CHROFI was engaged by developers GROCON to undertake design development for this mixed-use development at the gateway to central Manly in Sydney, Australia.
The scheme comprises 26 apartments, ground floor retail, Telstra telecoms exchange, and Ausgrid electrical substation.
The major challenge was to improve the overall commercial viability of the project while enhancing its architectural integrity and expression.
The development is located on land with an existing Telstra Exchange and features a new building that completely envelopes the existing unsightly facility.
It held the potential of creating new architecture and set in place the transformation of this gateway site.
Key constraints included a requirement to keep the exchange operational throughout the construction as well as meeting demands for parking.
That requirement led to the incorporation of a 49-vehicle car-stacker system.
A landscaped awning mediates between the more traditional charm of Manly’s retail shopfronts and the residential units above.
A recessive concrete grid sits quietly on the corner, providing privacy and solar protection to the units.
And a central courtyard permeates the building to the north, with upper-level apartments opening to the sky.
Critical to this project’s success was the CHROFI design team’s ability to value engineer a financially viable outcome.
This included rationalizing the design in all respects including internal circulation, façade design, and consolidating building structure and services.
CHROFI’s work resulted in optimized apartment layouts with a higher total sales value than originally forecast.
Project Details
Project Size – 2,300 m2
Site Area – 2,850 m2
Project Budget – $20,000,000
Building Levels – 4
Completion Date – 2020
Project Team
Design Development and Delivery
CHROFI
CHROFI was founded in 2000 as Choi Ropiha following the win in the international competition for the re-design of the TKTS booth in Times Square, New York. The practice studio in Manly is now home to a team of 35 professionals headed by directors John Choi, Tai Ropiha, and Steven Fighera.
Concept Design
fitzpatrick+partners
Sydney-based architects fitzpatrick+partners produce quality buildings with an emphasis on the satisfaction of individual client needs.
Landscape Design
McGregor Coxall
McGregor Coxall is a multi-disciplinary design studio located in Australia, China, and the UK and is dedicated to assisting cities to achieve sustainable prosperity.
Engineering
AECOM
AECOM is an American multinational engineering firm that has approximately 51,000 employees and is number 157 on the 2019 Fortune 500 list.
Photography
Clinton Weaver
Clinton is an architecturally trained photographer based in Sydney, also working in his home country of Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Katherine Lu
Katherine is an established and widely-published commercial photographer based in Sydney, specialising in architecture and interiors.
Photo Gallery
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Concept Design © 2022 Fitzpatrick + Partners | Design Development © 2022 CHROFI | Images © 2022 Clinton Weaver and Katherine Lu. All Rights Reserved.
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