case study1 - sydney oera house

土木工程概念設計

Conceptual Design Studio

│雪梨歌劇院│Sydney Opera House│ 1

Sydney Opera House

1、 Introduction

he Sydney Opera House sits on a 1.84 hectors of land, reaches

approximately 20 stories in height; it is credited as one of the

greatest architectures of the 20th century. Gracefully parks on the

quiet Sydney Bay, the white wind sail shaped dorm leaks out the

bold and daring creativity of the designer in its time, weaving with

its surroundings into a poetic beauty. After 3 decades, the Sydney

Opera House till this day remains the soul of Sydney, the world

renowned art temple; it is the symbolic landmark for Sydney and the

pride of Australia for centuries. In 2007, it was made the World

Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

T




The idea of Sydney Opera House originated in the 50s when the

Australian government responded to the public need for an opera house

in Australia, and called to the world for the design submission in 1955.

The rules for the contestants included a grand hall that could

accommodate 3000 people and a smaller hall for 1200 people. Both

halls must encompass different venues including opera, symphony,

chorus performances, large scale conferences, seminars, ballet and

others such as lecturers and speeches. In 1957, Jørn Utzon, a designer

from Denmark, triumphed out of the 233 designing pieces from 28

countries and ranked number one in the contest. Utzon visited Sydney

in 1957, later moved his studio to Sydney in February 1963 for

supervising the construction of the opera house. He became known

internationally for the Sydney Opera House, and was awarded with the

highest honor in the world of architect, the “Pritzker Architecture Prize”,

in 2003. It took 16 years, cost 12 million Australian dollars to build

the Sydney Opera House. Due to the shortage of funding, the

Australian government issued Sydney Opera House Lottery in 1959 to

raise the construction fee. Finally finished in 1973, Sydney Opera

House became an architectural miracle of its era for overcoming of the

funding shortage as well as the construction technology.

Sydney Opera House situates on the Bennelong Point where is

surrounded by the sea on three sides. Accompanies by the Sydney

Harbour Bridge, the Opera House displays various faces from different

angles and in different times of a day. Since the day it was opened to

the public, it has been attracting tourists from all over the world to pay

tribute to its majestic glamour.




Photo 1

Surrounded by sea

on three sides, the

Sydney Opera House

faces the beautiful

view of vast sea port

and sailing ships.

Photo 2

Sydney Opera House

locates in the midst of

the busy city, in front

of the crowded high

rise buildings. It is a

leisure oasis in the

concrete jungle.

Photo 3

Contrasting from the

square buildings in

the back, the

eccentric shape of

the Sydney Opera

House displays the

bold and daring

creativity of the

designer in its time.




2.1 Open for Submission

At the end of the 40s, people of the Australia petitioned their

demand to the government for an opera house. The Australian

government began the idea of building an opera house in 1950, and they

actively summoned committees in proceeding with the selection of the

designs for the Sydney Opera House. The term of the design selection

was to include "a grand hall that could accommodate 3000 people and a

smaller hall for 1200 people. Both halls must encompass different

venues including opera, symphony, chorus performances, large scale

conferences, seminars, ballet and others such as lecturers and speeches."

The international contest began in 1955 and ended in 1957 when the

selection was made. In the two years, there were 233 submissions

from 28 countries. The four judges at the time were Ashworth, Parkes,

Martin, and Saarinen.

Photo 4. The judges reviewed Utzon’s work, from the left: Ashworth,

Saarinen, Parkes and Martin.

2、 Sydney Opera House Design Contest




2.2 The Final Selection

The four judges must vote to choose the number one selection for

this contest, and they based on their own professional specialty to review

all the submissions. One story told that Saarinen was the last judge to

arrive when the other three had already began their reviews. When he

arrived, he heard that the designing piece numbered 281 has a very

unique appearance and the support of the structure could not be found, he

went to the ‘discarded’ section to look for 281. This designing piece

belonged to a Danish architecture designer Jørn Utzon. His work was

distinctive from others with its daring design that went beyond the

traditional architectural perspectives. In the eyes of the other three

judges, such a design was impossible to build; hence there was no chance

for it to be selected. However, Saarinen, whose background was also

architecture, was greatly marveled by Utzon’s design. He thought it was

a masterpiece from a genius. After seeing the finalist works listed by

other three judges, he further confirmed his persistence to Utzon’s work

and thought that it should be chosen as the number one work. However,

Saarinen’s influence among the judges was insignificant. So he first

convinced Martin, who was the most authoritative, to recognize with

Utzon’s work; and finally the last two judges turned their minds to also

agreed that Utzon’s work should be the winner of the contest. The

second story was that the contest was judged according to fairness and

equality; that the first story was merely, a story. However the process of

the review, the Sydney Opera House today already made the people of the

world experience the unique creativity of Jørn Utzon.

