BUILDING HISTORY

Mutual Height, in Cape Town, South Africa, was built as the headquarters of the South African Mutual Life Assurance Society (now the "Old Mutual" insurance and financial services company) It was opened in 1940, but before the end of the 1950s -less than 20 years later- business operations were already moving to another new office at Mutual Park in Pinelands.

In 2003, the building was converted to residential use, although some parts of the building are used commercially. For example, the Banking Hall and the retail shops that operate outside on the ground level.

The building is a fine example of art deco architecture and design, and it has many interesting internal features such as the banking hall, assembly room, directors' board room; external features include a dramatic ziggurat structure, prismoid (triangular) windows, and one of the longest carved stone friezes in the world.