nomination by the Government of Australia - Sydney Opera House

3.17 3.18
Utzon’s genius is manifested in the many outstanding
elements of the Sydney Opera House. The podium
and shells exemplify his masterful synthesis of the
different architectural styles and aesthetics: the simple
and gigantic geometric shapes of the shell structure
which are emphatically modern but also have an
organic origin; and the external cladding of ceramic
tiles inspired by ancient buildings and the art of
contemporary Asian ceramics. These are described in
detail in the following sections.
The result is stunning, one of the most radiant
and alive surfaces in architecture, thoroughly
modern in its abstraction and technically
impossible before its day—authentic Our Time
Style—yet utterly timeless. As passing clouds,
the sun or viewer move by, the shells glow,
gleam or fl ash with light. Stand closer and
incline your head to left or right—Cezanne’s
approach to his motif and Monet’s ‘Series’
paintings inevitably come to mind—and waves
of tiles scintillate like diamonds or tiny stars.
Devoid of colour, yet uniquely receptive to the
colours of light and the surroundings, the shells
present an ever-changing spectacle (Weston
2004a: 156).
Amongst Utzon’s most remarkable achievements
was his creation of a magnifi cent sculptural form that
simultaneously conveys a sense of having emerged
organically from the natural landscape. The building
exudes a special presence: it appears to the viewer to
be absolutely an ‘obvious, immediate and evident’ part
of the landscape and ‘as though only his typical “shells”
could occupy Bennelong Point’ (Moneo 2004: 88).
Figure 3.16 The matt and glossy roof tiles took three years
to develop with the manufacturer. The textured surface
of the glossy tiles creates a surface that responds to the
changing light.
3.A (ii) Outstanding achievements in structural
engineering and technological innovation
The Sydney Opera House is not the kind of
building which often comes within the orbit
of the structural engineer. It is an adventure
in building ... Because the circumstances
under which it is being built are so unusual,
and because its problems are so diffi cult, it
has created unique opportunities, both in the
design offi ce and on the site … The structure
now standing in Sydney Harbour is the result
not only of much toil and sweat but also of
an unprecedented collaboration between
architect, engineer and contractor ... we
stretched ourselves to the limits of our skills
(Arup & Zunz 1988: 3–5).
The Sydney Opera House is of outstanding
universal value for its engineering and technological
achievements and other innovations. Its value derives
in part from Utzon’s unique design and his distinctive
approach which included the integration of design,
engineering and construction (see above and Part
2.B). A vibrant and creative interaction emerged
between architects, industrial designers, engineers,
manufacturers and the construction industry—all
striving to meet the challenges of his unprecedented
design concept as well as the constantly evolving
designs and exacting requirements during the
construction of the building. His radical approach
demanded the development of innovative new
techniques and materials and anticipated the methods
of eminent late 20th century architects Norman Foster
and Renzo Piano (Weston 2002: 180).
Figure 3.17 The ‘spine’ between the vaulted roof shells
constructed of prefabricated ribs
Figure 3.18 Drawing of the prefabricated ribs and tile lids
from the Yellow Book 1962
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