Photo 5

During the selection process of the

Sydney Opera House International

Contest, the judges concentrated on

reviewing the works of the designers.




2-3 The Birth of A Champion

When the winner of the Sydney Opera House design was chosen,

the newspapers of the following day posted the works of number one

through three of this contest. Number one design was from Jørn Utzon

the Danish architecture designer. Number two came from an

architecture design team in the USA. Utzon was only 38 years of age

when he won the contest. He has won a number of Danish architecture

designing contests, but this was his first award received from a contest

that was not in Demark.

Comparing to other design

works, Utzon’s concept went out of

the general architectural framework.

His design was neither conventional

square or round shape but a structure

that did not exist at that time.

Though the overall design showed his

unconventional creativity, it was also

a great challenge in his life time.

Photo 6

Newspapers that posted the award

winning designs of the Sydney

Operation House International

Contest. Number one work came

from Danish architecture designer

Jørn Utzon, number two was from

the architecture design team in the

USA.

Photo 7

Jørn Utzon at the age of 38.




Photo 9

Jørn Utzon and the opera house

model.

Photo 10

Sydney Opera House

Overview Conceptual

Drawing.

Photo 8

One of the Judges of the Sydney Opera House Design Contest,

Saarinen greatly appreciated Utzon's work. He re-drew it and

signed his own name at the bottom right corner.




Photo 11

Sydney Opera House conceptual drawing as sketched by Jørn

Utzon in the red book in 1958.

Photo 12

Side and overview sketches of the Sydney Opera House.

Prime Minister Cahill, Sidney Opera House Chief Commissioner

Stan Haviland, and the design drawing of Utzon.




3.1 Growing Up and Education Background

Utzon was born in Denmark on

April 9th, 1918. His father was in the

navy, so he dreamed of becoming a

naval officer when he was a child. As

a child, Utzon admired his father’s

ability in designs. His father was very

skillful in designing yachts, under such

influence, Utzon gradually established

his basic concept in design including drawing and model making.

In 1937, Utzon studied in the Department of Architecture at the

Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen, Denmark. Two of his teachers

were passionate about the Chinese architecture and their designing ideas

influenced Utzon greatly. Utzon graduated from the architecture

department in 1942, because of the WWII, he lived in Stockholm of

Sweden working for Asplund in his studio to avoid the German troops.

At the time, the importation of concrete and other constructional

materials were restricted. A group of Swedish architects began to use

local low cost materials and simple structure for construction. Simple

and neat appearances with well-in-order structure were the points of

construction that eradicated unnecessary luxury elements. This trend

was called the “Empiricism” and it affected Utzon enormously.

After working in Sweden for three years, Utzon went to Helsinki

of Finland to work with Alvar Aalto. Aalto was a master of

architecture and the experience of working with Aalto became the

turning point of Utzon’s creativity development. However, Utzon

considered travelling and field research were the most direct and

effective ways of getting in touch with different architectures of the

world, so he began his architecture pilgrimage in 1948.

3、 Master of Creative Architecture Design - Jørn Utzon




3.2 Travel and Explore

Utzon began his travelling in 1948, he visited Europe and Morocco

where he was fully bathed in the Islamic construction methods and

skills. Through the field research on architectures, Utzon was able to

experience the different cultures and different performances of the

buildings in different countries. He also was able to observe how

architecture fit naturally into its surroundings and display a natural and

coordinated beauty.

In 1949, Utzon travelled to the US and Mexico. The architecture

styles of the Mayans and the Aztecs inspired Utzon’s creativity and cast

influence to his later designs. Utzon returned to Denmark in 1950 and

set up his own studio, he then participated in various design contests in

Demark.

Utzon reached the distant and mysterious orient, the Asia, in 1959,

where He visited China, Japan, India and Nepal. He studied

traditional Chinese architecture in Asia and found that the gravity of the

western structure was inside the walls when the eastern structure was in

the ground. Utzon later visited Iran where he learned the urban

planning and structures, market trade and ceramic decors.

In viewing Utzon’s vast and rich travelling experiences, we

understand that his architecture concept was not restricted within the

framework of traditional Danish architecture; he gradually expanded his

knowledge and modified his thinking logic through his unceasing travel

and receiving stimulation from the new architectures that he

encountered. His travelling experience had a profound influence to his

later architecture design creativities.




