Jorn Utzon Architect, Buildings, Danish Houses, Photos, Denmark, Projects, Designs, Images
Jorn Utzon Architect
20th Century Danish Architecture – Modern Architectural Practice from Denmark
Jorn Utzon – Key Projects
The architect Jorn Utzon died aged 90 on 29 Nov 2008
Jorn died from a heart attack in his sleep.
Jørn Utzon was honoured with an Australian state memorial service on 25 March 2008 at the Sydney Opera House. His son and daughter attended. Ticket allocation was by ballot system. Performances from the Sydney Symphony, Opera Australia, The Australian ballet and Sydney Theatre Company marked the service for Jorn.
Key Buildings List, Images & Lecture on the life and work of Jørn Utzon architect.
Sydney Opera House : photo supplied by RIAS
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
Jorn Utzon Buildings
A selection of major architectural works by this celebrated Danish architects office:
Courtyard-Style Housing, Denmark
Dates built: 1956-58
photograph © Adrian Welch
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 by Jorn due to the scheme’s combination of simplicity and inventiveness.
e-architect’s Adrian Welch and Isabelle Lomholt visited both sets of houses and documented them with photographs. The overall design of this housing has stood the test of time due to creative thinking based on solid foundations. The community fostered at these sites appears successful. Occupants have a good balance of privacy and connectedness. The architectural style is also pleasing to the eye, unpretentious and easily-red forms. Ed – architect Adrian Welch.
Kingo Houses
Sydney Opera House, NSW, Australia
Dates built: 1957-73
Jorn Utzon worked with Ove Arup on this seminal building, but sadly in 1966 Jørn left Sydney in a cloud of controversy.
photo © Derek McGavigan
Sydney Opera House
Bagsvaerd Kirke, Copenhagen, Denmark
Dates built: 1974-76
Jørn Utzon’s next major design – after returning to Denmark after Sydney – was the Bagsvaerd Church, Copenhagen. He planned the interior vaults after being inspired by banks of clouds.
Bagsværd Church
Fredensborg Houses, Denmark
Date built: 1962
photograph © Adrian Welch
47 courtyard and 30 terraced houses grouped around a square in staggered blocks of three. Jorn 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
Date built: 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
Jorn Utzon moved to Majorca in the early 1970s. Jorn lives with his wife Lis 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
Jorn Utzon Works
Church at Bagsvaerd, north Copenhagen, Denmark
Dates built: 1974-76
Houses in Fredensborg, Fredensborg, North Sealand, Denmark
Dates built: 1959-62
Kingo Houses, Elsinore, Denmark
Date built: 1956
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Dates built: 1957-73
National Assembly of Kuwait Complex (architectural competition 1971-72), Kuwait, The Gulf, Middle East
Date built: 1982
Fredensborg houses – Terrasserne, Denmark
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Esbjerg Theatre and Concert Hall (Musikhuset Esbjerg), Denmark
Can Feliz – Mallorca, Spain
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Skagen Odde Nature Centre, Denmark
Dates built: 1999-2000
Design: Jørn, Kim and Jan Utzon
Humana Zimbabwe
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Kalkbrænderihavnen – Copenhagen waterfront
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Paustian furniture sales and exhibition building, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Herning Shipping – office building for Herning Shipping Company, Denmark
Date built: 1986
Dunkers Kulturhus – Dunkers house for culture, Hälsingborg, Sweden
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Design: Kim Utzon Architect
Stride Strømme : Meeting place, Samsø, Denmark Institute of Technology, Odense, Denmark
Date built: 1986
IICD – Dowagiac, Michigan, USA
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Marienlyst Hotel extension, Marienlyst, Helsingør, Denmark
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Extension to an old sea-side hotel
Vejle hotel, Denmark
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uno-X petrol station, Herning, Denmark
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Petrol filling station for the uno-X petrol company
Ro-house, Fyn, Denmark
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Kalvebod Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark – Project
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Povl Ahm house – private, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Dates built: 1960-62
Design: Jorn with Povl Ahm
Status: Grade II listed
More design projects by Jorn online soon
Jørn Utzon: Sketch for Sydney Opera House
image supplied by RIAS
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Architects Practice Information
Jorn Utzon architect
1918-2008
Son of Aage Utzon
Wife: Lis Utzon
Jorn Utzon’s sons: Kim and Jan
Major architectural projects designed by Jorn in collaboration with his sons:
Bagsvaerd Church, north Copenhagen, Denmark
Paustian furniture and design showroom : Nordhavnen Copenhagen
Kim Utzon Architects : Utzon Centre, Denmark
‘Jørn Utzon’ by Professor Richard Weston – Talk at the RIAS Conference 2004
Review by Adrian Welch
Jørn Utzon talk by Professor Richard Weston
Copenhagen Architecture Denmark
Website: Sydney Opera House Building
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!
Jørn Utzon was the Pritzker Prize architects Winner 2003
Buildings / photos for the Jorn Utzon Architect page welcome
Website: n/a
