Fabulous Architecture: The Opera House...Part 2

I almost forgot to post the 2ND half - the interior.
I accidentally joined a tour group to get these - which I might add is a really easy thing to do!

These are shots are taken after the recent restoration - Utzon resigned in a cloud of controversy and did not complete the work.

The work was completed by a team of architects and the NSW Board of Works - they only had some basic sketches and rough guides left by Utzon as the Opera house was an evolutionary piece - plans, elevations and perspectives were being refined and changed - sometimes daily.

Thankfully a change of government and opinion has meant that Utzon was asked for engaged again 30 years later for the restoration - although he didn't come back to Sydney(due to health) he supervises via the Internet web cam to his team in Sydney.

The 2 shots below are courtesy of the web - although impressive - these are not Utzon's original interiors - we can only now wait until they have been changed to Utzon's original scheme - which included a gigantic circular revolving stage in the main hall- which was scrapped after he left - so the metal frame was sent to SIlverwater Jaol so prisioners could cut it up!

Thank god opinions and tastes change - and in this case for the better!

Fabulous Architecture: The Opera House...Part 1

Possibly the Sydney Opera House is one of my favourite pieces of Architecture...ever...
Designed & built in controversy over 3 decades, what was seen as excessive and ugly - has become one of Sydney's Icons- and a symbol for modern Australia.Its been described as sail boats, clouds and even copulating turtles... the joy of expressionist Architecture - it's open to your own interpretation.

Jorn Utzon's design curves are actually based on cutting sections from an sphere - I think he used an orange at one stage to get the proportion of the curves right.
Even the detail of the roof is amazing - almost art deco!And it even continues within it's walls...to be continued...

Book Review: The shock of the new again...'Case Study Houses' Revisited.

I re-discovered a subject(bless Amazon)I have not thought about for over 10 years...in fact I completely forgotten about the Case study houses and how much they have influenced how we live today...

Back in 1945, John Entenza's Arts & Architecture magazine, commissioned major architects of the day, to design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes for the residential housing boom caused by the end of World War II and the return of millions of soldiers.

The houses are amazing to say the least - architects (Like Richard Neutra, Charles & Ray Eames for example)experimenting with materials from wood to steel to even plastic...creating open planned abodes with floor to ceiling doors & windows opening up these dwellings to natural light and views of the surrounds... or to the new to patio or terraces..from bedrooms with built in robes and furniture...to kitchens with all mod conds and bench seating...to ensuite bathrooms with double vanities...to open fireplaces, sunken rooms and split level floors - all of which we take for granted today...the indoor and outdoor blended, and the home started to take form and life ( or should I say 'lifestyle') of it's own - not just a art deco or colonial or Spanish mission revival box - it became a living functional machine...

The program ran from 1945 until the mid 60's. Most of the houses were built in California. The case study houses in their time started basic and pure, but ended up costly and a luxury item for rich americans...Was the idea of a low cost architectural abode lost?

Well yes and no...it exploded the idea of the traditional house - and the way we interact with it...in fact if you look at homes from the Mc Mansions of the new estate suburbs to the more expensive commisions some architects are lucky enough to create - all (yes even the ones which look like a copy of Tara) have used, abused and quite frankly stolen ideas from the case studies...that is the legacy which has survived.

'Case Study Houses 1945-1962' by Esther Mc Coy First published 1962, Reprinted 1977
(NB - Originally written for an Review for Amazon)