V.L. Jordan and Jørn Utzon: Acoustic and architectural interactions in the early design of the Major Hall at the Sydney Opera House, 1957-1962

Abstract

Vilhelm Lassen Jordan was the first acoustician engaged by Jørn Utzon to work on the Sydney Opera House. Jordan was a Danish acoustic engineer whose advice was based in strictly scientific, quantifiable acoustics, combined with precedent. He was a pioneer in acoustic modeling. Jordan had a major influence on Utzon’s first scheme for the Major Hall—a “rectangular “ form showing Jordan’s classic approach to acoustic design. Utzon’s second, “faceted” scheme, developed between August 1960 and September 1963, was architecturally compelling but showed little of Jordan’s influence. Jordan complained of the architect’s “fancies” in the design, and by 1962 Utzon believed that Jordan had “given up.” In June 1962, Utzon brought in Lothar Cremer and Werner Gabler from the Berlin Institute for Technical Acoustics, acousticians who provided scientific acoustic expertise and also worked with Utzon to integrate their acoustic recommendations into his design. This paper focuses on Jordan’s early acoustic input into the design of the Major Hall, including his collaboration with Utzon on the first (rectangular) scheme and his early design of the second (faceted) scheme. It also considers dichotomies between science and art in the early design approaches of Jordan, Cremer and Gabler for the Major Hall.