Though construction officially commenced in March 1959, the Sydney Opera House wasn’t completed until October 1973. When it was finally finished, Queen Elizabeth II was on hand to formally open the opera house, which celebrated with a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Sydney Opera House Legacy
Since its completion nearly 15 years after construction started, the iconic Sydney Opera House is lauded by architects as one of the shining examples of modern expressionist architecture. It has become one of the most recognizable and monumental buildings in the world.
How difficult was it to build the Sydney Opera House?
For many, the fact that the Sydney Opera House was even built was a feat in itself. At the time, it was a task seemingly unparalleled in human history—and it forced the builders to pioneer the use of computers during construction, making the Sydney Opera house the first large-scale project to ever do so.
“The amount of calculations necessary to vet something like this had never been attempted before and required Arup’s office to develop new software,” Rogove says. “Before, there were over 60 engineers working full time. Engaging computers…allowed for constant tinkering until they were successful.”
What made the Sydney Opera House infamous?
In addition to its truly singular design, the Sydney Opera House grew infamous because of the years-long drama that accompanied its construction. “The story of the Sydney Opera House is a veritable saga,” says Rogove. From its zenith to the completion of the design realized against all odds, the story is filled with “squabbling creators, the kidnapping and murder of an eight-year-old boy, the engineer getting hit by a bus and having to design from his hospital bed in a full-body cast, Utzon missing a flight that crashed and killed everyone on board, and a politician that spent every waking minute trying to kill the project,” says Rogove. “It is a crazy story, one befitting of such a magnificent building, but truly one that is stranger than fiction.”
Did Australians like the Sydney Opera House when it was built?
Though it’s become a beloved symbol of Australia, the opera house had its fair share of detractors while it was being built and after it opened. Because of so many scandals, public opinion turned against the building for some time, though it is now largely beloved.
Why is the Sydney Opera House famous?
As the years have worn on, it’s the structures’ lasting and groundbreaking contributions to architecture and engineering—including being the first major building project to make use of computers in its design—that make it a favorite building for many.
