The Opera House is considered Utzon's chief work, and without comparison it is the world's most famous architectural work designed by a Danish architect.
Unforgettable images
The images pile up when you are looking at the Sydney Opera: a ship with sails suspended in the wind, a handful of white conches, or flapping bird's wings. Common to all the motifs is the architect's inspiration from nature.
At the same time grand and poetic, the Opera House is placed on a small point in Sydney Bay. At this spectacular location, the building resembles a fleet with its sails set, ready to depart or dock - in much the same way as Australian immigrants have long arrived by ship to the huge island.
A million white tiles
The building itself appears as a slightly floating formation of gigantic white shells in different sizes which rises above the terrace-shaped foundation and lifts its head towards the sky and the sea. With its more than one million white-glazed tiles, the roof shines and sparkles in the sun.
Utzon's Opera House is an architectural pearl - and a national pride both in Australia and Denmark. With its simple and lively shape and well-considered detail, it is regarded the most significant contribution to world architecture designed by a Danish architect.
Jeppe Villadsen is a freelance journalist and editor of the magazine KBH.
Sydney Opera House in profile
Photo: Jan Utzon