Johannesburg, 13 Floors Up

2Summers | 8 February 2017
johannesburg architecture hidden joburg

Yesterday my friend Ted invited me to check out the flat he just bought on the 13th floor of the Anstey’s Building. Anstey’s is a legendary art deco high-rise in the center of downtown Joburg.

Ansteys from behind
A shot of the back of Anstey’s (the building in the middle) I took about four years ago from a rooftop on Rissik Street. Anstey’s was built in 1935.

I’ve written about Anstey’s twice before (see here and here) so no need to repeat myself. I’ll just show you yesterday’s pictures. The views from Anstey’s are, for lack of a better superlative, epic.

View through the window at Ansteys

The view from Ted’s 13th-floor bay window.

View to the west from Ansteys
View toward the west.
View of Joburg from Ansteys
View toward the northeast.
View of street from Ansteys 13th floor
Colorful taxis queuing at a traffic light.
View of Tapz piece from Ansteys
I love the massive graffiti piece above that building across the way. It was painted by Tapz, Joburg’s most prolific graffiti writer.
Woman in a window
Woman in a window across the street. I’m told the white building is beautifully renovated but the pink building next door, as you can see, is empty. This is a common sight in downtown Joburg.

If you’d like to learn more about the Anstey’s Building, it has its own Facebook page. There is also an art gallery in Anstey’s, called the 13th Floor (it’s actually across the hall from Ted’s flat), which I haven’t been to yet but intend to go to soon. It’s open by appointment only.

I’d also highly recommend the book Tea at Anstey’s, by Tanya Zack and Mark Lewis. The photos and stories are spectacular. Unfortunately the book is out of print but you may be able to dig it up in a Joburg bookstore. I bought a copy a few months ago at David Krut in Arts on Main.

Ansteys from the 4th floor terrace
My favorite photo of Anstey’s. I took it five years ago when I attended a party on the building’s fourth floor terrace. The building is currently getting a new coat of gray paint.