There is simply no shortage of excellent examples of Art Deco buildings in Durban – mostly residential blocks that were built between 1930 and 1940 – and Berea features some fine examples from this era.
According to The Durban Art Deco Society (which was founded in 2000 to raise awareness of the value of Art Deco buildings to the city’s architectural heritage; www.durbandeco.org.za), Durban’s Art Deco buildings typically feature pilasters – round or square pillars attached to the building. “They go the whole height of the building getting more and more enriched with elements of fauna, flora, fish and birds, some mythical creatures, and sometimes finishing with crenulations.” The idea is to lead the viewer’s eyes up the building. Many of these buildings also have well-designed courtyards or back-of-building stairwells. Durban’s Art Deco buildings also, in true Art Deco fashion, include the characteristic bold colours, geometric shapes and glamorous ornamentals of the global style, while at the same time embracing various local narratives and motifs.
Located at 399 Berea Road/corner Hunt Road (facing Berea Road), Berea Court comprises 41 apartments and boasts a stucco finish with good mouldings in the authentic Art Deco-style. Features include everything from fluted pilasters that rise through the façade to a central balcony that is magnificently decorated with a sunburst pattern. The entrance below has a distinct African look and feel and there’s even a whole host of coloured glass and lead windows to be seen on some of the entrances to the apartments – as well as original milk bottle alcoves!
Surrey Mansions (323 Currie Road) is hailed as one of Durban’s greatest Art Deco buildings and this 8-storey apartment block includes intricate details and a whole lot of imagination. Features include block-like ground and first floors, rounded corners up to a squared-off top floor and giant fluted pilasters rising up the entire height. There are also a variety of stucco reliefs, various rectangular and curved forms and an authentic colour scheme.