3.3 Designing the Sidney Opera House

In 1957, Utzon participated in the Sydney Opera House contest

and won. He came to Sydney Australia for the first time in the same

year, a country that located in the southern hemisphere, a land that was

half a world away from him. Because of his creative design, Sydney

now owns its world renowned symbolic landmark and shines on the

international stages.

The Sydney Opera House began construction in 1959; the first

stage was building the podium. When the construction work

proceeded to the roof in 1963, Utzon and his family relocated to Sydney

to supervise the construction work. Many obstacles occurred during

the building of the roof that resulted in numerous reconstructions.

Finally the roof was finished in 1966. The same year, Utzon and the

new administration shared different concepts when the Minister for

Public Works of the new administration, Hughes, seriously questioned

Utzon’s ability, and suggested to remodel the interior design that Utzon

had already finished. Utzon’s insistence on his design was in

difference with the Australian government and the government ceased

paying his fee. Utzon resigned and left Australia and since then never

returned. In 2008, Utzon died from heart attack, he never had a chance

to see for his own eyes this building that made him known to the world,

the finished work of the Sydney Opera House.

Photo 13

Mr. Utzon and the model of

the Sydney Opera House.




Photo 15

Putting up the first batch of the Sydney Opera House roof

model.

Photo 14

Mr. Utzon discussed the roof structure of the Sydney Opera

House with the engineers.




4、 Sydney Opera House Construction Plan

From idea to completion, the Sydney Opera House went

through series of setbacks. The construction plan was divided by

three stages: stage 1 the podium, stage 2 the roof and stage 3 the

interiors. The three stages altogether took 14 years to complete,

each stage encountered unexpected obstacles, and each stage tested

the wisdom and the problem solving imagination of the engineering

teams.

4.1 Stage 1 : Podium

The design of Sydney Opera House was chosen in 1957 and the

winner was Jørn Utzon. The Australian government then began

with the construction plan and the first stage was building the

podium. From the design drawing of the Sydney Opera House, we

understood that the design orientation was on the shape of the roof.

The podium must sustain the huge proportion of the roof.

Construction of the podium commenced on December 25th 1958,

unfolded the historical construction of the Sydney Opera House.

Civil & Civic was responsible for this construction work, and Ove

Arup & Partners was in charge of the supervising work. Utzon, the

designer, did not participate in the supervising work during this stage.

The construction of the podium took 4 years. Within this four years

time, many of the unexpected obstacles occurred including: 1) the

weather condition, 2) the unexpected storm water diversion, 3) the

change of the contract, and 4) the strength of the podium was

insufficient to sustain the roof structure. However, the construction

team managed to overcome all the problems.




Photo 16

Many obstacles occurred

during the building of the

podium; it was finally

completed in February of

1963.

4.2 Stage 2 : Roof

After the completion of the podium, the next stage was the

highlight of the design, the roof. The roof was the key construction

work stage of the Sydney Opera House, as the shape of the roof was a

unique design. Jørn Utzon was in charge of this stage and he and his

family relocated to Sydney in 1963 to supervise the construction of the

Sydney Opera House. The single sheet structure of the roof in Utzon’s

roof design was called the “shell”. This shell like structure was

originally defined as the parabolas formed by concretes. The

engineering team was unable to find a way to build these shell like




structures as there were no geometrical definitions. The team tried a

dozen ways of constructing the shells, finally Mr. Utzon came up with

an idea on how to build them when he was peeling orange skin. He

thought the shell structure could be formed by ways of spheres, using

mold pieces with same curves to form the body of the shell in different

length, then connecting these arched sectional structures with different

length to form a sphere dissection. In other words, the construction

method of the shell must be derived from the calculation of a round

shape (sphere). However, some also said that this method was given

to Utzon by his teacher Aalto.

After finding the methods to build the shell, Utzon and the

engineering team began conducting the sophisticated calculation on the

roof structure by using the computer algorithm which was newly

invented at the time. When the data of the roof structure was

generated, they then followed the data to conduct the building of the

shell structure. Once the complicated roof structure was completed,

the tiling of the roof began. As the Sydney Opera House was

surrounded by sea on three sides, Swedish ceramic tiles were used as

the roof tiles to prevent the corrosion from the sea breeze. A total of

over one million pieces of tiles were used in this tremendous

construction. From the structure to the tiling, the roof took four years

to complete. Mr. Utzon finally finished with this unique roof after

many trials and errors.

Photo 17

Mr. Utzon found the

way to build the shell

by drawing spheres.




Photo 20

The solution of the shell is like the model of the ball, the same

shells come from the same group of arched sphere.

Photo 18

Mr. Utzon introduced the way he

found in building the shell.

