Sydney Opera House

This competition was organised by the government of New South Wales to find a design for the construction of a National Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

Keywords : Culture, Urban Landscape

Competition results

Winning prizes

Theme and objectives

The competition was intended to select an architect and a design for the new Opera House, located in Sydney Harbour on a site known as Bennelong Point.

The idea of creating an opera house in Sydney had been on the drawing board for several decades, although it wasn’t until the mid-1950s that the project actually took form.

The competition programme provided for the construction of four independent rooms with all the necessary ancillary facilities:

The largest of the halls was to host the annual opera season and concerts by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and was to have a capacity of 2,800;
The second auditorium, with 1,100 seats, would be used for smaller dramatic performances;
Two other halls, with 400 and 300 seats, would be used for experimental theatre, chamber music and various meetings.

Key criteria

For this competition, the principal design requirements were:

The building could be located anywhere upon the site other than its eastern and western boundaries. The location of the building and landscaping of the remaining site was left entirely to the discretion of participants;
A landscaped, attractive paved forecourt or square forming an approach to the building from Macquarie Street;
A corresponding landscaped area on the northern promontory of Bennelong Point, overlooking the Harbour, should the scheme so permit;
It was to be assumed that on the western side a road link would be provided between Circular Quay and the Opera House. Facilities for ferry services approaching on the east would also be provided;
Service areas for kitchens and stages, together with proper unloading and loading facilities;
Adequate areas for people arriving and leaving by car;
Parking for approximately 100 cars;
Parking space for the public within the building itself was not required.

Jury Members

The jury received over 220 entries from 28 different countries. The jury was composed of the following members:

Pr. Henry Ingham Ashworth, Architect, AUSTRALIA;
Cobden Parkes, Architect, AUSTRALIA;
Dr. John Leslie Martin, Architect, UNITED KINGDOM;
Eero Saarinen, Architect, USA.

Eligibility

The promoters of this international competition invited architects from all around the world to participate in it.

Results

Competition closed. Results announced on January 1957

COMPETITION RESULTS