Manners Mansions, Art Deco residential building in central Johannesburg, South Africa.
Manners Mansions is a fourteen-story Art Deco residential structure at the corner of Jeppe and Joubert Streets in Johannesburg's commercial core, featuring rounded corners throughout its design. Upper floors contain apartments while ground level incorporates shops, connected by a distinctive horseshoe-shaped staircase adorned with mosaic work.
The building was designed in 1940 by architects Emley and Williamson when commissioned by African City Property Trust. Its completion marked a moment of development as the city was establishing itself as a modern urban center.
The ground floor once housed upscale shops with bronze and glass fronts, where businesses like Madame Paulines attracted customers seeking quality goods and services.
The building sits at a busy street intersection and is easy to reach on foot, with its rounded form helping orient visitors in the area. You can admire the exterior architecture and observe the mosaic details in the staircase as you approach the entrance.
The smooth, rounded form of the structure follows principles from 1930s automotive and aircraft engineering to minimize wind resistance. This application of industrial engineering knowledge to residential design makes it an unusual example for its era.
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