Classified as one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in South Africa, the Old Mutual Building’s heritage-protected Assembly Room, complete with original frescoes by Le Roux Smith Le Roux, had sat largely untouched since the building’s 2003 conversion. In 2017, a sibling duo purchased the Assembly Room alongside two adjacent sections with a vision: combine them into a single, unique inner-city family home without losing what made the space significant in the first place.
The project began with a three-week fabric analysis study, mapping and rating every original material for authenticity and restorative need, backed by a heritage practitioner, an art historian, and a feng shui consultant brought in specifically to guide decisions before design work even started. What emerged respects the building’s international Art Deco language, stone gallery tiling, stainless steel gate and staircase detailing, while grounding it in local materials like timber panelling and terracotta floors. Our firm provided quantity surveying service throughout all stages.
Featured in the Times Magazine.
