Drying leaves: folded and cylindrical plates structures as a design resource in the work of Jørn Utzon (1957–1976)

On winning the Sydney Opera House competition, Jørn Utzon faced the task of realising his design. The challenges posed by the podium impelled him to adopt a new approach in which structure became the core of the design process. This led to a period of experimentation with folded and cylindrical plate structures between 1957 and 1976. This article conducts a diachronic review of this period through the visual analysis of several projects. This analysis produces four main insights into the role of structure in Utzon’s design process. First, laminar structure typology played a central role in his creative method as a ‘preinventive’ form. Second, the constituent elements of the laminar structure determined the overall layout in each project. Third, the architectural form of his projects emerged from the integration of various project parameters through the structure. Fourth, and finally, variations in certain elements of folded and cylindrical sheet structures produced distinct subtypes. Utzon’s designs, with their rich, multifaceted character, demonstrate the potential of an architectural process that approaches design through structure.