Jorn Utzon spectacular architecture in Australia & Denmark

The project of the Syd­ney Opera House began in 1954 when NSW state premier Joe Cahill brought together a comm­it­tee. An internat­ion­­al design com­p­etition was launched in 1957, attracting international 233 entries. The jury searched for an ambitious concept of an opera house which could become one of the great buildings of the world. They eventually selected 38-year-old Danish Arch­itect Jørn Utzon as the winner, "because of its very original­ity. In Aug 1958 the building process began with flattening the Fort Macquarie Tramsheds on Bennel­ong point

Architect Dr Line Norskov Dav­enport, Exhibitions Director at Aal­borg’s Utzon Centre said Utzon saw the Opera House in parts: the 1]platform, 2]roof and 3]interior, separate but in harmony. It was the interior, partic­ularly the tricky ac­oustics issue, where nature’s influence on the de­sign counted; sound bounced off waves and spread.

Instead of the modernist architecture that had been developing for 30 years, Ut­zon’s design was more sculptural and expressionist. In May 1965 the NSW state government changed when the Conservative parties formed a Coal­ition. By late 1965, Utzon needed £60,000 to build the prototypes he needed to test the large, plywood beams that would be suspended from the shell’s ar­ches to support the ceiling. Without these prototypes, Utzon couldn’t advance with the Opera House’s interior draw­ings, so payments stopped!

In Feb 1966 Utzon met Davis Hughes, NSW minister for Public Works, to discuss the money he was owed for managing the stage machinery con­t­racts. Hughes said he could not make a decision and hours later, Ut­zon’s secretary handed a letter to Hughes in which Utzon accused the Minister of forcing him out. Hughes quickly made arrange­ments for an Opera House without Utzon’s involvement and sought assurances from the engineers and builders that they could continue. Hughes told the press and Parliament that very evening that Utzon had resigned.

Utzon’s sacking caused an outcry eg protest letters from em­in­ent ar­t­ists, designers and intellectuals. People marched on NSW’s State Par­l­iam­ent, led by great architect Har­ry Seidler and famous au­thor Patrick White for Utzon’s restoration. At the same time, there was a constant, unpleasant media swirl around the project. The work cont­in­ued but Hughes offered Utzon only the subordinate consultant role.

English engineer Ove Arup, responsible for building the Opera House shells, pleaded with Utzon to reconsider. The Op­­era House’s fu­t­­ure without him was unthinkable, but the Ut­zon-Gov­ernment rupture was complete; the Min­is­t­er banned further negoti­ati­­on.

In Ap 1966 Minister Hughes appointed another panel of Australian ar­ch­it­ects to complete the Opera House, with Peter Hall heading De­sign and completing the interiors. The Utzon family flew home, carrying an inc­omplete set of the Stage 3 drawings. Utzon had told his staff that the Minister would realise the Op­era House could not be com­pl­eted without him and that he’d be back within 2 years. Wrong ☹

How did Denmark feel about Australia’s treatment of Utzon? Most Dan­es felt a sense of pride that a countryman went to distant Australia to create the symbol of cultural Australia. But does the story of his depart­ure still have sad meanings for Danes?
After returning home, Utzon’s first project (1976) was Bagsvaerd Church, Copen­hagen. The exterior has strange concrete walls and metal roof but it was the interior that most resembled the Opera House. A sp­l­it and curving ceiling rose to an arch where light ent­er­s via semi-hidden windows. The interior space amazes architect­ural groups.