Around 1947-8 I explored one of Steffen’s houses under construction. In one room with a fireplace was a piece of paper under a stone: “The fireplace is in the wrong room.”
Soon after he was kind enough to employ me, a green deaf fellow with two years before I could be accepted to study at Wits University. From that time to his death in 1992 he was my mentor and best friend.
He had his office at old Midland House, corner Fox and Rissik streets. Among those working for him when I was there and on and off while at Wits for the next 10 years were his young son, Peter, secretary Mrs Dotty Richards, Donald Turgel, Arno Jobst, John Griffiths and a couple of German draughtsmen. A happy gathering under a stimulating boss. We often argued with him for not making his designs more modern. He would reply how some clients would not understand. (Later at Wits, Professor Fassler’s comment 'You cannot give a Stradivari violin to a street musician' struck a chord!).
Steffen Ahrends
Due to his early work for his father in Berlin, Steffen’s detailing of woodwork and finishes in the few Bavarian houses in Johannesburg were fantastic. One house was for Wits Chancellor, Bertrand Leon “Birch” Bernstein.
Steffen’s choice of wood and...
