The Sydney Opera House defines the skyline of Australia. You surely recognize its white sails reflecting the harbor sun, but the story of its construction is full of drama. The original architect quit before it was finished and never returned. Furthermore, the design was almost rejected by the judges. It went massively over budget and required a lottery to pay for it. Today, it stands as a marvel of modern engineering. Let’s explore the house on the harbor.
Sydney Opera House
The architect solved the complex roof design while peeling an orange. Previously, engineers struggled for years to calculate the geometry of the sails. Thus, a simple piece of fruit saved the entire project.
Judges initially threw the winning design into the reject pile. Fortunately, late-arriving judge Eero Saarinen rescued the sketches from the trash. He immediately declared that this design had to win.
Jørn Utzon never returned to see his finished masterpiece. The architect left Australia in 1966 after severe disagreements with the government. Sadly, he died without ever walking inside the building he created.
Arnold Schwarzenegger won his final Mr. Olympia title in the Concert Hall. Surprisingly, the action star flexed his muscles on the opera stage in 1980. This event remains one of the strangest uses of the venue.
A live chicken once fell off the stage onto a cellist during a performance. Consequently, the management installed a protective net above the orchestra pit. This net now protects the musicians from falling props or animals.
Sydney Opera House uses seawater from the harbor for its air conditioning. This eco-friendly system circulates cold water through 35 kilometers of pipes. Therefore, the Sydney Opera House saves massive amounts of energy daily.
The Grand Organ stands as the largest mechanical organ in the world. Builders spent ten years constructing this massive instrument with over 10,000 pipes. Even today, it produces a sound that shakes the entire room.
The roof features over one million individual tiles. Interestingly, these tiles clean themselves whenever it rains. The ceramic finish prevents dirt from sticking, so the roof rarely needs manual scrubbing.
The construction went 1,357% over the original budget. The government ran a special lottery to pay the astronomical bill. Finally, the profits from gambling covered the debt that taxes could not.
Engineers ordered custom topaz-colored glass from France for the windows. This specific shade reduces the intense glare from the surrounding harbor water. Thus, the glass stays cool even during the hot Australian summer.
The first performance happened on the scaffolding before the building opened. Paul Robeson sang “Ol’ Man River” to the construction workers in 1960. Thus, the hard-hatted workers became the very first audience.
Sydney Opera House became the youngest building to receive UNESCO World Heritage status. Impressively, the organization recognized its cultural value just 34 years after it opened. This honor usually goes to much older historic sites.
The famous white sails are not solid shells. Instead, they consist of massive precast concrete ribs covered in tiles. Computers were used for the first time in history to calculate the stress on these ribs.
The tiles are not actually pure white. In fact, they are a mix of glossy white and matte cream colors. This pattern prevents the sun from blinding onlookers with a harsh reflection.
No one knows where the foundation stone is today. The mayor laid it in 1959, but subsequent renovations covered it up completely. Now, it remains lost somewhere deep inside the concrete base.
