February 18, 2003
By Lucille Davie
JOHANNESBURG'S Art Deco buildings are to be recognised in the coming weeks when they have plaques placed on them in the build-up to the 7th World Congress on Art Deco, taking place in Cape Town in March.
Johannesburg has over 100 wonderful Art Deco buildings in the city centre, and although some of them are in a dilapidated state, a good deal of them are national monuments, dating back to the 1930s and 1940s when South Africa experienced a boom period, and Art Deco was at its height worldwide.
Twenty of the city Art Deco buildings are to be the first structures to get the plaques, large blue and white circular ceramic signs, detailing the name (in Art Deco font) and history of the building, together with the city's Joburg logo at the bottom, and an Art Deco logo at the top.
Some of these buildings include the Anglo American building (Main Street), Astor Mansions (Jeppe Street), Broadcast House (Commissioner Street), Dawson's Hotel (Von Brandis & President), the Federal Hotel (Commissioner & Polly), His Majesty's (Commissioner), and the Union Castle Building (Loveday & Commissioner).
But there are other buildings spread around the suburbs, mostly residential blocks: Helvetia Court in Bellevue; Lauriston Court in Louis Botha Avenue; Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital in Braamfontein (now used as flats); and in Yeoville there's Diamond Court, Genoa Court and Granville Court. There's also homes in Houghton and Parktown that qualify as Art Deco. Forty of these buildings, together with other city buildings, will be included in the plaque programme.
The Art Deco Congress in Cape Town runs from 23 to 29 March. The programme consists of visits to some of Cape Town's Art Deco gems, in Vredehoek, Sea Point, Mouille Point and Greenpoint. Also on the agenda is an Art Deco Jewellery Exhibition.
Themes of the Congress include architecture, interior design, music, visual and performing arts, and fashion. Speakers include several world experts on Art Deco; Clive Chipkin, architect and author of Johannesburg Style, Architecture & Society, and experts from around South Africa.
But it's not all talk and walk. There'll be a rave party and an Art Deco ball, a vintage car exhibition, and visits to the winelands and a game park.
Members of the public are invited to add to the list of buildings to be recognised in Johannesburg, by suggesting their own selection of worthy Art Deco buildings. The street address must be given, together with suggestions on how to stop the decay and find new ways of handling the threatened buildings.
Forward your suggestions to Kim Goeller on drgoeller@intekom.co.za, or fax them to 011 442 7921.
For all the information on the Art Deco Congress, visit the web site.
For more information on local developments, visit the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust web site.
