Sydney Opera House BIM found after 30 years

It’s a real, not computer, model but was created to aid design and construction, not just as a promotional device, so I think it qualifies as a BIM.

The original Sydney Opera House on show at the University - News & Events - The University of Sydney
The perspex model, which took seven years to build, will be on display at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Sydney until December this year. The University is hosting the first public showing of a 1966 model of the Sydney Opera House in more than 30 years.”

Sydney Opera House model found after 30 years - www.nzherald.co.nz
“The model, which was based on 8,000 detailed drawings, is 4.5m long by 3m wide by 1.8m high. It was designed to help contractors solve the engineering challenges posed by the unusually shaped building, such as how to install ventilation and air conditioning systems.”

Comments

[Jack Yan]

Thanks, Robin! It was among my faves. Another one had a sign for Australian Idol in the foreground, which was a good pic in terms of contrasting an ugly sign with a beautiful building.

[Robin Capper]

Nice Photo, I think I have some buried in negative boxes somewhere, that's another winter project - scanning negs!

[Jack Yan]

http://www.jyanet.com/press/coverage.htm

[Jack Yan]

It’s still a stunning building. Like you, I visit it when I am in Sydney. It’s a shame for me as I had a contact who worked there and she was not around to give me a free tour when I visited in 2004—then she quit her job! Coincidentally, I tweaked one of our web pages and added a photo I took, at .

[Robin Capper]

I was about 12 when I first visited Sydney, before then had read a book about the Opera house construction* so seeing it for real was a highlight of the trip. I was totally captivated by the design. The projects political influence was a debacle; that Utzon was effectively fired, forced to resign, a disgrace. It's a building I make time to visit whenever I go to Sydney.

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com has the history (about the house menu) and an awesome vitural tour (tours menu).

*Perhaps that's why I'm a sucker for the megabuilder type doco's today...

[Jack Yan]

Beautiful. And as I understood it, the architect was so pissed with what the committee did to the interior—claiming that his version could not work acoustically—that he went back to Denmark, vowing never to return. Even when the government figured the guy was right (someone used a computer model to prove it) and offered him a bundle to come back a few years ago, he sent his son. I still think this is one of the great buildings of the world and an example of creative modernism.