Acknowledgement of Country

Adriano Pupilli Architects respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and work; the Gayamaygal people and Yuin people. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. This is, was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Portal House Manly

An open, airy apartment

Interiors, Residential

Tasked with transforming a dim, south-facing Art Deco apartment in Manly into a vibrant family home, we focused on creating an open, airy space for a young family of three.
Location
Gayamaygal Country / Manly, NSW
Type
Residential Class 2
Status
Complete
Year
2016
Builder
Immaculate Construction
Engineer
SDA
Photography
Simon Whitbread

The main challenge was the apartment’s original layout, which featured a compartmentalised design with numerous walls, service areas, and corridors that chopped up the living space. To address this, we removed the walls surrounding the kitchen and integrated the dining area into the kitchen, creating a more fluid and functional space. A suspended open shelf with copper tube supports subtly delineates the lounge area from the kitchen and dining areas, while still allowing clear sight lines throughout the home.

A continuous wall of built-in plywood shelving extends from the entry hall through to the dining and living areas, serving multiple purposes along the way. It transitions seamlessly from surfboard storage to a bar and media cupboard, adding both functionality and aesthetic cohesion.

To maximise usable space, we designed a central utility core that houses the laundry, kitchen storage, and bulk storage, freeing up the rest of the apartment for living. The result is a home that feels open, spacious, and well-suited to modern family life.

A continuous wall of built-in plywood shelving extends from the entry hall through to the dining and living areas, serving multiple purposes along the way

A suspended open shelf with copper tube supports subtly delineates the lounge area from the kitchen and dining areas, while still allowing clear sight lines throughout the home

"Our renovation experience was an immensely enjoyable one working with APA. Their creativity and vision opened up a world of possibilities we hadn't imagined. This was then executed with a high degree of professionalism and experience. The comfort and pleasure we take in our new apartment is almost entirely attributable to APA - thank you!"
Carol & Ryan, clients