Gradation of Direction
Jørn Utzon’s design for the Sydney Opera House was influenced by the movement of sailing boats on Sydney Harbour. The buildings shells use a graduation of direction to suggest the arc of sails as they are buffeted by the harbour breezes.
A gradation of direction is also used to create the organic curves of the large glass curtain walls from flat sheets of glass.
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Jørn Utzon (1918-2008) Sydney Opera House – Opened 1973
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Part of Renzo Piano’s structure on Genova Harbour is made up of huge steel spars, anchored to a point in the harbour and held in place by a complex arrangement of cables and pulleys. The spars fan out across the steel and fabric roof they suspend. The graduation in direction of the spars and rigging play a major part in the function and impact of the design.
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Renzo Piano - Genova Harbour Project