Seaforth spaceship home
The Spaceship Project
Seaforth’s Space Ship home is famous throughout the Northern Beaches and it is a local icon. It goes by many aliases, some of these being the Vendome, Spaceship Home and even Seaforth’s Toilet Home. This prominent building, over looking the Spit Bridge, is iconic to Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Originally built in 1964 and Designed by Architect Stan Symmonds, its unique appearance has always drawn attention to the northern hillside of the Spit.
Pre-Construction
Prior to the extensive rectifications and renovations carried out by Bleyer constructions in 2006/7 the state of the house was abysmal. Severe problems with the concrete roof involving structural cracks and failed waterproofing ensured persistent leakages inside the house. Inappropriate excavation had undermined the house’s foundations causing major cracks along the external and internal walls of the entire dwelling. Gross neglect and lack of maintenance of the building was the primary cause of these defects. A lack of, and faulty services; such as plumbing and electrical along with these defects made the house virtually unliveable, thus in desperate need of rectification.
Construction Phase
As the initial vital crisis, the roof was the focus as construction commenced. In order for the concrete roof to be fully rectified and operational, the new construction had to attend to a multitude of these defects simultaneously. This involved a carefully planned single innovative solution to combat the following defects regarding the roof:
- Inappropriate fall to the perimeter of the roof
- Lack of storm water drainage
- No eaves to protect the face of the external wall
- Waterproofing problems around the skylights/ ineffective abrasive membrane
- Lack of thermal comfort
- Lack of electrical services and lighting internally
- Major structural cracks and exposed steel reinforcement
- Inadequate and rusted handrail
- Core holes through existing slab providing extensive lighting internally
- Waterproofed cement screed underneath the slab with appropriate fall to catchments
- New complete membrane over the entire roof and cement screed 100% water tight
- Polystyrene waffle pods underneath the slab providing environmentally sustainable thermal insulation to the building
- Sufficient fall in waterproofed slab to rainwater heads, either side of the roof.
- Eaves with a continuous drip grove protecting the external walls and windows
- New stainless steel handrail on the concrete hob around the perimeter of the roof.
A skylight repaired from the rust and mildew caused by the previous roof. This was able once the new slab was constructed.
This photograph illustrates the highly specialized waffle pods implemented for the pouring of the concrete slab. .
This picture demonstrates the natural stones cut into a multitude of artwork, now glued to the floor. Now it is ready for the white marble based cement screed to be filled around the stones.
Project Completion
Here is Seaforths Spaceship Home’s final project photos.
This photo shows the terrazzo flooring continuing through the kitchen. This unique kitchen was custom built to allow for the curvature of the building, as such was constructed in segments until the appropriate arc was achieved.
This is the finished product of the terrazzo flooring constructed. The artwork is now evident in the floor, as such is an exceptional architectural feature throughout the house including the kitchen and bathrooms.
Here is another angle of the kitchen depicting the kitchen bench and breakfast bar under the bay windows, with explicit views of the Spit and Clontarf.
Here is a photo of the deck Bleyer Constructions rebuilt. The existing one was unsafe and aesthetically displeasing. Here custom made curved stainless steel handrail was installed echoing the curved theme of the house.
In addition, custom made architectural louver windows and bifold commercial grade windows were installed throughout the house, replacing the unsafe ineffective windows. These stylish windows complement the main glass windows in the two “view rooms”.
This is a photo of the totally restored façade. Here the concrete columns were repaired and repainted. In between each column exclusive sheets of custom manufactured 10mm toughened glass was installed. Not only do these new windows surpass safety standards, they re-illuminate the unique appearance