Photo 19

Building process of the

roof.

Photo 21

The construction of the shell was calculated by the computer to

generate structural pieces in different data.




Photo 22

The structure and

the process of the

roof construction

were calculated

carefully.

Photo 23

Mr. Utzon used

drawing in his

yellow book to

assist his

contemplation on

problem solving.




Photo 24

There are 12 different construction methods of roof during

building process.




Photo 26

Finished roof of the Sydney Opera House, the detailing work of

the construction can be observed from different angles.

Photo 25

Left: The tiling process of the roof. Right: roof after tiling.




Photo 27

1950s : the first computer used in calculating the structure of

Syidney Opera House.

Photo 28

Construction process of the Sydney Opera House.




Photo 29

The simulation

drawings of the

erected Sydney

Opera House roof

made in 1963.

Photo 30

The cross section

diagram of the major

shell of the Sydney

Opera House,

indicating the

supporting beam

structure.

Photo 31

Pressure distribution

diagram after the

wind tunnel testing

shows the test result

of the major shell of

the opera house.




4.3 Stage 3 : Interior

When the podium and the roof were completed, Mr. Utzon had

already finished with the interior designs. However, due to the

delay of the roof and the seriously over budget in the construction

fees, Minister Hughes for the Public Works of the new administration

was not very pleased with Utzon’s design and questioned his

professionalism. The Australian government ceased paying Utzon’s

fee and planed to re-construct Utzon’s interior designs. Utzon

insisted on his idea and was in great difference with the Australian

government. He then left Australia and never returned in his life

time. The construction was taken over by Australian engineer Peter

Hall. However, due to the interior reconstruction, the overall

construction fee seriously went over budget. In order to solve this

problem, the government issued Sydney Opera House Lottery to

raise funds and overcame the insufficient funding crisis.

Photo 32

The interior of the

Sydney Opera House.

The interior design was

not the original design

of Mr. Utzon but the

designing concept of

Australian designers.




Photo 33

Interior structure 3D diagram of the Sydney Opera House and

1:120 side view model.

Photo 34

Construction process of

interior of the Sydney Opera

House. Designed by Hall,

Todd and Littlemore in 1971,

the interior was very

different from the concept of

Mr. Utzon.




4.4 Completion : Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House was officially opened on October 20th, 1973.

Queen Elizabeth II was invited to observe the ceremony. The budget

for building the Sidney Opera House was 7.2 billion Australian dollars;

by completion, the total cost was 102 billion Australian dollars, which

was 14 times of the original budget. It took 16 years for the Sydney

Opera House to rise from concept to reality; each and every step of the

way was a trial. Such a grand construction was built upon the wisdom

and hard labor of many people. Even though the process was such a

harsh trial, it added a memorable touch to this historical masterpiece.

While admiring the majestic glory of the Sydney Opera House, do bear

in mind that each brick of this cross-century legacy represents the faith

and insistence of Mr. Utzon and the hard work of many people.

Photo 35

Ove Arup

contemplating at

the side of the

1:60 scale opera

house model.

Photo 36

Arup and his

team had taken

over the Sydney

Opera House

project since

1969.




Photo 37

Overview of the Sydney Opera House; this angle shows the

unique design of Mr. Utzon.




5.1 Origin of Concept – The Public Demand

A construction normally begins with responding to the public

demand, and Sydney Opera House was no exception. Without the

public demand, the construction is almost impossible to commence.

However, the public demand changes through time and the changes

of the society. Take the Sydney Opera House for example, people

demanded an opera house in the 50s and the government answered to

this demand hence a dream of an opera house was made possible.

However, during the 14 years of construction, the society changed

and people have been constantly receiving the stimulation of new

technology; their demand to an opera house also continued to adjust

and change. If when the Sydney Opera House was completed in

1973 and it was already unable to meet the need of the people of the

70s, would such a world renowned art temple that went through

turmoil and great struggle be recognized as “architectural

masterpiece of the century?” Here we see that a work of creativity

and imagination is closely associated to the recognition and the need

of the people. If an original, unprecedented work is unable to meet

the need of the human being, there then is no value to such a creation.

After all, the purpose of a construction is to bring about the

convenience to people’s living; therefore the value of a construction

resides in meeting the need of human being.

Part of the success of the Sydney Opera House dwells in the

constant demand of the public to an opera house since the beginning

of the construction, therefore when the opera house was completed in

1973, people still recognized and approved of it. If considering the

future, assume after 50 years when the technology and invention

5、 Case Review - The Success of the Sydney Opera

House




make people no longer need to go to an opera house for

performances, this architectural master piece, the Sydney Opera

House, may need to apply to a new social context and redefine its

value. On that day, the Sydney Opera House may no longer be a

place for live performances, but a museum, a theme dinning

restaurant; or to be converted into a building for other functions.

