"What were we supposed to build?" Peter Hall's conceptual conundrum

Dr Anne Watson, Independent Researcher and curator
When Peter Hall (1931-1995) accepted the invitation to complete the Sydney Opera House after Jørn Utzon’s withdrawal in early 1966, he inherited a logjam of problems including the unresolved designs of the two main auditoria and the building’s enclosing glass walls. Evolving a conceptual approach that tied innovation to function, he drew on the precedent of the building itself, Utzon’s ideas and designs, his own creativity and the contribution of technical experts.

This presentation will focus on Hall’s innovative use of moulded plywood throughout the Opera House interiors, his selection of bold colour schemes reflecting the lively spirit of the times, the visionary commissioning of artworks, and his pioneering collaboration with internationally-renowned lighting specialists. His legacy today is a performing arts centre that is beloved by visitors and performers and that aesthetically, functionally and experientially pays homage to the building’s spectacular exterior.