The Colonial Mutual Building was reportedly the highest building in South Africa when it was completed in 1933. At almost 57m it was a landmark of the 1930s skyscraper age. Below is a description of the building which appeared in the classic book Architecture in South Africa Vol II (1934).
Built for the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, it is claimed to be South Africa's highest building, being 182 ft. in height and has thirteen storeys including the basement. The ground floor is devoted to an arcade with shops and the society's offices. The basement has a first-class restaurant with mechanical ventilation fully air-conditioned. The upper floors are occupied as offices.
Colonial Mutual Building (The Heritage Portal)
The bearing capacity of the soil of the site was low, and a reinforced concrete raft foundation was used. The superstructure is of steel framing with brick and stone facing. The floors are of reinforced concrete of a special light design, covered with end-matched jarrah blocks and cork tiling. The main hall floor is covered with india-rubber tiles. The roofs are of Etruscan tiles and short asphalt flats. Ducts were incorporated in the design for pipes and wires.
There are two lifts, the faster runs at 600 ft. per second. The slower 450 ft. per second. Slower can be...
