ROBERTS and SMALL

Architect

The partnership between HL ROBERTS and LL SMALL in Cape Town from 1929 to 1939; by 1939 they were in the forefront of modernism in Cape Town but an early building by them, such as Namaqua House (?1930), demonstrates the compromise between tradition, in the form of Cape Dutch motifs such as the wooden-framed windows which originally had half shutters, and modern construction. A brief description of a bathroom interior for a house at Kenilworth (c1939) illustrates the interior design of the times: 'sand blasted and acid etched design representing a fountain and pool on peach-pink mirror' (SA Archt Nov 1939:289).

(SA Archt Aug 1940:180, 181; SA Archt Nov 1939:289)

Submitted an entry for the Competition for the new Prime Minister's Residence - unplaced.

All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.

List of projects

With photographs
With notes

Ackermans: 1936. Central, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Atkinson House: 1933. Central, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Avalon Flats: 1936. Sea Point, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Brimble and Briggs Building: 1937. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Brits Investment, Building for?: 1937. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

C Morgan and Co Bldg: 1935. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Cape Province Tattersall Club: 1937. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Carson and Co Bldg, alt: 1935. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Chas Morgan and Co, add: 1938. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Dark & Howes store: 1938. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Delville Garage: 1939. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Dorchester Apartments: 1935. Sea Point, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

F Robb & Co bldg: 1935. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Farber's Garage - Farber-Datsun: 1935. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Flats for Mrs G Probit - Sarena: 1934. Green Point, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

GA Barnes store: 1938. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Herschel Court: 1936. Claremont, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Holmes Motor Co: 1937. Salt River, Western Cape - Architect

Holmes Motor Co Garage: 1934. Central, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

House A Tredega: n.d. : 1939. Muizenberg, Western Cape - Architect additions 1939

House F Sandell: 1930. Kenilworth, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

House Machanack: 1938. Wynberg, Western Cape - Architect

House Mrs E Pilcher: 1930. Muizenberg, Western Cape - Architect

Metropolitan Methodist Hall: 1938. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Namaqua House: 1930. Central, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Oskop's Fertilizer Factory: 1938. Kuilsrivier, Western Cape - Architect

Proposed flats for W Kairowsky: 1928. Sea Point, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Quadradome: 1934. Kenilworth, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Royal Baking Powder Factory: 1932. Huguenot, Paarl, Western Cape - Architect

Seacliffe Hotel, alt: 1936. Sea Point, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Security Bldgs, Exchange Place: 1939. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Shops, offices for Methodist Church of SA on site of Metropolitan Hall: 1938. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Standard Bldg Soc, Exchange Place: 1939. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Touws River High School: n.d. : 1936. Touws River, Western Cape - Architect 1936

Wesleyan Methodist Church hall: 1930. Woodstock, Western Cape - Architect

Williams, Hunt and Johnson: 1936. Central, Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

YWCA: 1937. Cape Town, Western Cape - Architect

Books citing ROBERTS and SMALL

Cumming-George, L. 1933. Architecture in South Africa - Volume One. Cape Town: The Speciality Press of S.A. Ltd.. pp 100

Herbert, Gilbert. 1975. Martienssen & the international style: The modern movement in South African architecture. Cape Town - Rotterdam: AA Balkema. pp

Rennie, John for CPIA. 1978. The Buildings of Central Cape Town 1978. Volume Two : Catalogue. Cape Town: Cape Provincial Institute of Architects. pp