My Country and My People and Sydney Opera House: The missing link

A new study reveals that Jørn Utzon's architectural philosophy, particularly his design of the Sydney Opera House, was profoundly influenced by Chinese writer Lin Yutang's work 'My Country and My People' (1935). The research demonstrates how Lin's conceptualization of Chinese art and architecture shaped Utzon's early manifestoes and design projects, ultimately guiding the principles behind the Opera House. Despite Utzon's forced resignation in 1966, leaving the project unfinished, his designs retained a lasting imprint of Lin Yutang's aesthetics, evident in calligraphy, painting, and architecture. The study systematically documents this understudied relationship, offering fresh insights into one of the world's most iconic architectural masterpieces.

Chiu, C.-Y., Goad, P., Myers, P., & Kılınçer, N. Y. (2019). My Country and My People and Sydney Opera House: The missing link. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 8(2), 136–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2019.03.002