Victory House, originally known as Permanent Buildings, is located on the historic corner of Harrison and Fox Streets in downtown Johannesburg. The passages below, taken from the official history of the Perm (1983), reveal part of the story behind its design and construction. The building is of great historical and architectural significance and is famous for having Johannesburg's first lift.
"…four firms of architects were approached to send, in competition, designs with an approximate cost not to exceed £8000 - £9000. The building was to comprise a basement and three storeys. The accepted design was to receive a reward of 25 guineas (to be deducted from the regular fees if the building was proceeded with) and the next best design a reward of ten guineas.
Emley and Scott, W. Leek, W.H. Stucke and R.L. McEwat submitted their designs by the middle of July and Stucke’s was unanimously accepted by the Board as the winner. But in view of the merit of the plans sent in by Emley and Scott and W. Leek, each of these firms receive ten guineas. Whether it was Stucke’s idea or the Local Board’s (and one suspects the architect) he was asked a month later what adding two storeys and installing a lift would cost – and also the running costs of a lift per month. Lifts were then unknown in Johannesburg. Were the Perm to have five storeys could not one lift serve both buildings, each to bear an equal cost of the erection and maintenance...
