part of the city developed. Twenty-two members and friends of the Durban Art Deco Society attended the event. An interesting finding was that some 6-8 of Durban's significant architects of the 1930's and 1940's had been involved, even in this somewhat run-down area, with smaller scale buildings.


DOWNLOAD: Umbilo Road Walk Guide
DOWNLOAD: Introduction by Arthur Gammage
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Crown Building 93/5 Umbilo Road

Architect A A Ritchie-McKinlay, Mediterranean (Berea) style for B. Lurie in 1929.  

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Origin Night Club, 9 Clark Road

Originally the “Argyle Hotel”, it had a popular beerhall style bar on the bottom floor. Later this became “The Winston”, an alternative bar run for 25 years by Belinda Baney, which started off countless garage bands in such genres as Rock, Punk, Goth and Death Metal. 

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Arby Court, 146 Umbilo Road

Symmetric two-storey building with two shops at ground level and residences above. 

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ALI Supermarket, 144 Gale Street

A G Frolich, 1934 “Block of Flats for I Erlich”. 
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Comet Undies CC, 132 Gale Street

Streamline Moderne style two-storey industrial building. Entrance is on a flat side and is highlighted by a vertical flat panel rising above the skyline. The architect was Clement Fridjhon in 1945/46.