Colonial Mutual Building : 330 West Street
Architects : Elsworth, Hennessey & Hennesy (Sydney, Australia)
1931-33

While considered one of Durban's grandest Art Deco buildings, because of the incorporation of African animals motifs, it is of interest that the Colonial Mutual Building was not even designed by a South African! An achitectural competition held to determine the building's design attracted some sixty six submissions. The audicator selected the winner, a Mr J Gibbons, whose design was not Art Deco but influenced by Victorian classical interpretations. Gibbon's design incorporated stucco corinthian coloumns as well as arches. The Colonial Mutual, however, awarded the contract not to the competition winner but to Elsworth, Hennessey & Hennesey an Australian firm based in Sydney. Colonial Mutual seemed to approve of their work. A similiar but smaller version of this building can be found in Hobart, Tasmania, designed by the same firm.

The Colonial Mutual Building towers fourteen stories over West Street, the city's tallest building until 1939. One's first impression is that the building seems to be more Romanesque rather than Art Deco. This influence was borrowed from the early Art Deco American skyscraper designers who incorporated gothic and romanesque into their structures. Numerous deco references are strong however: the jazz chevron that is used intermittantly over the whole facade, stylized geometric eagles which house overflow pipes and flag pole foundations. The building is also stepped back at three distinct levels, a design trend Art Deco inherited from New York street lighting by-laws. Local influences include animals eg. lions (although stylized as in heraldry!), eagles (geometric streamlined versions) and antelope (realistic renditions). Originally the banking hall was done out in yellow and brown ravetine but this was destroyed in 1973. The lower floor has been rendered in the present day owners corporate green paint.

The building is in fairly good condition but some of the detailing on the building's exterior is beginning to show deterioration.