NEWSLETTER
Durban Art Deco Society
Newsletter #12: December 2002
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Art Deco Research at the University of Natal - Durban (Dennis Claude)

Senior students from the School of Architecture Planning & Housing at the University of Natal have recently completed an excellent project centred on the study of Durban's Art Deco buildings. Working in groups they looked at five precincts: The central City, Esplanade and Broad Street, the Grey Street area, Berea north and Berea south.

In all, we now have a detailed inventory of something like ninety high quality Art Deco Buildings with detailed information as to the authors, dates, influences, as well as a number of critical analyses of specific buildings.

Pavo Court, Woodburn Close

Individual studies addressed a number of topics like the transport infrastructure of the 1930’s and 1940’s, the influences of bye-laws on built form, studies of Entrances, Skylines and the fascinating range of decorative motifs on Durban buildings. This valuable resource will be kept intact as a base for further research and also for display at the Post 7th World Congress meeting in Durban next year.

President's Letter (Jean Powell)

This is our last newsletter for 2002 and, after three years, we are expanding in leaps and bounds. We have, to our mutual benefit, joined the Friends of Architectural Heritage (a sub-committee of the Itafa Amalinde Heritage Trust) and members now get all the notices of places to go and things to see, so we discover more of our rich heritage.

Looking at the year in review we began with a slide talk on the potter Clarice Cliff, presented by Ricky Gray, a world authority on her work. At the next meeting slide talks were given by Jean Powell on textiles (showing the close relationship in the design of graphics, architecture, painting, sculpture, carpets and every day objects) and by Carol Potter on jewellery. These talks were also given to Technical High Schools as they are tailor-made for schools that have Art Deco in their art curriculum. In the Architectural Heritage Committee’s Heritage Month of September, Dennis Claude, our Architectural expert, gave a slide talk on the influence of Art Deco in Grey Street and the surrounding area, traditionally the Asian and Indian part of the city. This was followed by a revealing and interesting walk about. Our last highly successful visit of the year was in October when we had tea and cake at Berea Court, a block of apartments built by Langton & Barboure in 1930. Mrs Tinks Haswell, the building owner, has kept it in very good condition. The penthouse still retains the original light fittings and stained glass windows.

We are heartened that there are so many apartment blocks being repaired and repainted despite the fact that the price of paint has gone up 3 times this year! Some building owners are even starting to seek the committee’s advice on possible alterations and restoration projects. We will be awarding plaques to these buildings.