Winter 2015

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UTZON UNTOLD KUWAIT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: THE MAKING OF A MASTERPIECE IN CONVERSATION

Hailing from a Danish design dynasty, Jan Utzon speaks to Charlotte Shalgosky about working with his father, the globally-recognized Jørn Utzon, on his design of the Kuwait National Assembly.

Jan Utzon greets me warmly, even and environmental sympathies in his native he is strikingly most eloquently; a building that, tall. Looking much younger than his when it frst opened, epitomized seventy-plus years his limber frame the simplicity and the sensitivity of and sparkling eyes are remarkably Utzon’s understated brilliance as reminiscent of his father, Jørn, much as his love of the Middle East. with whom he worked so closely Even before it was completed, the throughout his life. late British architectural critic Stephen Gardiner wrote “When fnished, it Jørn Utzon died in 2008 having won will be one of the great buildings almost every architectural prize of the world”. and accolade, and having been lauded for his visionary designs. In 1968, when the competition Columbia University Professor, to design the Kuwait National Kenneth Frampton, wrote in the Assembly was being held, Jan Harvard Design Magazine “Nobody was just starting out on his own can study the future of architecture career in architecture in Denmark; without Jørn Utzon”. he had already been working with his father on the groundbreaking But while his name will forever be design for Bagsværd Church in the synonymous with his inimitable outskirts of the Danish capital. Jørn in Australia, invited Oktay Nayman, a top Turkish it is the great sweeping strokes of architect with whom he’d worked - Jan Utzon Kuwait’s National Assembly that in Sydney, to make the drawings international architect show his architectonic craftsmanship for the competition proposal that 48 49 culture and traditions of Kuwait, to consider entering a similar both places were rooted in historic competition to design Kuwait’s seafaring traditions, shipbuilding and National Assembly. Australia’s loss shellfsh, especially oysters, shells would be Kuwait’s gain. of which have been found on 8th and 9th century archeological sites Jørn Utzon’s innate curiosity in Kuwait. in different cultures, styles of building and especially vernacular The tall windows at the entrance of architecture, added to his Kuwait National Assembly building Scandinavian roots and work in allowed the turquoise sea to be Aalborg shipyards, gave him a seen and Kuwait’s strong sunlight vocabulary unlike any other. His to food into the building’s main early wanderings through Saudi central corridor. Stephen Gardiner Arabia, Morocco and Iran and his claimed this was no coincidence: impromptu foray into China in the “…Here there is an echo of the sea; late 1950s (where he jumped off an The Utzons, Jørn (left) and Jan (right) the Kuwaitis lifeline for survival”. offcial tour and ventured solo into the rarely seen Chinese hinterland) he would ultimately win; he asked traffc. Jørn leapt from the car and glassware produced by other family Even in his some of his early sketches would all profoundly inspire and Jan to make the frst model of the returned within minutes, clutching members. This meticulous nature of the Kuwait National Assembly infuence his work, including the Kuwait National Assembly. a large pebble grabbed from the could be found in the boat-building Utzon incorporated the sea, always National Assembly. Today, perched side of the road. Taking out a pen techniques and scale models that connecting man and nature. When across from the glittering shores Speaking to me from Istanbul Oktay he signed the rock and held it up to Aage Utzon created which would Jan visited, he often rented a boat of the Gulf on ’s main says that “From the frst sketches, so his audience jubilantly “That will be infuence Jørn immensely. It was to view the site from the water. coastal artery, Utzon’s gloriously simple and so beautiful a concept, I the color of the National Assembly Aage who helped Jørn build the serried columns that form the thought it was a winner”. He speaks building!” frst model of