Aage & Jorn Utzon

FLOTSAM

25 Feb

Following on from last weeks article on why architects love wooden boats, Charlie Salter, architect and custodian of the Tumlaren SIROCCO presents a series of real life connections between those who design buildings and those who sail boats.

Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect of the Sydney Opera House grew up in a world of boats.

Sailing, living and working near the water was a three generational activity for the Utzon family.

Utzon’s father Aage, was a naval architect and shipwright, well known in Denmark for promoting spidsgatter yachts (double enders). For Aage, boat design should optimise the hull shape moving through water with rational, spare and seaworthy construction while able to withstand the stresses of ocean, wind and weather.

At the Opera House, Jorn Utzon’s extensive observations of nature and intrinsic understanding of wooden boats is translated to soft double curved tiled forms over the expressed internal concrete frame. Between 1964 and 1966 our boatman architect Richard Leplastrier, worked in Utzon’s Sydney office as a young graduate, leaving when Utzon “resigned”.

Spidsgatter

Sydney Architecture Student Cartoon

Eric Thake lino cut

Family Sailing

Lis Utzon

Family Sailing

Family Shack Work Room

Family Shack

During the protracted design and construction of the SOH, the project and architect suffered interference from NSW State Government “value management”, sharp critics and clever cartoons. Over time and despite alterations to Utzon’s vision, the unique proposition and beauty has transcended the messy process. For some, the harbour front shapes represent white sails or sea shells while for others they are embedded in Scandinavian yacht design .... perhaps the sinking stern of his father’s spidsgatter.