Development of Sydney Opera House - Report Example

Sydney Opera House Name: Lecturer: Course: Date: Introduction Sydney Opera House is a ‘tour de force’ of modern architecture. The structure is internationally renowned for being an excellent performing arts centre and treasured for its great architectural work of the 20th century (Sydney Opera House 2014). It was created with the view of providing a stunning backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Launched in 1973, the structure has become a symbol of Sydney and Australia despite its short history (Sydney Opera House 2014). Expert evaluation by Anter et al (2009) indicates that Sydney Opera House represents numerous strands of creativity in structural design and architectural form. Today, Sydney Opera House is a distinguished icon of Sydney and Australia. While it has been historically documented, a survey of literature shows that it is yet to be investigated with regards to the concepts of modernity, and postmodernity (Sydney Opera House 2014). Based on this backdrop, it is argued that while modernity and postmodernity are not consciously in the society’s current frame of mind, they provide the groundwork for the development of Sydney Opera House. Accordingly, this paper examines the facets of Sydney Opera House through application of the tradition, modern and postmodern concepts to gain a greater insight of the bridge and the present-day moment. The concepts of modernism and post-modernism As a cultural concept, modernism refers to the state of being up-to-date, contemporary or having aspects of newness, new standards, and advocacy of concepts of the existing times (Arfaei et al 2012). Modernism is, according to Stone-Mediotore (2002) essentially a worldview, aesthetics or enlightenment that seems to be anchored in divergent areas of music, poetry, arts, theatre, painting and sculpture. Indeed, modernism consists of processes investigating into thoughts, conscience, and artistic expressions that have a link to underlying cultures. On the other hand, postmodernism concept takes regard of reconceptualising or transforming elements or styles that were traditionally dubbed as modern into more advance development. Arfaei et al (2012) argues that the basis of postmodernism should be looked for in post-structuralism since post-structuralism is perfectly grounded and distinct principle reflecting objectivity. Sydney Opera House’s Construction and evolution Modernism notion upholds and praises science used in the construction of the Sydney Opera House (Sharah 2012). Development was encouraged, which further triggered the society to pressurise the construction of the Opera House. Ideas of secularisation and equality were linked to the site. Ultimately, renewed interest in the history of the site accrued from postmodernism ideas of looking back on the past, which raised questions regarding exploiting the past. The Sydney Opera House is well understandable as a site of chaos from the postmodern perspectives since it represents a host of meanings (Sydney Opera House 2014). Indeed, Sydney would not be a cultural centre, as it is known today without the impacts of these concepts. Modernity and postmodernity present an account of how the Sydney Opera House evolved over time to assume its current state. The site was opened in 1973 and was viewed as a symbol of modernity since it symbolised technological dexterity. For this reason, it indicated Sydney’s advancement from the notion of agrarian settlement into one of a modern-day metropolis. The site’s role has been diversified through the years. Initially, it was viewed as a functional cultural (Sydney Opera House 2014). However, it has assumed various meanings and roles, thus poses as s centre point for societal expression in a range of ways. As Salberg et al (2009) argue, concept of modernity and postmodernism rationalise the various facets surrounding the site such as progress, science and technology, societal response to the site, renaissance of interest in Australian history and a platform for a range of meanings. Therefore, these concepts promote an understanding of the reasons why the site transformed into what it is today and has it affects the present-day Sydney life. Science and technology Sydney Opera House’s construction depended on the application of science and technology, which Sharah (2012) views as fundamental feature of modernity. As explained by Sharah (2012), science is essentially an epitome of enlightened reason since it espoused the enlightenment idea of rationality in addition to its application to the society was conceived to result in its development. In Cordell and Judith’s (1987) depiction of Australian society in the 1950s, the society is seen as having supported the modernist mind-set of reason and hence applied scientific knowledge as the white settlers of Sydney, and as people of healthy visions and mindset compared to the Aboriginal Australians, who were viewed as primitive in terms of their capacity to develop Sydney Opera House and attain modernist objectives of turning chaos into order (Sydney Opera House 2014). Architects gained knowledge and expertise in building the site through experimentation and experience at modern institutes that were an outcome of enlightenment (Stone-Mediotore 2002). As a result, they had the courage to apply own understanding. This reflects the modernism