Sydney Opera House
Waterproofing and Paving

Fast facts

About

With the Sydney Opera House approaching its 50th anniversary, the ceiling slab above the cafés and bar on the lower concourse was due for an upgrade, and the waterproofing required enhancement. Although parts of the forecourt pavement had been refreshed, the area over the suspended slab was also upgraded to enhance the state-of-the-art world-renowned venue.

Engaged under a Design & Construct (D&C) contract, Seymour Whyte skillfully removed and repurposed the existing rough-sawn granite setts, carefully demolished the concrete paving substructure and waterproof membrane, and installed a new waterproofing system, updated the paving substructure and smooth-sawn granite setts.

The old rough-sawn granite setts have since been repurposed on our Sydney Gateway project to create large format environmental artwork.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site with immense historical, architectural, technical, social, and cultural importance, the Sydney Opera House precinct presented unique considerations. The team diligently integrated heritage, accessibility, sustainability, and maintenance requirements, ensuring uninterrupted access and receiving no safety incidents or noise complaints throughout the project.

The Sydney Opera House is built upon Tubowgule, Gadigal country. We acknowledge the Gadigal, the traditional custodians of this place, also known as Bennelong Point.