A game we often play while traveling is "What's your Opinion?". The intent is to formulate an opinion on some given topic, explain the rationale (feeling, experience, fact), and recognize that most opinions are like a@#-holes - everybody has one. Today it was "list the top most iconic buildings and structures in the world, associated with a city, since the industrial revolution". (We really know how to party, eh?) Here's our top dozen in no particular order. What are yours?
Tour Eiffel - Paris
Tower Bridge - London
Golden Gate - San Francisco
US Capital - Washington D.C.
Brooklyn Bridge - New York
Empire State Building - New York
Statue of Liberty - New York
Bank of China (I.M.Pei) - Hong Kong
Patronas Tower - Kuala Lumpur
Capital of India - Dehli
Harbor Bridge - Sydney
Opera House - Sydney
So, this oft forgotten country down under has one city with two on our list. And that one is recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site (WHS). It is arguably one of THE most iconic buildings in the world. The Sydney Opera House (SOH)
The SOH was the winning selection in a 1956 competition, designed by Danish architect Jorn Utzon. It was originally budgeted at $7m and scheduled to take three years to build. Fourteen years after constuction started, at a cost of $140m, it was finally finished in 1973. I initially thought this was the case of an obsessive genius refusing to compromise his vision, and the government ultimately stepping in to protect the taxpayer.
However, this is far from events. Utzon is given universal praise not only as a creative architect (winning 7 out of 18 global competitions) but also excellent at managing the process. As architects, we know that politics, commitment, and understanding the process by the clients often dictate the results - good and bad. In this case a change in government during construction, and single corrupt political hack, wanted to have it finished by an Australian firm. The government's manager also tried to accellerate the process not understanding the technical innovation necessary to build the unique forms. Finally, instead of having the architect manage the consultants and contractors (we've since lost that responsibility), the appointee wanted to control all information through himself. Due to the constant conflict, and stress on his family, Jorn resigned in 1966. At that time Stage 1 and 2 (Podium and shells) were complete and "only" over budget by 50%. But Utzon had warned them at the start that the design they wanted was not the budget they had. The new government retained Ove Arup to complete the project and tried to get Jorn on as a consultant because the new firm understood the complexity. But Jorn refused unless he had design authority, which the government wouldn't allow. The project cost and schedule spiraled out of control.
Despite some lost vision on the interiors the project is dazzeling. Like the Taj Mahal, you need to watch it through changing light. From silhouetted by the sunrise, dazzled by the bright antipodal sun, to bathed in the warm glow of evening, it constantly changes.
Today the building forms are commonly referred to as "Sails" thinking the inspiration was from all the sailboat around the harbor, or jokingly as a "Scrum of Nuns" referencing Aussie's favorite sport. But the architect's inspiration was the aboriginal use of the site as a midden. Layer upon layer, century upon century, sea-shells covered the site.
The unique quality of light on the roof is created by white not being just white. The roof is covered with over one million tiles in eight different shapes, colors, and finishes. These create a small scale texture, subtle large scale pattern, and a luminous oyster white color that refects the light differently during the day.
"The sun didn't know how beautiful its light was until it was reflected off this building"
Louis Kahn, architect.
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