South Steyne (Dungowan), Manly

Dungowan was built in 1919 and is more than an apartment building. It is one of the defining residential buildings along the beachfront in South Steyne in Manly. For this stage of works, we repainted the lobby and internal common areas to improve overall presentation while carefully preserving the original architectural features and detailing. The exterior repaint will be undertaken at a later date.

Beginning with the lobby on the ground floor, our team repainted the ceilings, walls, columns, skirtings, decorative features, and doors with their frames. The hallways from Levels 1 to 6 received a fresh coat of paint, with attention to ceilings, walls, skirtings, balustrades, and architraves. Outside, the masonry frame around the main entry was also repainted.

Our objective was to deliver a high-quality heritage repaint that aligned with the interior designer’s vision while honouring the building’s historical charm. The space is inherently magnificent, defined by strong symmetry in its arches and columns, fine plasterwork detailing, and decorative ceilings, as well as a grand yet balanced entry sequence. Every single element required careful preparation and precise multi-colour detailing to achieve a crisp, cohesive result.

For Dukes, any time we can leave a project knowing it now feels crisp, balanced and elevated, that is a success.

Heritage projects require discipline, sensitivity and restraint. It’s about enhancement, not reinvention. For this project, colour selection was carefully considered to complement the architecture and reference heritage interiors of a similar era. Fine mouldings and plaster detailing were preserved through thorough preparation, with no structural or decorative features altered.

The building itself was structurally sound. But visually, the finishes were tired and previous colour schemes were no longer well-suited. Surfaces showed age-related wear, and the metalwork required detailed preparation, which is unsurprising for buildings in coastal locations. There was also extensive plaster failure that needed to be addressed before repainting could proceed.

Deterioration in heritage buildings is typically gradual, which is why addressing issues properly is crucial to prevent problems from compounding and safeguard the asset over the long term.

Access was managed using mobile scaffolding in the lobby and stairwell, along with ladders for detailed ceiling and wall work. Full floor and surface protection was installed using plastic and plywood or core flute sheeting. Access to multiple unit and service doors was carefully coordinated.

Being an occupied building, works were staged to maintain daily cleanliness and minimise disruption, with clear communication to residents throughout the six-week program.