A Return to Paradise and its People - Durban

THE KENDRA HALL While easily identified as a Hindu temple – particularly
when it is draped in festive lights – the John Zikhali Road mandir is an
unusual structure, and very different to the multitude of temples you will
see around Durban, which are mostly South Indian in origin. The mandir
is built from a North Indian architectural perspective and incorporates
symbolic elements such as flowering lotuses as part of its structure, rather
than using them decoratively as is more often the case.
See it at: 5 John Zikhali Road, Central Durban See it at: 430 Dr Pixley KaSema Street
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AMAFA Durban is a young city, and as such, all structures
older than 60 years are protected by heritage legislation
which requires a permit from heritage body Amafa before
any demolitions, alterations or additions may take place.
THE WAREHOUSES ON THE POINT , built between 1890
and 1919, are a fine and representative group of Victorian
structures and point to a time when remarkable attention
was paid to the design and detailing of even the most functional
buildings. As the Point is upgraded and developed, these
buildings, as well as the Victorian wood-and-iron houses
behind them, have been getting a well deserved face-lift.
See it at: 280-430 Mahatma Gandhi Street, The Point
THE CENTRAL POST OFFICE was originally built
as a town hall but by the early 20th Century it had
been converted to serve its current function. This
was before the age of the skyscraper, and the Post
Office and the new City Hall were then the defining
elements of Durban’s skyline. Today they are dwarfed
by the highrise construction of the CBD.