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Town Hall
Benoni, Gauteng
SHORTEN and CUTHBERT: Contractor
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Contact Artefacts | MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | Town Hall SHORTEN and CUTHBERT: Contractor | | ||||
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Click to view large map Coordinates: | Won in competition. PARKER and McKINLAY were placed second. The Benoni Town Hall has been planned with vision and foresight. The accommodation and facilities are such that, even if the rapid growth which has characterized Benoni’s recent history is maintained, the hall will meet the town’s requirements for many years to come. The corner stone was laid by His Excellency The Right Honorable Earl of Clarendon PC C.C.M.G. Governor General of the Union of South Africa on 19 September 1936. Designed by the architects, Messrs J. Lockwood Hall and built by Shorten & Cuthbert in the free classic style, the building which has cost £80 000.00 to complete and furnish, has an imposing frontage of 120 feet (36.5 m) on Prince’s Avenue, itself one of the most delightful boulevards in the Southern Hemisphere. A striking feature is the graceful central tower, which rises above the façade to a height of 120 feet (36.5 m) and is visible for many miles around. Extending back a distance of 200 feet (61 m), the building has a second public entrance from Woburn Avenue. From the main portals, which are approached along a wide sweeping drive, one passes between handsome teak doors into an airy loggia embodying a tasteful entrance hall, with a plaque perpetuating the names of former Mayors. Beyond is the main hall, an outstanding example of modern architecture, which covers an area of 7 568 square feet (703 sq m). Like the paneling of the walls, the floor is laid with beautifully grained wood and is sprung for dancing. Lounges, with numerous entrances, run the full length of the hall on either side. At the rear of the hall is a huge balcony overlooking not only the stage, but the major portion of the floor below. On either side, galleries have been provided, with private entrances. The stage, which measures 43 by 19 ½ feet (13 by 6 m), is suitable for the presentation of plays or other entertainments. With the object of introducing soft and harmonious tones, an unusual system of illumination has been installed throughout the building. Outstanding results have been obtained by the use of “lay lighting” in the main beams of the hall, enabling the creation of some delightful colour combinations. A large centre “chandelier” of modernistic design is the crowning feature of the lighting scheme. Special acoustic treatment, for which experts were engaged, ensures that music and speeches are heard with clarity in any part of the hall. Including the galleries, the hall has seating accommodation for 1 200 people, although many more could be admitted should special circumstances arise. Identical in general treatment and equipment is the second, smaller hall, opening on Woburn Avenue. Here also there is a spring floor, 60 feet square (5.6 m sq). The stage, almost as wide as that in the main hall, has a depth of 14 feet (4.3 m) and is artistically curtained in blue and silver. There are seats for 400 people and ample foyers which, in the event of a dance being held, can be converted into supper rooms. The official opening of the Town Hall was on 12 October 1938. Source: Programme of the Opening of Town Hall, 12th October 1938. Transcribed by Glynis Cox Millett-Clay, 3 May 2015. Submitted by William Martinson. ____________________________ BENONI'S NEW TOWN HALL ART AND UTILITY COMBINED IN ORIGINAL ADAPTATION OF FREE RENAISSANCE STYLE A Happy Departure in Civic Architecture After many years of makeshift, Benoni now possesses a town hall which, besides being one of the most modern and up-to-date of its kind, sets a new note in civic architecture. Opened in October, 1938, by the Governor-General, Sir PatrickDuncan, this town hall may, without exaggeration, be said to be one of the most beautiful civic buildings in the Union. As will be seen from the illustrations reproduced here, the building consists of a two-storeyed structure in modernised free Renaissance style, the general treatment being off-white cement plaster. The front facade presents a dignified appearance, comprising two end pylons projecting above the parapet height of the building. These pylons house the staircases leading off from the main entrance foyer to the main gallery and first floor. The interval between the pylons is embellished with arches of pre-cast, granite-faced concrete leading on to the entrance loggia, which is approached from the tarmacadam drive by a short series of slate steps. A slightly projecting central motif, of the same granite-faced pre-cast concrete, reaches to just above the parapet height of the building, leading the eye naturally up the clock tower complete with belfry and cupola. The side facades have been provided with relief effects by two similar end pylons, a central motif again being included on each facade by a granite-faced, pre-cast projection rising to above the parapet height. In each of these central projections is an