Uploaded on 2015-05-28 by BrianFuller

The Sydney Opera House is one such building. Visible are: • Two gleaming white “main sails” sited over a pink terrazzo stone plinth sitting a top the waters of Sydney Harbor. • The harbor setting adjoining buildings (of different architectural style). • Residential buildings on the northern (opposite) side of the harbor. Invisible (there are many) are: • The revolutionary design and construction of the urban sculpture behind the sails, (which was one of the most difficult engineering tasks to have been attempted at that time), and the beneath the water construction detail. • The design competition that resulted in the winning entry, having being plucked from a pile of previously discarded submissions, subsequently being hailed as unexpected, bold and visionary. • The budget overruns, architect’s resignation, changes to the brief, political controversy, and people protests all before its completion. • Eight years of construction and 3 years for the development of the special ceramic tiles for the sails. • World Heritage Committee deliberations that declared… “it stands by itself as one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind.” • The cultural, historical, educational and economic benefits that are generated from such an iconic building. It is the last “invisible” that offers the opportunity to capture information and knowledge that may benefit future deliberations and justifications for other iconic landmark buildings. This one building contributes significantly to the tourist dollar earned by the Australian economy. Millions more people visit the Opera House as a tourist destination than attend the Opera or Symphony. The economic stimuli generated by the building, its forecourts, restaurants etc and it’s overall “pull” on the world stage far outweigh all the costs (financial and other) that were incurred during it controversial design and construction period. Recording all of the data relating to its design and construction, controversy, and the contribution that it makes to the overall economy (as opposed to its own income) can only provide direction and leadership toward other economically enhancing landmark buildings. ![enter image description here][1] [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14328085804443481.jpg