This article originally appeared on Apartments.com.au
The duo has recently launched De Ville, an ode to the remnant heritage building that will be integrated into the final development. The new luxury project will be delivered on a long-dormant yet prime site at 9–11 Victoria Parade, positioned between East Esplanade and South Steyne.
The site was originally earmarked for a 13-apartment scheme, but following its $23.5 million acquisition of the near-600 sqm parcel, the development team opted for a more refined approach, reducing the yield to just 12 two- and three-bedroom residences across a seven-level building.
Among them will be three full-floor penthouses boasting panoramic views across Manly Beach, North Harbour, and the city skyline. The apartments will sit above four ground-floor retail and commercial tenancies, designed to help activate Victoria Parade, an area long defined by its beachside character and interwar brick architecture.
Designed by Platform Architects, De Ville’s sculpted form takes cues from the ebb and flow of Manly’s dual waterfronts, the ocean to one side and the harbour to the other.
The architecture’s soft curvature and rhythmic vertical brickwork reflect the natural patterns of the tide, while a refined palette of Lohas brick, sandy render and glass detailing allows the building to harmonise with its coastal context. Cascading greenery and deep balconies bring texture and shadow to the facade, reinforcing the building’s connection to nature and the street.
Buyers have a choice of two different colour palettes, Taj Mahal and Brescia Green, each layering soft tones and organic finishes to capture the coastal light.
The development marks another significant milestone for the partnership between Ashwin Arumugam, Managing Director of Equicentia, and Christopher Howard, Managing Director of Wingala Capital, both former colleagues at Poly Developments & Holdings, where they jointly led acquisitions and capital markets for one of China’s largest developers.
“As a Northern Beaches local for the past decade — and with my wife having lived here her whole life — it’s a genuine privilege to contribute to a community we deeply care about,” Howard says.
“This site has sat dormant for many years, and we’re proud to play a part in reactivating it in a way that respects and enhances the unique beauty of Manly.”
Equicentia and Wingala have partnered with Monark Property Partners to deliver De Ville.
Tom Nadav, Director of Investments at Monark, said partnering with Equicentia & Wingala Capital represents an exciting step in Monark’s east coast expansion strategy.
“Manly is a unique market, and collaborating with developers of this calibre underscores our focus on backing high-quality people with a clear vision. By leveraging the strength of strategic partnerships, Monark is providing the capital that enables outstanding projects like this to move from concept to reality.”
De Ville is the first development in Manly to fully protect its buyers with 10-year Latent Defects Insurance offered by Resilience Insurance.
The policy covers buyers for 10-years post-completion of the building, a first-resort cover again major structural or waterproofing defects.
Unlike traditional statutory warranties, which often require complex and lengthy claims processes, LDI ensures that if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds immediately – without the need to prove fault or pursue the builder or developer.
This new model of protection has been gaining traction among forward-thinking developers and financiers alike. For buyers, it offers tangible assurance of quality and accountability; for lenders and insurers, it reflects a measurable reduction in long-term risk.