Jorn Utzon died aged 90 on 29 Nov 2008
He died from a heart attack in his sleep
Jørn Utzon to be honoured with an Australian state memorial service on 25 March at the Sydney Opera House. His son and daughter will attend. Ticket allocation wioll be by ballot system. Performances from the Sydney Symphony, Opera Australia, The Australian ballet and Sydney Theatre Company will mark the service.
Key Buildings List, Images & Lecture on the life and work of Jørn Utzon
Sydney Opera House : photo supplied by RIAS
Jorn Utzon: Pritzker Architecture Prize
Danish architect Jorn Utzon designer of the Sydney Opera House, Australia, received the 2003 Laureate of the Pritzker Prize for Architecture, the Nobel Prize of the architecture world.
The Pritzker Prize ceremony took place at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid. Jorn Utzon is the first Dane to become a Pritzker Laureate.
Jorn Utzon architect - Winner of RIBA Gold Medal 1978
Jørn Utzon by Professor Richard Weston - Talk at the RIAS Conference 2004, Review by Adrian Welch
Professor Richard Weston: Jørn Utzon expert and author of Utzon book
Jørn Utzon by Professor Richard Weston
Key Buildings
Courtyard-Style Housing, Denmark
1956-58
Preceding the Sydney Opera House were two housing developments in Denmark. The Kingo Houses in Helsingør. Sixty-three L-shaped houses were built in rows following the contours of the site, providing views for each house, and access to sunlight and shelter from the wind. For many architects the Kingo Houses remain one of their favourite projects due to the scheme's combination of simplicity and inventiveness.
Kingo Houses
Sydney Opera House, Australia
1957-73
Utzon worked with Ove Arup on this seminal building, but sadly in 1966 Jorn Utzon left Sydney in a cloud of controversy.
Sydney Opera House
Bagsvaerd Kirke, Copenhagen
1974-76
Utzon's next major design - after returning to Denmark after Sydney - was the Bagsvaerd Church, Copenhagen. Jorn Utzon planned the interior vaults after being inspired by banks of clouds.
Bagsværd Church
Fredensborg Houses, Denmark
1962
47 courtyard and 30 terraced houses grouped around a square in staggered blocks of three. Utzon integrated communal meeting and dining functions with private houses; guest rooms were also included, unusually as a separate clustered element.
Fredensborg Houses
Kuwait National Assembly 1982
The Kuwait National Assembly famously slings a huge curved canvas over the main spaces. The canvas fabric recalls the use of concrete at the Bagsværd Church.
Kuwait building
Two Houses, Majorca
Utzon moved to Majorca in the early 1970s. With his wife Lis he lives in a house designed by himself, Can Feliz. The architecture is very solid and simple. Can Feliz has been described as a miniature acropolis.
Majorca Houses
Bagsværd Kirke:
image © adrian welch 2002
Jørn Utzon - Works:
Church at Bagsvaerd, north Copenhagen, Denmark, 1974-76
Houses in Fredensborg, Fredensborg, North Sealand, Denmark, 1959-62
Kingo Houses, Elsinore, Denmark, 1956
Sydney Opera, Sydney, Australia, 1957-73
Kuwait National Assembly Complex (architectural competition 1971-72), Kuwait
Fredensborg houses (Terrasserne), Denmark
Esbjerg Theatre and Concert Hall (Musikhuset Esbjerg), Denmark
Can Feliz - Mallorca, Spain
Skagen Odde NatureCentre, Denmark, 1999-2000
Jørn, Kim and Jan Utzon
Humana Zimbabwe
Kalkbrænderihavnen - Copenhagen waterfront
Paustian furniture sales and exhibition building, Copenhagen, Denmark
Herning Shipping - office building for Herning Shipping Company, Denmark,1986
Dunkers Kulturhus - Dunkers house for culture, Hälsingborg, Sweden
Kim Utzon
Stride Strømme : Meeting place, Samsø, Denmark Institute of Technology, Odense, Denmark, 1986
IICD - Dowagiac, Michigan, USA
Marienlyst Hotel extension - extension to an old sea-side hotel, Marienlyst, Helsingør, Denmark
Vejle hotel, Denmark
uno-X petrol station : Petrol filling station for the uno-X petrol company, Herning, Denmark
Ro-house, Fyn, Denmark
Kalvebod Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark - Project
Povl Ahm house - private, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England
1960-62
with Povl Ahm
Grade II listed
Danish Architecture
Jørn Utzon: Sketch for Sydney Opera House:
image supplied by RIAS
Jørn Utzon architect
1918-
Son of Aage Utzon
Wife : Lis Utzon
Utzon's sons: Kim and Jan
Projects designed in collaboration with his sons:
Bagsvaerd Church, Copenhagen
Paustian furniture and design showroom, Copenhagen : Nordhavnen
Kim Utzon Architects : Utzon Centre, Denmark
Jorn Utzon by Professor Weston, 2004:
Sydney Opera House by Jørn Utzon: photo supplied by RIAS
Architecture Books
Copenhagen Architecture Denmark
Modern Architects
Jørn Utzon Arkitekt : Danish designers
The spelling of Jørn Utzon has been recast in places as Jorn Utzon so typical browsers can provide an intelligible character, and thus title for the architect - apologies to Danes and perfectionists!
World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe
Jørn Utzon : Pritzker Prize Winner 2003
Buildings / photos for the Jorn Utzon page welcome: info@e-architect.co.uk
Jorn Utzon buildings - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
Website: www.utzon.dk