Jørn Oberg Utzon
1918-2008 (Denmark)
Born in Copenhagen in 1918 and raised in Aalborg, it is sometimes easy to overlook the fact that Jørn Oberg Utzon was so much more that 'the man who designed the Sydney Opera House'. Indeed, his work as a furniture designer holds many of the hallmarks of his most iconic design, with the smooth, organic curves, fresh bright panels and geometric, angular flourishes. The influence of some of his mentors, from Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen to Poul Henningsen and the Eames, heavily influenced his work in his Copenhagen studio, along with the iconic lighting and furniture pieces he would produce while settled in Sydney. It is little wonder, then, that he is still seen as a national hero in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
"Models are one of the most beautiful design tools."
Born in Copenhagen in 1918 and raised in Aalborg, it is sometimes easy to overlook the fact that Jørn Oberg Utzon was so much more that 'the man who designed the Sydney Opera House'. Indeed, his work as a furniture designer holds many of the hallmarks of his most iconic design, with the smooth, organic curves, fresh bright panels and geometric, angular flourishes. The influence of some of his mentors, from Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen to Poul Henningsen and the Eames, heavily influenced his work in his Copenhagen studio, along with the iconic lighting and furniture pieces he would produce while settled in Sydney. It is little wonder, then, that he is still seen as a national hero in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
"Models are one of the most beautiful design tools."
