The original iconic modern building?

From Australia & New Zealand - April 99

Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect who was the (original) designer of the Sydney Opera House died earlier today.  As well as being one of the most controversial projects of its day (with scandals over cost over-runs, design arguments, and eventually leaving the project before completion) this is perhaps THE original modern design icon (my definition: a modern building the general public associate with a city), long before Guggenheim, Scottish Parliament or Birdsnest.  Admittedly it has been fairly criticized for poor acoustics and lack of backstage space, and I'm sure we architects could come up with a list of other candidates, but could the general public?

By coincidence, before I read the news, I had been sorting and uploading some of my older photographs; including some from my trip to Australia and New Zealand in 1999, when I was in Sydney for a few days. So the picture of the opera house is a badly scanned one of my own. At the time I remember not wanting to be disappointed by it, and from the outside I wasn't; the interior (not completed to Utzon's design) was another story though, and I was pretty much underwhelmed. My friend Nikki is in the picture just reaching the top of those steps, I wonder where she is now?

To add some local interest, before setting up his own office in 1950 Utzon worked with our local hero, Alvar Aalto, as well as his Swedish contemporary Gunnar Asplund.  

His masterwork, flaws and all, is without doubt his lasting memorial.