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Reading Court Berea, Johannesburg, Gauteng HANSON, TOMKIN and FINKELSTEIN: Architect

Date: 1936 Type: Flats Status: Extant Street: Willie Street   Click to view map Coordinates: 26°10'57.33" S 28°02'54.99" E

In this building Le Corbusier dominates. It has the typical vertical organization of a freely planned ground floor with piloti, several storeys of flats and an extensive solarium. The alternation of deep balconies with glazed porches is reminiscent of Corb's Immeuble Villa. The flats have curving walls and retain the spatial virtuosity of the facade. They are planned with great care, revealing Han-son's programmatic intention to provide real amenity for multi-storey living, with generous balconies and sleeping porches outside bedrooms. After World War II, his work changed to a weightier, intricately detailed, classicist mode which he saw as more rational and socially acceptable. (Julian Cooke in UIA, 1985:59) All truncated references not fully cited below are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. Books that reference Reading Court Beck, Haig (Editor). 1985. UIA International Architect : Southern Africa (Issue 8). London: International Architect. pg 59 Chipkin, Clive M. 1993. Johannesburg Style - Architecture & Society 1880s - 1960s. Cape Town: David Phillip. pg 169 Greig, Doreen. 1971. A Guide to Architecture in South Africa. Cape Town: Howard Timmins. pg 147 Herbert, Gilbert. 1975. Martienssen & the international style: The modern movement in South African architecture. Cape Town - Rotterdam: AA Balkema. pg 138 ill