Michael McManus Architects

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Michael McManus Architects

Michael McManus Architects is a specialist outfit designing spatially efficient and engaging buildings connected with the environment.

09/04/2026

Laminex, stainless and tasmanian ash overheads at Hawthorn House at handover.

Construction budgets frequently require that most wall and ceiling surfaces be plasterboard. Joinery then pops in as the interesting component.

A linear kitchen to an external wall prioritises available living space to the extension, while forming a gentle unfussy backdrop. For this to work well amongst the living area, the sink and fridge are located in a more concealed spot. The oven from the old house gets a second life.

I'll expain the green ceiling in a future post.

Check the website for a first glance.

Photo by
Built by
Joinery by and

07/04/2026

Hawthorn House, a couple of days before move-in time in the still early light.

Really happy with how these new living spaces engage with the site, now being keenly landscaped by the owners. Upstairs, two new bedrooms make for a long term place to call home.

The project is up on our website for a first glance.

Located on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people.

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Built by

24/02/2026

We like to consider any demolition carefully. Often, existing structures provide a great benefit of character, history and financial and environmental value. At our Point Lonsdale project the existing 1970’s house shell is being retained and upgraded for today. A new storey over expands the capacity and comfort to celebrate holidays with friends and family.

A large shed in the centre of the block has been demolished (with a new slender replacement along a boundary), opening up a huge new garden space to relax in.

Construction by

19/02/2026

It’s been a while between posts, as I’ve focussed on the construction of 3 projects lately. Each at a different place after ‘design’ - at costing, mid-construction and at handover. All critical times in maintaining the promise of the actual design (and the investment).

Firstly, we make sure owner and builder are well-matched, aligned on costs and the project expectations are clear before signing up. Then we act to set up the project with the
end outcome in mind – e.g. is the steel design correct, how are ground levels working
with any landscape design, has the window order been reviewed before production? Finally, we
identify any defects as early as possible to ensure when handing back the home to you the process is as optimal as possible.

Book a time to discuss your project over at our website (link in bio).

08/01/2026

First day back at work, but I’ll share a story of my obligatory pitstop at the Black Dolphin Motel in
Merrimbula, returning home from our NSW roadtrip. I first learnt of the Black Dolphin back in university, where it would pop up in slide shows within australian modern history. It's a Robin Boyd design. Following are some holiday snaps of spotted gum forests and kayaking around Bermagui surrounds.

A cleaner let me have a look at one of the motel rooms (carefully redesigned by ) and showed me the operation of the original and still working breakfast slots. The newly planted long grasses between carpark entries bring back the original bush setting.

Looking forward to reading David Jencken's "A Tale of Two Motels" (SLV) more thoroughly and imagining 1960 when motor inns were taking off in Victoria (the first was in 1957 in Victoria). It’s so interesting to hear of the Japanese connections, the original dining room with imported Japanese furniture, curated fabric selections by Marion Hall Best (who introduced Marimekko to Australia), all before Robin Boyd had even travelled to Japan in 1961. Vernacular architecture can be easily overlooked, but there is so much depth to the story to explore.

Historical photos from David Jencken's "A Tale of Two Motels", available State Library of Victoria

11/12/2025

Every year I love to do a bit stocktake. I don't normally share it, but why not. It's interesting seeing how small business operates.

2025 was probably a more head-down year than most with a bit less posting. Within the last month, I started to receive a number of new enquiries, it seems we're working out our goals for the year to come. Thanks for getting in touch!

To wrap it up:
- 3 homes under construction, with 1 completed.
- 2 homes taken through the stages of design development and documented, 1 priced, 1 being priced now and 1 further being designed and documented now.
- 3 shorter concept-only designs for parents of the local school in North Melbourne. It's great to work a bit more within my hyper local community and interesting trialling a newer format that's more accessible.
- 1 pro-bono project.

Photo of Reservoir House by .moynihan

01/12/2025

Plaster sanded and very nearly paint ready internally in Hawthorn. An exciting time!

Today I spent some time painting up some colour samples, appreciating the calm of a space in suspension yet in progress, ready to come alive with occupation again soon. So much craft goes into buildings, it is sometimes to easy for it to pass you by.

Some excellent aspects to a project that has been a while coming. A second storey pretty well hidden from the street (in a heritage overlay), lots of first floor glazing, a stairway with a beautiful deep recessed window and colour incoming to the living areas.

Built by

10/11/2025

Happy bathroom vibes at Queenscliff House, using simple banana 200 x 200 tiles throughout (thanks ).

200 x 200s are a fairly uncommon tile format. But having grown up in a house my late architect father designed in the 80s with blue 200 x 200s in the family bathroom, to me they speak of a modest time that had its own simple beauty. Great that kids now enjoy this alternative colour splash at home.

Located on the land of the Wadawurrung people.

Photo at handover by .moynihan
Built by

14/10/2025

Recently works began on our Point Lonsdale project, our second on the Bellarine peninsula with .

We'll be retrofitting the existing shell to improve the energy performance to 7.5 stars, adding a second living space as well as a upstairs bedroom suite.

The original house design had only a 50mm ceiling cavity, so while the exposed beams looked lovely, it was total summer hot box.

Engineering by PD Structures.

16/09/2025

Shots of the two main bathrooms at Reservoir. Matching soft green large format tiles are used on both floors to create some consistency with a subtle shift in wall tiles across the rooms (softer smaller whites in the californian bungalow front).

An ikea vanity basin (assembled by owner Dean) in the ensuite can't be beat for cost effectiveness.

Photos by .moynihan
Built by

11/09/2025

Some more handover photos, this time of the new kitchen at the heart of the plan at Reservoir House.

A calm space, the kitchen highlights the soft colours of Australian timber. White porcelain benchtops aim to serve the space, reflecting light and adding a
crisp element, whilst being robust. The design of the lighting is deliberately paired back. Two smaller operable windows, one period and one new, lend a smaller domestic scale touch.

Located on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people.

Photos by .moynihan
Built by
Joinery by
Benchtops from

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+61431827858

Website

http://www.michaelmcmanus.com.au/

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