MADE by the Sydney Opera House

From L – R : Monica Edwards (SJB), Morten Stistrup, Victoria Judge (SJB), Andreas Kjærgaard, Signe Madsen, Adam Haddow + Eric the Yorkshire Terrier (SJB), Angela Chun (SJB), Asbjørn Eriknauer, Stefan Perriard

SJB is excited to be the host architectural firm for the 2019 MADE by the Opera House program, providing a ‘home base’ at our Sydney studio for the multi-disciplinary student team from Denmark.

Each year, five students from NSW and five students from a Danish tertiary institution take part in the Sydney Opera House’s MADE (Multidisciplinary Australian Danish Exchange) program aimed at fostering cultural relationships between Australia and Denmark. The program explores links between the two countries arising out of the role Jørn Utzon played in the innovative design and construction of the  Sydney Opera House.

During the six week program, the students will be mentored by SJB, Arup and Steensen Varming on a real-life brief. This year’s project asks the students to: ‘consider the visitor’s vertical ascent from the city to the Northern Foyers – through the lens of Utzon’s design principles and Renewal accessibility upgrades – to see how the Foyers can most naturally enhance, enrich and enliven the visitors experience of the Opera House.’

“To have a group of young thinkers in residence for six weeks is an amazing privilege,” says Adam Haddow, director at SJB. “We’re incredibly excited about the opportunity of learning through collaboration. This kind of sharing of experience, thinking and ambition is what we thrive on – professionally and personally. We look forward to this burst of intense engagement.”

In a nod to Utzon’s commitment to harmonious contrast and the value of difference, the student cohort is drawn from the varied built environment disciplines of architecture, industrial design and architectural engineering. To incubate the design process SJB will facilitate multiple workshops with the students on the challenges and opportunities of multi-disciplinary collaboration.

The students will present their creative proposals and response to brief at a final presentation hosted by Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron on Friday 16 August.

MADE by the Opera House is supported by:

The Sydney Opera House Trust and The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts – Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (Facilitators) ARUP, Steensen Varming and the NSW Architects Registration Board (Australian Partners) The Bikuben Foundation, the Dreyer Foundation and the Henrik Frode Obel Foundation (Danish Partners) AMP Capital (Australian Sponsor)