South Africa House

South Africa House is the High Commission of South Africa, formerly the embassy of the Union of South Africa, located on Trafalgar Square. It was built between 1931 and 1933 to designs by Sir Herbert Baker FRIBA (1862–1946) and Alexander Thomson Scott (1887–1962). The building has a steel frame infilled with reinforced concrete panels and faced with Portland stone, set on a granite base. It adopts a Classical style enriched with Arts and Crafts-inspired carved details depicting indigenous beasts and symbols of South Africa.

The building occupies a trapezoidal plan with three frontages and a distinctive rounded corner at the south end. It rises seven storeys, including two attic storeys above the cornice and balustrade. The main elevation facing Trafalgar Square is 13 windows wide, with three windows in the central bay; the north elevation has a five-window return, and the south elevation a four-window return. At the southern apex, on the corner of Trafalgar Square and Strand, a convex screen of Corinthian columns rises through the first and second storeys, with a concave, recessed attic storey above. The ground floor displays channelled rustication with ashlar quoins, and becomes two storeys in height to the south owing to the sloping site. On the attic storeys, the central bay features a pedimented open loggia with two Ionic columns in antis. Below this stand four Corinthian columns supporting a projecting balcony and resting on a projecting base that forms the main entrance. The north facade is plainer, fronting offices unrelated to the High Commission. All windows are bronze metal sashes with small panes, in single and double-sized openings.

The exterior displays an exceptionally rich decorative programme of carved Portland stone. Keystones depict mimosa, protea and crinum; sill brackets carry heads of elephants, wildebeest, lion and antelope. All carving was executed by Joseph Armitage (1880–1945) to designs by Sir Charles Wheeler RA (1892–1974). A gilded springbok crowns the entrance at the south corner, also by Wheeler. The upper pediment contains a carved ship, the Goede Hoop, with the coats of arms of the provinces of the Union of South Africa and the Southern Cross below, by Armitage. In the southernmost bay stands a stone niche containing a life-sized statue of the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeo Diaz, carved in situ by Coert Steynberg (1905–1982).

The interior houses staff rooms and offices on the upper floors, the High Commissioner's suite on the first floor, and the entrance hall, reading room and reception rooms on the ground floor. Lower floors contain exhibition space and a cinema.

The Entrance Hall comprises a vestibule and hall with two domes leading to the main staircase. It is extensively finished in South African marbles and stones—white, green and grey from northern Transvaal, and quartz—with inlaid stones from the Witwatersrand including red jasper, granite, verdite, crocidolite and serpentine. The two domes contain the mottoes, seals and coats of arms of the constituent parts of South Africa, with lettering and carving by Lawrence Turner (active 1925–35). The twin domes represent the old Dutch republic and the British colonies forming the former Union, with the motto 'EENRAGT MAAKT MAGT' ('Unity is Strength'). Original pendant light fittings remain. The staircase features wrought-iron balusters designed by Charles Wheeler depicting the protea flower.

The First Floor Lobby adjoining the High Commissioner's room features a teak beamed ceiling and a fine mural extending from floor to ceiling painted in egg tempera on plaster, signed and dated 'Eleanor Esmonde-White and LeRoux Smith LeRoux AD 1938', depicting scenes of Zulu life including the Feast of First Fruits as the largest composition.

The First Floor Library is panelled in Burma teak with carved wooden screens above the doors depicting protea and arum lily, and a decorative plaster ceiling, all by Lawrence Turner. Murals by J. H. Amshewitz (1882–1942) depict the travels of Diaz and Vasco da Gama. The High Commissioner's room is panelled in stinkwood with a chair and desk made for it by Armitage, a plaster relief circle of flowers in the ceiling, four symbolic plaques, and a fireplace of green and white South African marbles with a cast-iron fireback designed by Charles Wheeler. The First Floor Corridor contains a plaster relief by John Tweed (1869–1933) depicting the first meeting of Jan Van Riebeeck with the Khoikhoi.

The Voorhuis or Voorkamer on the ground floor is a small reception and meeting room recreating a Cape Dutch farmhouse, with beamed ceiling, terracotta tiled floor, antique Delft tiles, and a divided door with carved fanlight. An ante room is created by a screen of solid teak pillars with ten panels by Gwelo Goodman (1871–1939) depicting South African landscapes.

The Reading Room is panelled in teak with fitted bookshelves and newspaper racks, heraldic devices around the cornice frieze, and a stone fire-surround with inlaid green marble. Above stands an alabaster relief by Charles Wheeler depicting an allegorical story based on the mythical history of Table Mountain and its bay. The fireplace is flanked by clocks with revolving hemisphere maps and fixed hands indicating the sun's direction at noon.

The Exhibition Area comprises a galleried mezzanine accessed by stairs from the entrance hall, displaying pictures by Jan Juta (born 1897) and J. H. Pierneef (1886–1957), some covered to show new work, with a spiral staircase at the south end leading to the basement via a circular limestone wall fountain bearing a bronze figure by Anton Van Wouw (1862–1945). Display cases beneath the galleries show panoramic views of South African towns, with dioramas relocated to the former billiard room.

The Cinema is a purpose-built room panelled in yellow wood set in stinkwood frames, with a wall frieze by Lawrence Turner depicting native flora, fauna and Dutch ships, along with original pendant light fittings, seating and concert platform.

This building represents the most richly fitted and complete of Sir Herbert Baker's four 'empire houses' built in London, and constitutes the culmination of his knowledge and affection for South Africa. Its interiors are of exceptional quality, with outstanding murals of exceptional distinction.