Durban is a sub-tropical tourist city on the East Coast of South Africa.
We are blessed with the very best winters, although our summers, like right now, are really hot and humid; but that's when it's time to head to the white sandy beaches and enjoy the sea breeze and a dip in the Indian Ocean.
We don't only cater for surfers and beach-goers though, as we have a multitude of other activities away from the beaches; from nature reserves to the rolling Valley of a Thousand Hills just a little inland and of course a host of other activities.
Today however, I will be sharing a little of our architecture in and around the ocean.
Moyos on the Pier
Moyos on the Pier offer a unique African dining experience which is reached by a short walk along the pier, dining or having cocktails with a 360 degree view of the city, harbor, sea and sky; really awesome.
This interesting structure was built on an environmentally sensitive site, therefore strict environmental controls had to be taken into account in the design and execution of the project as a whole.
The building structure is light-weight, pre-fabricated and the ground floor removable for scheduled servicing of the wells as corrosion is aggressive in this environment.
The roof is malthoid sealed plywood that is constructed like a boat hull.
This project was the 2011 Winner of the KZNIA Architectural Award of Merit.
The Phantom Ship at Ushaka Marine World
The Phantom Ship at Ushaka houses a couple of restaurants as well as the Aquarium. The Cargo Hold Restaurant has a window into the shark tank, quite a surreal experience seeing them swim past as you're dining.
Little Mia, my niece's daughter, having an eye-to-eye with a giant fish at the aquarium.
Quaint stairwell in the Ushaka Village Walk which houses retail outlets, selling everything touristy like souvenirs, beachwear, artwork and food of course.
Durban Point Waterfront
The Durban Point area was the home of Mahatma Gandhi during the late 19th century; Gandhi successfully led a non-violent independence movement against British rule in India and advocated for Indian Civil rights here in South Africa.
This area sadly fell into decay but the city fathers and property developers are still hard at work restoring it back to its former glory.
We see a mix of Victorian architecture with pretty broekie lace, ornate trim usually in iron or wood to decorate the wrap-around verandas; as well as sleek modern high rise hotels and condos.
Some of these buildings are used for holiday accommodation and some as offices; all designed to make the most of ocean and harbour views.
Durban Point Waterfront Canals
Stylish Victorian Architecture blends in beautifully with sleek modern designs.
I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my city Durban as my contribution to the ongoing challenge by @feiderman - A different post with a new initiative "My Homeland Architecture Challenge," hope to see the architecture and design in your city.
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Original Content by @lizelle
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