Contemporary Retrospection – House in Little Manly by James Garvan Architecture

Honouring its past as a previous fisherman’s cottage, House in Little Manly showcases a respectful integration of its heritage elements with an open and light-filled contemporary approach. James Garvan Architecture balances defined connections between the architecture and the surrounding garden by considering how public and private domains intersect.

In preparing the home for its coming chapters, James Garvan Architecture restores and expands House in Little Manly to celebrate both its past and present. Drawing from the home’s century-long legacy, the architect’s approach focuses on creating more meaningful connections with natural light and the surrounding landscape. Located in Manly and constrained by established limits, the site features a five-metre difference in gradient. James Garvan Architecture ensures the built form responds to and enhances the topography of the site.

Drawing from the home’s century-long legacy, the architect’s approach focuses on creating more meaningful connections with natural light and the surrounding landscape.

James Garvan Architecture uses contrasting elements to emphasise an atmosphere of openness and retreat. Set within a restricted allotment, the residence is comprised of a sequence of zones. The chosen materials, scale and volume play an important role in signalling changing functions without needing physical separation. Several approaches were then taken to highlight the nuances between old and new, with structure and cladding techniques aligning to their respective time periods. Placing the new form behind the front façade ensures a respectful integration with the existing streetscape.

The ability to both open the home to guests and retain a sense of sanctuary was integral to the brief. Acting as the boundary between public and private spaces, the internal staircase signals the transition from one to the other without blocking visual access. In the contemporary renovation, materials and details akin to the original structure were adopted to connect to the residence’s handmade beginnings. Timber is used to highlight the internal pitch of the ceiling and adds a welcoming warmth in the process.

In the contemporary renovation, materials and details akin to the original structure were adopted to connect to the residence’s handmade beginnings.

James Garvan Architecture embellishes the heritage elements of the home to elevate it to a contemporary context. House in Little Manly represents a dynamic exercise in balancing private and public with old and new to result in a dwelling that is both positively retrospective and reflects a modern way of living.