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N.E.M.
Building
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Click link on thumbnail. More images...! . . |
Location
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Harare - CBD | |
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Designers
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W D'Arcy Cathcart. | ||
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Date
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1930 | ||
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Original
Client
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National Employers Mutual General Assurance, . | ||
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Style
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. | ||
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Discussion
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This
elegant and pround well preserved building, sits in the heart of Harare's
CBD, along First Street Mall. N.E.M House has the distinction of being
the first multi-storey reinforced concrete framed building in the country,
and with the first six-passenger high speed lift.
In free classical style, the building was originally designed to as a four storey building with foundations able to sustain a future fifth floor. No local by-laws covered reinforced concrete structures, and so it was agrred that the design be approved by the Johannesburg municipality and its by-laws strictly adhered to. The fifth floor was added during construction, and incorporated an exposed Roman tiled roof. It has a 'U'-shaped plan around a rear light-well, permitting good light and fresh air to all the offices. Many specialist fittings includin the corner clock, came from Britain. Despite the considerable enormity of material impotred from britain and associated logistical problems, it was a commendable acheivement that the building was completed 18 days before the scheduled completion. The corner where the building is situated, known formany years as Kirschbaum Corner, after Kirschbaum jewellers, is still occupied by a jeweller. Ref. The Author |
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Web
Resources
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Credits
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Peter Jackson - Historic Buildings of Harare (1986) . |
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