01/03/2008

This building is one of Durban's best examples of the Art Deco style and is in excellent condition. The apartment block's structure has a base, middle and crown reminiscent of the New York stepped style. The exterior has been painted cream with relief elements emphasised in pastel reds and greens. Geometric and linear patterns decorate three sides of the building. Sculptural elements exist in the form of winged feline motif (the reverse of a griffon; a lion with an eagle's body). The corners of the building incorporate curved alcoves. Each flat has a leaded geometric design lead window in the front door. The foyer is decorated in contrasting yellow and green marble. Building developments across the road threatened to obscure the spectacular view of the city and beaches that one has from Surrey Mansions. Due to civic action from the tenants and flat owners the height of the offending structure has been restricted. The building won a conservation award in 1991 from the Conservation Committee of the Durban City Council.

03/03/2008

Berea Court was designed by the same team that had earlier designed Surrey Mansions. This building was completed a year later. Although the two buildings share the same architects they are very different in atmosphere. Berea Court is more domestic and more spacious. All the flats have their entrance around an open airy courtyard. Each front door has leaded glass windows that depict Durban scenes eg. a ship entering the harbour between the Bluff and the Point and a 1930's aeroplane flying over the city. The foyer is still in good condition with many of the original light fittings still in place. A new Art Deco security gate has recently been constructed and installed which is sympathetic to the building's design.
The exterior decoration has a number of African references. Examples include the lions heads mounted on a geometric baseplates at the buildings crown and eagle overflow pipe gargoyles. The building also contains a lot of geometric stucco detailing. A drawback that Berea Court faces is its present day location on a very busy intersection. It also over looks an arterial route into the city. Consequently the building is bombarded by car fumes and noise; hardly a tranquil setting for a home.

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