The Sydney Opera House: A Fascinating Glimpse into Unprecedented Architectural Alternatives

The Sydney Opera House, which was opened on October 20, 1973, exactly 50 years ago this Friday, received significant attention when the late Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated it amidst great excitement. Despite being completed a decade behind schedule and significantly exceeding the budget, the distinctive design of the building did not initially resonate with Australians. However, over the years, its remarkable roof in the shape of shells has transformed it into an architectural symbol and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, drawing in more than 10 million visitors annually.

The result:

The successful proposal by Danish architect Jørn Utzon was only one out of 233 entries in an international design competition. Initiated in 1955 by New South Wales premier Joseph Cahill, a longstanding supporter of converting an old tram depot into an opera house, the competition garnered participants from more than 30 different countries.

A document known as the "Brown Book" outlined the competition criteria, specifying certain architectural requirements. These included a main hall capable of accommodating 3,000 to 3,500 people (although the final building's capacity is under 2,700) and parking space for 100 cars. The document also addressed factors such as ventilation and exit passageways. However, designers were encouraged to unleash their imaginations, with organizers imposing no limitation on the potential cost of implementing proposals.

Jørn Utzon's winning design has become one of the world's most recognizable buildings.

Courtesy NeoMam Studios

The Brown Book stated that entrants were required to submit black and white drawings, floor plans, diagrams, and a concise report that explained only matters not easily understood from the drawings. In 2019, NeoMam Studios and Projection Comunicación Arquitectónica, which is now closed, conducted research on the entries and created full-color visualizations of some of the proposals. They selected seven entries out of the 232 unsuccessful ones, basing their decision on the quality of the submissions and the amount of information provided to researchers.

NeoMam Studios CEO, Gisele Navarro, remembered in a phone interview with CNN that a few of the content fragments had intriguing stories, while others were projects they were confident they could excel at. There were also a few that they found amusing, thinking, "It would have been hilarious if they had selected something like this." Navarro praised the imaginative thinking displayed by some of the participants, even though she ultimately believed that the competition judges made the correct decision.

Here are seven alternative designs that were not chosen:

This submission, by the Philadelphia Collaborative Group, took second place in the design competition.

Gisele Navarro/Courtesy NeoMam Studios

According to researchers at NeoMam Studios, architects Paul Boissevain and Barbara Osmond impressed the competition judges with the promenade and "human scale" of their entry.

Not all designs came from professional architects. This art deco proposal was submitted by Sir Eugene Goossen, conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Gisele Navarro/Courtesy NeoMam Studios

A bold entry by Peter Kollar and Balthazar Korab Design was the highest-ranked Australian entry in the competition.

Gisele Navarro/Courtesy NeoMam Studios

This raised design by S. W. Milburn and Partners featured a helipad on the roof.

Gisele Navarro/Courtesy NeoMam Studios

A colorful entry by English firm Vine and Vine.

Gisele Navarro/Courtesy NeoMam Studios

American firm Kelly and Gruzen's entry had "a certain Vegas-style pizzazz," said NeoMam Studios, which used the design proposal to create this digital rendering.

Gisele Navarro/Courtesy NeoMam Studios