perspective. The modernism concept offers and explanation to rationalise the strong desire of colonies in the late 1950s to conquer nature through construction of an arts centre at the Sydney Harbour. Indeed, before the white settlement, the harbour had remained in its natural state, unexploited by the Indigenous Australians who had no need or expertise to construct the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which conceptualised the construction of Sydney Opera House. This reflects the traditional view (ABS 2012). According Sharah (2012), science and technology laboured to see the construction and development of architectural designs in the 1950s. Within the context of Sydney Opera, the Danish architect who conceptualised the site called Jørn Utzon proclaimed that modern-day engineering had enabled mankind to reconceptualise engineering to conquer nature in order to bring human happiness to future generations. Genoni (2012) reconceptualising or transforming elements or styles that were traditionally dubbed as modern into more advance development reflect the post-modernism perspective. This postmodernism idea explains why the site was accorded the function of bringing human happiness to future generations. Progress and advancements Sharah (2012) points out that modernism embrace progress and creation of a new world from legacy of the past. By Taking Sharah’s (2012) view into perspective, it is reasoned that the Sydney Opera House is a symbol of progress, and that its architectural concepts and connotations are understandable through application of a range of modernist concepts of progress. In the 1950s, the society was breaking up from past colonial practices that upheld chaos between the Aboriginal Australians and the white settlers towards embracing the complex Australian cultures (Genoni 2012). To this end, the society needed a facility that could bridge the chaos in Australia. Indeed, the reasons explaining the society’s readiness to embrace progress and move into the modern age that met the societal demands is understandable by applying Sharah’s (2012) opinion, which proposes that modernism encompasses removing the society’s fears of stagnation and change. As Sydney embraced progress, the Sydney Opera House was constructed to offer the city the capacity to advance forth from an agrarian settlement in the second half of the 20th century, towards and modern and industrial city. Indeed, as Sharah (2012) explains, Sydney gained reputation for being the Australian version of New York is an epitome of urban epitome. To this end, Sydney Opera House feature as a trigger for premodernism and a change to Sydney as witnessed today (Sydney Opera House 2014). In fact, within Anter’s et al (2009) perspective, the reinvention of Sydney Opera House as a postmodern structure has been ongoing and could be date to the last one decade. Arfaei et al (2012) explains that the key feature of postmodernism range from synthesis of a range of styles of art, assimilating different images and advanced capitalist societies of the early 21stt century and philosophy. Societal response to Sydney Opera House Application of use of cultural symbols of architecture is, according to Sharah (2012), a major trigger of conflict between modernism and postmodernism. According to Salberg et al (2009), while modernism is focused on the culture in the building, post-modernism focuses on multinational response. Put differently, it could be argued that a mixed style of cultures has varied functions instead of merely insisting in one culture. According to Celik (2012), the typical representation of modernism buildings by postmodernist architectural theorists is a mass of building that is stuck in their culture, which attracts societal response of the immediate cultures. Within the context of modernism, the societal response to Sydney Opera House can be analysed through Salberg’s et al (2009) notion of ‘enlightenment period. Sharah (2012) commented that the enlightenment period promoted the idea of equality. Before the start of the construction of the site in the 1950s, Sydney was politically, socially, and physically divided. However, the site was viewed as a symbol shared by every social class in Sydney. The idea of equality is understandable through the decision to make the launch of the Sydney Opera House a public affair, rather than being restrained to the rich and influential, reinforced by permitting all social classes to enter the opera house for purposes of entertainment. To this end, the site became an icon of oneness to the society. While the Sydney Opera House has remained in public ownership, the modernist perspective of the site in uniting people with shared aims and ideals, despite of the class is yet to be fully turned out (Anter et al 2009). In respect to post-modernism view, the architectural structure has a range of buildings that attract cosmopolitan response. Indeed, it is regarded as the business performing arts centre attended by an estimated 1.2 million and that host some 1,500 performance annually from across the globe (Sydney Opera House 2014). Accordingly, it could be reasoned that the heterogeneity of postmodernism in respect to the Sydney Opera House is its ability to attract visitors from across the world, since it has a range of meanings that represent different cultures. This conception is fittingly expounded on by Stone-Mediatore (2002). In his view, postmodernism speaks to human senses regarding universal meanings and truths or exposure to plurality or human experience of striving to fit into any one culture (Stone-Mediatore 2002). Renaissance of interest in Australian history Renewed interests in Australian history can be explained through the postmodernism view, which proposes the review of historical values and invigorated interest on depending on past histories and styles. As stated by East (2013), the 1970s marked an interest in the historical designs of the 1920-1939 period, what he terms as the Art Deco period. This presented sufficient justification for renewed interest in the Sydney Opera House, as it was largely a product of Art Deco styling, since its shape reflect the Art Deco motif. While the NSW Government, which was led by Premier Joseph Cahill, authorised start of the construction in 1958, with architect Utzon conceptualising the design, their idea of the structure was conceptualised in the 1930s by Eugene Goossens, the then Director of the NSW State Conservatorium of Music. Hence, the entire concept was based on the idea of postmodernism. NSW Government wanted the bridge to be a landmark of the 1950s, so that the future generations would judge the 1950 generation by their works (Sydney Opera House 2014). To this end, while the modernism ideas of the 1950s attempted to physically obliterate the past through advancements and progress, the society was in fact laying the foundation for new history. In fact, the Sydney Opera House today remains an intact structure of the past as it provides a connection with Sydney’s history and the hope of the people of the past, who strove for advancement and therefore leverage scientific and technological advancements. According to Sharah (2012), postmodernism is linked to the heritage industry as the two elements work jointly to create an intervention between history and the modern-day life, as well as the commercialisation of history. As a result, post-modernism is centred on aspects of the past that have helped in the growth of Sydney Opera House to suit the current cultures (Stone-Mediatore 2002). In respect to the Sydney Opera House, post-modernism does raise the question regarding whether history should really appreciate the past and whether it indeed serves to exploit history to address the society’s demands in order to make profit. Present role in society The postmodernism ideas of chaos and disintegration and the elements of the past and present combine to rationalise Sydney Opera House’s current role in the society. The primary role of the site was to serve as a cultural and entertainment centre, and therefore, any connotations of the opera house linked to it included a symbol of progress, optimism, hope and technological advancement after the Second World War. To this end, Gasciogne (2010), modernism view of enlightenment can also be drawn into perspective. According to Sharah (2012), the opera house followed the ‘enlightenment notion of human identity. Foucalt’s theory of a subject with a range of discourses that are influenced by individual interpretation and social context is also relevant in this regard (Sharah 2012). Indeed, post-modernism is more applicable in understanding why the opera house has multiple meanings. For instance, the opera house is today a tourism image, which contrasts its traditional connotation as providing equality between the non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians. Hence, it features as a tourist Mecca, which is marketed globally as a brand. This depicts the 21st century frame of mind that is more informed by postmodernism ideas rather than the modernism ideas of the 1950s (Stone-Mediatore 2002). Conclusion While Modernity and postmodernity are not consciously in the society’s current frame of mind, they provide the groundwork for understanding the development and evolution of Sydney Opera House. Ultimately, gaining an insight into the multiple elements of Sydney Opera House is indeed possible through the application of the ideas of modernism and postmodernism. The two assist in rationalising the reasons for construction of the site, and why the society had particular attitudes towards the opera house, why it has a range of connotations, as well as why the society has embraced and preserved the site’s history. Indeed, Sydney city would not be, as it is known today without the influence of modernism and postmodernism ideas, since they are fundamental aspects on which the opera house is anchored in despite the current society’s failure to realise this consciously. References ABS 2012, “Unity and Diversity: The History And Culture Of Aboriginal Australia,” Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 16 Nov 2014 Anter, V, Hansson, E, Reynolds, O & Tessard, A 2009, The Sydney Opera House Stakeholder Management and Project Success, viewed 16 Nov 2014, Arfaei, A & Rahman, A 2012, "Three of concepts: Modernism, Postmodernism and globalization," Elixir Soc. Sci. vol 43, pp.6643-6649 Celik, S 2012, Has Postmodern Architecture Killed Modern Architecture? viewed 16 Nov 2014, Cordell, J & Judith, F1987, “Torres Strait: Cultural Identity and the Sea, “Cultural Survival Quarterly vol11 no 2, pp.1-4 East, J 2013, Australia's First International Architect: A Sketch of the Life and Career of Jack F. 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