Sydney Opera House. Jørn Utzon’s work in Australia and National Assembly’s unmissable warmly of Jørn’s charisma that in his controversial early departure from exterior façade are juxtaposed with many ways, has been inherited by Geoff Pollitt later confesses that Aage Utzon’s voluptuous, hand-built the Sydney Opera House project an avenue of interior columns that the following generations of creatively- there was no way to control the sailing boats can be seen at Aalborg’s in 1966 produced “extraordinarily refect Chinese bamboo, sliced so as minded Utzons, “especially Jan”. He color consistency of the hundreds , surrounded by endless malicious publicity and negative to create a crescent-shape cut-out at recalls Jørn’s own description of of precast concrete elements that displays of Utzons’ drawings, models criticism” according to American its tip. Immense bottle-shaped pillars the design for Kuwait as ‘the art of were being fabricated on site. In and photographs, as well as regular architect Frank Gehry, who went appear invisibly interlocked with an noble simplicity’. the end, the entire building was seasonal exhibits. Lasse Andersson, on to praise Utzon for persevering undulating precast concrete canopy subjected to the indignity of an all- the Center’s Director, points out the through the vitriolic backlash “to build that crowns the porte-cochère, the To formalize the project, Jørn few to over whitewash. delicate curves of the boat’s prow a building that changed the image roof being inspired by the fowing Kuwait to meet HH the Amir. He and and turns to a small scale-model of of an entire country.” fabric of Bedouin tents. Jan were met at Kuwait airport by Over lunch, in barely-accented English, Sydney Opera House. The shape of Geoff Pollitt a young British engineer Jan describes his father’s upbringing the Opera House roof is unmistakably When the Opera House was ultimately The many modular elements that give who had been hired to manage the in the northern Denmark town of a refection and repetition of the fnished, it was evident that many of the National Assembly’s footprint a build. Pollitt warmly recalls the two Aalborg and how creativity coursed shape of the front of the boat, those tiny, but technically brilliant mosaic-like effect refect a concept tall Danes towering over the fowing through two previous generations mounted vertically. details of Utzonian genius — that has been traditionally used white dishdashas in the Arrivals Hall. of Utzons. such as the original plan for the widely across the Far East, South Though Jan and Jørn would work The family had grown up surrounded internal acoustics–had been sorely East Asia and the Middle East, where together on the National Assembly It was Aage Utzon, Jørn’s father, by nature and Jørn and Jan’s works overlooked. extended families live in shared from the early designs of the 70s a highly respected naval engineer are deeply infuenced by landscape. quarters and spaces, connected through to the National Assembly’s who brought his family to live in Though Jørn was not academically After what Jørn himself termed “the to courtyards, pools or gardens. This completion in 1982, it was Jan who Aalborg. Aage Utzon was known gifted, he had barely scraped through scandal” of Sydney, the Utzons is the Utzon genius. In an interview did the traveling to and from Kuwait. for his thoroughness and attention his school exams, he quickly became relocated to Hawaii. In 1968 Jørn Jørn Utzon explained that large Pollitt tells how while driving the to detail – a virtue keenly embraced a talented draughtsman. On a trip was encouraged by respected British structures were “much more easily guests to the Sheraton Hotel in Kuwait by the later generations of Utzons, to the Utzon Center in Aalborg I architect Sir Leslie Martin—who, and naturally managed by building City Jørn yelled for the driver to stop not just in architecture or drawings, refect how the Utzons’ home town coincidentally had been one of the complexes which are divided up on a busy roundabout in chaotic but in the textiles, ceramics and shared striking parallels with the judges of the Sydney competition, into different entities”, and told of Self-portrait, Jørn Utzon

