UTZON, JRN

born April 9, 1918, Copenhagen Danish architect best known for his dynamic, imaginative, but problematical design for the Sydney Opera House, Australia. Utzon studied at the Copenhagen School of Architecture (193742) and then spent three years in Stockholm, where he came under the influence of the Swedish architect Erik Gunnar Asplund. He also studied in the United States, and, for a six-month period in 1946, he worked in the office of the Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. Among his important early works were two houses in Denmark, his own at Hallebk (1952) and another at Holte (195253). In 1956 Utzon's dramatic design for the new opera house at Sydney placed first in competition and brought him international fame. Construction, however, posed a variety of problems, many resulting from the innovative nature of the design, a series of saillike shells. He resigned from the project in 1966, but construction continued until September 1973. The completed Opera House is now Sydney's best-known landmark. Utzon is also noted for two housing estates, one near Helsingr (1956) and another in Fredensborg in northern Sjlland (195760). Both made effective use of the surrounding terrain. His Bagsuaerd Church (1976) in suburban Copenhagen has the appearance of clustered farm buildings. He was given numerous awards for his works, including a gold medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1978.