When we look at the value of an architecture, we must also

include the public demand and even wider perspective to explore the

future need of human being. “The satisfaction of the need

determines the value of an architecture”. People’s needs change,

the value of an architecture changes accordingly. Should we be

keen enough to foresee the technology and architecture that would be

needed for the future human being, the creation of the architecture

would then be proactive. To constantly surpass the past in creating

more cutting edge architectures or architectures that even cross the

boundary of its time, the human demand is definitely an important

factor that must not be overlooked.

5.2 Unique Style of the Sydney Opera House – Diversified

Thinking

The unique style of the Sydney Opera House was a great

challenge to the architectural skills of its time. How did it so

successfully win the international recognition and remains till this

day the landmark building of Sidney?

What is so special about this opera house that it stood the test of

time? This masterpiece came from the design concept of Danish

architect, Mr. Utzon. Who is he and what were the elements that

affected his success? Thinking back in time when he submitted his

design to the Sidney Opera House design contest, he was not a

famous master of architecture design and was put on the international




architecture stage with one draft of design. His success came from

“dare to imagine”, “dare to challenge”, and “dare to move forward”.

The traditional architecture of that time was unable to shake away

the square structure for it was the general style, and was recognized

by most of the professionals as the basic architecture formation that

could be constructed. How much courage would it take to draw an

architecture design that exceeded the architectural limitation?

Utzon’s success was his courage to imagine, to challenge and to

move forward that made his place in the history.

As we ponder on his growth, Utzon’s father was a naval officer

and he was in touch with many model ships since childhood, giving

him the opportunities to be exposed to the structural design concept.

During his education, his architectural concept gradually formed and

refined as he followed different masters; however, the most profound

influence came from his travelling experiences. Each country has

its own architectural style and specialty that was passed on through

the change of time. From the style and the structural design, the

human civilization development could be observed. Through

constant visiting different countries and different buildings, Utzon

kept modifying his existing architectural perspectives, concepts and

thinking patterns. He also had the chances to experience the

cultural differences and different architectural needs in various

countries. His contact with the architecture was diversified, hence

his concept on the buildings would be not restricted within the

traditional styles. It was such an unthinkable thing for the audience

at the time when he came up with such an extraordinary appearance

of a build. The shape of the building was so unique, so challenging

yet so impossible to come true. However, without the courage to

continue with it and the faith that conformed to the idea, how would

such a dream come true that was seen as impossible at its time?




In addition to the spectacular appearance, the building of the

Sydney Opera House went through so many obstacles especially on

the construction of the roof. Mr. Utzon came up with a roof design

structure that was without geometrical definition, how did he find the

way to build it through the association of an orange? How did his

imagination help him solve the task at hand? Many things in life,

be it a small object or a random movement, may become the key in

solving problems. We should train ourselves to possess the keen

observation and imagination. These we can do in our daily lives.

Do not look down on any tiny event of daily lives; it may well be the

guidance that would lead you to a whole new direction for thinking,

and the key to find the solution to a difficult task.




Part I : Use your brain

Practice

The building of the great Sydney Opera House was a result of

combing many different talents. Try to utilize your imagination to

find problems and to solve them. This practice expects you to

“break through your usual thinking logic”, to break through your

knowledge framework and the restriction to your professional

capacity; that you could be bold and daring to imagine all kinds of

possibilities and ways to solve problems.

1. When designing a building, what are the ‘questions’ that you

should consider?




2. If you were Utzon, when you encountered problems in building

the roof during the construction of the opera house, what methods

would you have adopted in solving the problems?

3. If you were the Australian government, when you faced the

funding shortage that prevented would you have done in solving the

funding shortage problem?




4. In your opinion, what are the problems to the modern

architecture? Please elaborate your imagination to solve the

problems.




5. What abilities and qualities do you think an extraordinary

architect should possess?

6. What are the trainings do you think an extraordinary architect

should receive? Why?




Part II：Use your hand

1. Use your imagination to try and reform the Sydney Opera

House roof, draw 5 to 10 sketches of the roof with your pen.




2. Use your imagination and re-construct or reform the campus

library, including the appearance and the interiors, draw your concept

below.




3. Imagine what the buildings would look like in the future world,

draw sketches and give brief descriptions.




4. Imagine the architectural appearance of the future world, draw

sketches and give brief descriptions.

case study1 - sydney oera house

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