The Sydney Opera House

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the architecture of the Sydney Opera House, one of the most photographed buildings in the world. It discusses the history of the design and the architect, as well as the building's function. The paper suggests that the Sydney Opera House is clearly an example of one of the greatest expressions of excellence in design that has been created in the modern world. The paper contains photographs.

From the Paper:

"Utzon's open expression of his design intentions and theories demonstrate a collective of scholarly works associated with the complex and many demonstrative interpretations of the design. Utzon, stresses the use of the platform, as well as the floating roofline concept, as they apply to varied structures from different cultures. Utzon's concept was to allow the platform to express a sense of strength and clam, like that of a Mayan temple or a Chinese house or temple. He also wished to draw attention tot eh balance between a roof and a structure, such as is present in Japanese and Chinese architecture. He also comments that a flat roof does not express the flatness of a platform and cannot encompass the grandness of an organic expression, such as that of the surrounding water and the fluidity of movement expressed in performance. (Gero & Maher, 1993, p. 69) The design has also been unprecedented in its expression of the form, as well in the grand nature of the undertaking and yet it has also not ever really been mimicked in any way. Both of these facts clearly lead the viewer to an understanding of the uniqueness and success of the structure in both form and function."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Baird, G 2001,The Architectural Expression of Environmental Control Systems.: Spon Press, London, UK.
• Bereson, R 2002, The Operatic State: Cultural Policy and the Opera House. Routledge, London UK.
• Craven, J 2008, 'Great Buildings: Sydney Opera House'
• http://architecture.about.com/library/blsydneyopera.htm
• http://architecture.about.com/od/greatbuildings/ig/New-Wonders/SOH_MLS_sunset.htm

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