The studio of Jørn Utzon

The exhibition portrays Utzon’s personal design process and reflects the diverse sources of his inspiration. It includes many items which have not been exhibited previously, including his original competition drawings for the Sydney Opera House, which has become one of the 20th century’s most significant architectural achievements.

The exhibition ranges from Utzon’s competition entry, awarded first prize in the international competition of 1957, to his final unrealised schemes for the Opera House’s interiors, completed in 1966 shortly before he left Sydney under pressure. It also includes his current ideas as he works again on the Sydney Opera House as its architect, in collaboration with his son, architect Jan Utzon and Australian architect, Richard Johnson.

Utzon’s architectural models, sketches, plans, rare books and travel movies reveal the inspirations for his designs from his early work on the building as well as his new ideas behind the recently completed Utzon Room (his first interior at Sydney Opera House) and changes to the Western facade.

The exhibition illuminates some of the sources of Utzon’s inspiration, and also demonstrates the agility of his mind, its ability to combine influences into a unique design which is entirely original, proving that there is no single key to its identity, said exhibition curator, John Murphy.

The exhibition’s title refers to Utzon’s process of design. Through Utzon’s home movies of his travels, visitors may see through his eyes the world’s architectural monuments, including the tiled mosques of Iran and the Mayan temples of Mexico – some of his inspirations for the solid granite covered podium of Sydney Opera House and its soaring tiled roof.

Following Utzon’s ideas from his conception of the early building designs through to his current work, the exhibition follows the flow of his creativity.

“As time passes and needs change, it is natural to modify the building to suit the needs and technique of the day. The changes, however, should be such that the original character of the building is maintained,” Jørn Utzon said in 2002.

Nowhere is this better shown than in his designs for the current construction of a colonnade – along the

western façade of the building. These designs show how Utzon has managed to develop ideas for a space which he never envisaged as a public area – opening the theatre foyers to the harbour setting yet maintaining his design principle for a solid heavy podium base.

The exhibition was initiated by the City of Sydney and is presented in association with the Sydney Opera House Trust.

The studio of Jørn Utzon, 18 December 2004 – 1 May 2005, Museum of Sydney on the site for first Government House Cnr Bridge & Phillip Streets, Sydney. Open 9am-5pm daily. General $7, Conc $3, Family $17