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Ada Louise Huxtable, an architecture critic and a member of the Pritzker Prize jury, commented, "In a forty year practice, each commission displays a continuing development of ideas both subtle and bold, true to the teaching of early pioneers of a 'new' architecture, but that cohere in a prescient way, most visible now, to push the boundaries of architecture toward the present. This has produced a range of work from the sculptural abstraction of the Sydney Opera House that foreshadowed the avant garde expression of our time, and is widely considered to be the most notable monument of the 20th century, to handsome, humane housing and a church that remains a masterwork today."
Carlos Jimenez, an architect on the Pritzker Jury, noted that "...each work startles with with its irrepressible creativity. How else to explain the lineage binding those indelible ceramic sails on the Tasmanian Sea, the fertile optimism of the housing at Fredensborg, or those sublime undulations of the ceilings at Bagsværd, to name just three of Utzon’s timeless works."
Jørn Utzon died of a heart attack at age 90. He was survived by his wife and their three children, Kim, Jan and Lin, and several grandchildren who work in architecture and related fields.
At the end of his life, the Pritzker Prize-winning architect faced new challenges. A degenerative eye condition left Utzon nearly blind. Also, according to news reports, Utzon clashed with his son and grandson over a remodeling project at the Sydney Opera House. The acoustics at the Opera House was criticized, and many people complained that the celebrated theater did not have enough performance or backstage space.
There is no doubt, however, that the artistic clashes will be quickly forgotten as the world honors Jorn Utzon's powerful artistic legacy.
Learn more:
- Photo Tour: Architecture by Jørn Utzon
- Building Design: Utzons Clash Over Opera House Refurb
