The November 2024 dedication of the Chabad Bondi Synagogue and residential apartments in Bondi Beach NSW, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, provides a new center for the growing Jewish community. PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, and PENEBAR SW-55 waterstop strips were specified for key below-grade concrete elements of the complex.

Located a mere 7 km (4 miles) east of Sydney’s central business district, the golden sands of Bondi Beach is the city’s most recognizable and well-known beach destination. Popular for its laid-back lifestyle, stunning coastal topography, and crowded eateries, the Bondi Beach suburb is home to about 12,000 residents.

“After many setbacks and delays, the inauguration of the $30 million Chabad center was a highly anticipated moment for the Russian Jewish community in Sydney,” notes Steve Hodkinson, Penetron Australia General Manager. “The Chabad Bondi community, also known as 'Friends of Refugees of Eastern Europe' (FREE), opened the larger synagogue and community center in Bondi to accommodate a growing congregation."

Designed by Cottee Parker Architects, the construction of the new modernist synagogue, community center, and 32 residential units at 140 Wellington Street was carried out by PBS Building, the general contractor. The two three-story residential buildings were built on the site of a former tennis center and tucked in behind the new Chabad Bondi Synagogue. The complex also comprises below-grade parking garages and basement storage areas.

Hanson, the ready-mix concrete supplier for the Bondi Beach project, contacted Penetron Australia for a solution to keep moisture from intruding into the below-grade concrete structures. “The hydrostatic pressure of groundwater can allow water to penetrate into the cracks and voids of exposed concrete,” explains Steve Hodkinson. “Protecting these below-grade structures from water (or chemical) infiltration will help avoid structural damage to the concrete or corrosion to the imbedded steel – enhancing the durability of the structure.”

PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture in soluble bags, was added to the concrete mix by Hanson. When exposed to moisture, the active ingredients in the admixture react to form a network of insoluble crystals that fill in micro-cracks, pores, and voids in concrete. Once added to the mix, PENETRON ADMIX SB becomes an integral part of the concrete matrix as crystalline growth takes place throughout the concrete structure.

PENETRON ADMIX SB-treated concrete was specified for the below-grade elevator pits and retaining walls of the Chabad Bondi complex. To complete the waterproofing solution, PENEBAR SW-55, a waterstop for concrete construction joints, was installed to create a physical barrier against water penetration through controlled expansion when exposed to water.

“The builder was so impressed with the performance of the PENEBAR SW-55 waterstop strips, they increased their order to treat all construction joints in the perimeter basement walls, as well as other critical construction joints throughout the site,” adds Steve Hodkinson.