High performance glass from Viridian (formerly Pilkington and DMS Glass) was used extensively at the Manly Residences project on Sydney’s north shore comprising of a pair of beachside homes.  

The Manly Residences also won for its architects, Giles Tribe Architects and Urban Planners, Viridian’s 2011 Vision Award for Best Residential Interiors. Mark Broadley was the Project Architect on the job.  

The Manly project comprises of two luxury houses with a shared entrance, common wall and basement car-parking as well as similar floor plans customised to client requirements. Natural light was a great driver of design, resulting in central staircases that incorporated a glass bridge and an expansive clear skylight.  

The main staircase comprises of cantilevered individual stone-clad treads with Viridian frameless glass balustrades and screens providing uninterrupted views to the ocean.  

A highlight of the Manly project was the glass flooring, which was created using structural glass with an interlayer, a wear layer on top and a final opaque layer for modesty.  
According to architect Mark Broadley, the extensive use of glass rendered a sense of space in an environment where space was at a premium. The two houses were quite narrow, each with a total width of 4-5 metres only. The transparency and thinness of glass allowed them to get thin frameless balustrades and transform the staircase into a floating curtain element instead of the bulkiness associated with conventional staircases.  

Viridian’s performance glass was used in the skylight systems for energy management. Glass-lined lifts were used in the house to enhance the sense of space. The final result, according to Mark Broadley is a residential space that is light-filled by day and an observatory by night. 

Highlights of glazing with Viridian glass at the Manly Residences:  

  • Glass floor comprises of four panels measuring 930 x 970mm 
  • Glass roof comprises of panels of 1000 x 1000mm 
  • Ocean-facing glass bifold doors measuring 4900mm W x 2700mm H including glass louvres 
  • Bronze shower/toilet screen measuring 2390mm H x 2300mm W 
  • Frost shower screen measuring 2390mm H x 660mm W 
  • Clear glass balustrade measuring 1000mm W x 3800mm H (max)/ 1400mm H (min) 
  • Glass colours: Clear, clear laminate with translucent interlayer, Starfire, Colorback, Bronze, Silver mirrors and Mirrastar