entrance door leading into a side foyer on each side of the main hall. Above each entrance door is a small balcony to which access is gained through double glass-panelled doors set in a series of small stepped recesses. Very simple treatment has been given to the back or north facade, which is plain, except that the three central arches, leading in through the south loggia to the entrance foyer of the subsidiary or small hall, have granite-faced, pre-cast surrounds, rising over the central arch to above parapet height. The top storey in this facade is occupied by the caretaker's flat, which has achieved distinction by the remarkable fact that every room in the house has its windows facing north. The Town Hall is situated in Curtiss Park, near the Benoni Railway Station. It is in large, spacious grounds in which gardens are being laid out. The area in front of the building will be occupied in time by a sunken garden with slate sides and crazy paving, and ornamented by means of fountains. Work is proceeding on this at the moment. INTERIOR TREATMENT. One of the most interesting aspects of the Benoni Town Hall is its plan. While no less than 14 functions of different kinds can be held simultaneously within the building, it is a remarkable fact that even if these functions be led by the loudest brass bands conceivable, no one function will interfere with the other. Each public part of the building is acoustically separate from the other; a factor which contributes in no small measure to its usefulness. The plan consists chiefly of two public halls set on the same axis, the main hall having its entrance in the front or south facade and the smaller hall in the north facade. The recessed stages of both halls are separated by an open-air passageway behind the stage, this arrangement not only providing an acoustical barrier between the two halls, but allowing light to penetrate through roof lanterns into a storage basement underneath the two stages. The main hall in its design and treatment presents a fine combination of utility and art. It is rectangular in shape, 88 feet long and 82 feet [26,4m] wide with a height of 30 feet [9m]. There is a main gallery at the back of the hall capable of seating 216 people. This gallery, furnished with plush seats, extends along both sides of the hall, each of the side galleries seating 120 people. The seats are stepped up and the line of vision from each to the stage is uninterrupted. An important feature of the side galleries is that they do not over-lap the main hall in any way, being recessed back over the side entrance foyers. The main gallery at the back overlaps the hall only to a slight extent. There is, therefore, no obstruction to the ventilation and lighting of the main hall. The walls of the main hall up to within a few feet of the gallery balustrades are flush-panelled in modernkejaat wood panelling with straight moulding. The remainder of the walls are of cream-coloured plaster, the ceiling being of off-white plaster. The floor is sprung and covered with maple. Access to the floor is gained through double teak glass-panelled doors leading off from the main entrance foyer at the back of the hall and the two side entrance foyers. CONTROLLED COLOUR ILLUMINATION. The ceiling is plain and comprises a 50-foot square panel in the centre. Four projecting beams intersect to form the square, which is treated with an acoustic plaster. Around the square the beams have a continuous, flush lay light which may be illuminated with any colour, or combination of colours, controlled by a dimmer-board set behind scenes on the stage. In the centre of the square is a main circular luminous feature set in a circular recess embellished with a moulded representation of the Horn of Plenty. This central light feature may also be colour-controlled. At each corner of the square is an opening to the ventilation ducts for the extraction of foul air. The in-ducts are situated just under the balustrades of the balconies. At each corner of the stage-end of the hall is a large chamber. These at present are used as boxes on such occasions as dances, where a view of the stage is unnecessary. Actually they were designed for an organ to be installed at some future date. One of the main decorative features of the hall is the stage proscenium, which has gold and blue moulded surrounds, with a gold and silver-coloured pelmet. The curtains, which are electrically operated, are made of gold fire-resisting satin, bearing two medallions inscribed ‘’M.B.’’ [Municipality of Benoni]. Besides this, there is the usual electrically operated fire curtain. In front of the stage is a sunken orchestral pit. The proscenium rises to almost the full height of the ceiling, while the stage itself is 43 feet wide by 9 feet 6 inches deep. The stage flooring is inclined slightly. Leading off the stage wings are adequate men's and women's dressing -rooms serving both the main and the smaller hall. A word should be said about the entrance foyers to the main hall. The main foyer, leading off the loggia in the front facade, is a well-designed area in terrazzo rubber composition floors. The walls and ceiling are cream-plastered, the former being relieved by plain beams surmounted by tuscan caps. The wings of this foyer lead to the staircase on each side, by which the upper floor and galleries are gained. Passageways lead off this foyer also to the two side foyers. These are treated simply also, having parquet flooring and painted plaster walls, relieved by alcoves and bevelled mirrors fixed on plain pilasters. On the east side, the foyer adjoins a modernly equipped bar fitted with refrigeration counters and divided into two sections, one being reserved for soft drinks. This latter section can be partitioned off from the other when necessary by means of a roller shutter. The west foyer ad joins a large kitchen equipped with electric stoves, boilers, urns and refrigerators. THE SMALL HALL. The small or south hall is 60 feet square, and is provided with two side foyers 60 feet [18m] by 21 feet [6,3m], treated in the same way as the side foyers to the main hall. The entrance hall, approached from the loggia in the south facade, is 24 feet [7,2m] wide by 15 feet 9 inches [3,75m] deep, flanked on either side by men's and women's cloak rooms and conveniences. There are no galleries in this hall, and the walls are cream-plastered from floor to ceiling. The floor is sprung and covered with maple wood. The proscenium is simply treated ; two capped pilasters spanned by a beam finished off with a blue and silver pelmet. The curtain is made of blue fire-resisting satin. The ceiling is of the same design as that in the main hall, except that the central light feature is plain and there is no continuous lay lighting in the beams forming the square panel. This panel is acoustically treated as well. It should be mentioned that both halls are equipped with projector and winding rooms for the use of ‘’talkie’’ machines. UPPER STOREY. The plan of the upper storey may best be described as consisting of two corridors each running along the side of the building behind the side galleries. Various apartments lead off these corridors. On the east side is the mayor's parlour which is in good taste and has an appearance of sumptuousness. Here again the flooring, as throughout the corridors and foyers, is of parquet, the walls and ceiling being cream-plastered. The furniture is upholstered in light tapestry. On the walls are two attractive South African scenes by de Jongh. From the mayor's parlour double teak doors lead through to a supper or luncheon apartment which is connected again to a bar similarly equipped to that on the ground floor. On the east side is the mayoress's parlour, furnished in a similar style. Here again double teak doors lead through to a handsomely equipped lounge used by the mayoress for women's meetings, tea-parties and other social gatherings. This lounge is fed from the kitchen on the ground floor by an automatic electric food lift in the south wall.,/p> An interesting series of stepped roof gardens has been provided on the upper floor. Flanking the small hall on the roof of the ground floor on each side is a spacious asphalt-covered flat roof with a high parapet all round. Access is gained to these open spaces from the caretaker's flat and from doors at the end of each of the corridors running past the side galleries in the main hall. The roof above the top storey in the southern section of the building is also a concrete slab asphalt-covered and used as a roof garden. The main and small halls both have pitched corrugated iron roofs. AIR-CONDITIONING. On the first floor immediately above the artists' dressing rooms on either side of the stages are two rooms 37 feet 9 inches [11, 37m] ,i>by 18 feet 6 inches [5,55m] for air-conditioning plant. The room on the west side is occupied by a delivery plant and that on the east by extract fans, the plenum system of air conditioning being employed. This plant is capable of changing the air content of both halls approximately 18 times an hour. Each hall can be separately controlled, and a comfortable temperature during the winter months is maintained by passing the air through an electric heating battery, which is controlled thermostatically. During summer months the air is thoroughly washed and cooled by being drawn through heavy showers of circulating water. An interesting fact relating to the air conditioning of the Benoni Town Hall is that in both halls a pressure effect is maintained while the plant is running in order to prevent the ingress of dust through the doors and windows. Erected at a cost of approximately £70,000 [R140 000], the Benoni Town Hall justified itself in the first month after its opening, when a total of 42 functions was held. Hardly a day or night passes without some function being held, proving that the hall has satisfied a long-felt want. Prior to its erection the residents of Benoni were obliged to have recourse to halls along other parts of the Reef for the holding of their functions. To-day the position has been reversed, and the inhabitants of many places along the Reef near Benoni have come to regard this building as a highly suitable centre for their functions. (PWSA Jul 1939:31-34). (SAAR Sep 1934:248; tend 1936; PWSA Jul 1939:31-34; SA Archt Nov 1939:285) 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. |
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