Stage
I (1959–1963) consisted of building
the upper podium. Stage II (1963–1967)
saw the construction of the outer shells.
Stage III consisted of the interior design
and construction (1967–73). Stage
I was started on December 5, 1958, and
work commenced on the podium on May 5,
1959 by the firm of Civil & Civic.
The government had pushed for work to
begin so early because they were afraid
funding, or public opinion, might turn
against them. However major structural
issues still plagued the design (most
notably the sails, which were still parabolic
at the time). By January 23, 1961, work
was running 47 weeks behind, mainly due
to unexpected difficulties (wet weather,
unexpected difficulty diverting stormwater,
construction beginning before proper engineering
drawings had been prepared, changes of
original contract documents). Work on
the podium was finally completed on August
31, 1962.
Sydney
Opera House shell ribsStage II, the shells
were originally designed as a series of
parabolas, however engineers Ove Arup
and partners had not been able to find
an acceptable solution to constructing
them. In mid 1961 Utzon handed the engineers
his solution to the problem, the shells
all being created as ribs from a sphere
of the same radius. This not only satisfied
the engineers, and cut down the project
time drastically from what it could have
been (it also allowed the roof tiles to
be prefabricated in sheets on the ground,
instead of being stuck on individually
in mid-air), but also created the wonderful
shapes so instantly recognisable today.
Ove Arup and partners supervised the construction
of the shells, estimating on April 6,
1962 that it would be completed between
August 1964 and March 1965. By the end
of 1965, the estimated finish for stage
II was July 1967.
|
|
