Over the years, we have written about the project and its value to Sydney, Australia, and the world on numerous occasions some of the key publications are:
- Avoiding the successful failure (2007)
- Rethinking Construction – Stakeholder Management in the Construction Industry (2007)
- Success and Stakeholders (2009)
- What price should you pay for perfection? (2014)
- Understanding Design – The challenge of informed consent (2014)
- Defining Project Success using Project Success Criteria (2017)
These blogs and papers identify three overriding issues:
- The project ran massively over time and over budget during construction.
- To save costs the project was taken over by a government committee which redesigned the interior. Politics and cost cutting resulted in a very disappointing interior.
- The building is an iconic success.
To rectify the internal shortcomings and revitalize the venue the NSW government committed to a $300 million, 10-year program of works in 2012. The improvements were to be carried out based on the venue’s Conservation Management Plan, to ensure the original design intent for the interiors created by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed by an Australian architectural team led by Peter Hall was respected.
The final major project in the NSW government’s ‘decade of renewal’ for the landmark, was the complete refurbishment of the concert hall. Following two and a half years of renovations (and $150 million), this venue opened on 20th July 2022. All remaining works are expected to be completed ahead of the year of celebrations in 2023 to commemorate the buildings 50th anniversary.
One can only wonder how much could have been saved if Jørn Utzon had been allowed to complete the project in the 1970s without political interference.
Pat Weaver
Lynda Bourne
Aavssitedev's Blog