50 51 Precast concrete is assembled in sections

his inspiration in part, by the work play. Thus Kuwait National Assembly contribution to global architecture of the great Finnish architect, Alvar brought together a vast array of that exemplifed the brilliance of Aalto. This same modular design infuences and building techniques Utzon and the farsightedness of interspersed with courtyards and that crept into later projects such as Kuwait’s leadership. colonnades can also be seen in the the Paustian furniture showroom and two homes Jørn built for his family restaurant in where we Almost a century after his birth, on the Spanish island of Mallorca. are taking lunch. From the restaurant I the Utzon legacy lives on in Jørn’s fnd myself facing a strangely familiar children and grandchildren, who are In the Jørn Utzon Logbook, Volume IV white concrete arcade comprising continuing that creative bloodline. Prefab, published by Editon Bløndal, of tall regular columns and a high- Jørn Utzon underlines how the vaulted, precast concrete canopy. To this day, the Kuwait National National Assembly in Kuwait needed Assembly remains an outstanding to incorporate local traditions. “And Yet Jørn Utzon’s real passion came piece of work and stands together as a guideline for Jan and me” he from the people, affrms Jan over with Utzon's most innovatiove wrote, “it was obvious that it had to lunch. He saw the National Assembly masterpieces: Bagsværd church When finished, it will be be the Arabs’ way of life and customs building being about the people not in Denmark and the Sydney Opera in this place”. just serving a function. Jørn was an house in Australia. The majesty of architect who was above all inspired the Kuwait National Assembly is one of the great buildings To that effect he based the plan of the by humanity. tangible both inside and out; the Kuwait National Assembly on the plan powerful use of the light, the sea and of the world. of a Middle Eastern ‘souq’ or market Since its inception Utzon’s National Utzon's beloved linear repetition. whereby a central axis, or avenue, Assembly in Kuwait has seen a series would form the spine of a grid, from of modifcations and serious damage In an echo of Gardiner's prophecy which smaller ‘streets’ radiated at during the Iraqi invasion. Ever the many would conclude that not only - British Architect and Critic right angles. Offces consisting of a pragmatist, Jørn himself knew that is this one of the great buildings of series of square modules would be change would be inevitable, asserts the world but, in its original form, Stephen Gardiner punctuated with small courtyards. Sheridan Burke, who works with Jan it was quite simply, the greatest. A and a small team to conserve the building that encapsulated a love Jørn understood the strength of the Utzonian legacy in Sydney. The for a region and a profound respect Kuwait sun, how shadow was an team laid down certain principles for its inhabitants. important element of any structure in Sydney to ensure the Utzon vision and how regular repetitions of simple would be honored and the spirit of his geometric shapes could produce a work retained. In terms of its legacy, IMAGES COURTESY OF THE further dimension to surfaces when Kuwait National Assembly was not UTZON FAMILY, GEOFF POLLITT, sun, or shadow were brought into simply a gift to Kuwait but a timeless TORSTEN BLØNDAL ©PETER WIBROE 52 53 Sketch by Jørn Utzon 2000 “Nobody can study the future of architecture without Jørn Utzon”.

- Ware Professor of Architecture Columbia University New York, Kenneth Frampton

Here there is an echo of the sea; the Kuwaitis lifeline for survivaL

- British Architect and Critic, Stephen Gardiner ©CARSTEN BO ANDERSEN 54 55 CONSTRUCTION

site and off-site of the many huge, In those days was right Following the erection of the columns precast concrete elements of on the edge of the shore, so the site and the curved roof beams, a which the Assembly is composed. looked directly onto the water. Jørn procedure known as post-tensioning On leaving the UK, I frst travelled Utzon capitalized on this amazing was carried out. In layman terms, to Zurich to meet with Jan Utzon location where, when completed, the this technique is performed by steel and the Structural Engineer for the tall columns of the façade would be cables passed through the individual project, Max Walt and his team. I mirrored in the waters of the Arabian elements, tensioned by hydraulic was briefed on the different aspects Gulf, and the bright light from the sea jacks and carefully anchored - so of the building and got to grips with would food through into the interior all the elements act as one unit. through tall windows. the complex design of the building Although post-tensioning is used and the cutting-edge construction Jørn Utzon had travelled extensively to fabricate individual structural methods, of which I had very little in China, the Middle East and elements, to my knowledge these experience at the time. North Africa and had taken much structural design features had not The day after arriving I started of his inspiration from indigenous been used before in Kuwait or in the work in the Ministry of Public Works architecture he had seen in the Middle Middle East for building structures. Eastern and Persian souqs and the (MPW) offces in Kuwait City. While This challenging build, originally deserts of North Africa, where he had waiting for all project drawings to be planned for the duration of 32 months, photographed the sloping, canvas delivered to Kuwait from the architect actually took six and a half years, due tent roofs that would ultimately give in Denmark and structural engineers to the addition of a multi-story car park. him the idea for the Assembly’s iconic in Switzerland, I was asked by the It would teach me a range of complex roof - except that we had to recreate MPW Project Engineer if I would technical construction methods and these ideas in precast concrete. review the structural drawings for cross-cultural communication skills the Kuwait Grand Mosque. Upon The huge curved roof beams were that I still use today. a cursory review of hundreds of cast in concrete in-situ. All precast My experience on the KNA was a drawings I discovered a number elements for the project and for the great boost to my career and working of errors in the structural details. roof beams were cast using giant with both Jørn and Jan Utzon was a My report was sent to the designer steel molds which were so huge they Geoff Pollitt (Chartered Engineer; C. Eng; M.I.Struct.E) is a British-born life-changing experience. Compared who received my report warmly and dwarfed the men working on them. with my project and management was extremely grateful for my input. Each element was made from frst engineer who arrived in Kuwait in September 1978 to work on the Kuwait experience in England, the pouring concrete into the steel mold, The drawings for the Assembly assignments I went on to do in Kuwait National Assembly, a project that design aficionados regard as a global and then shifting it into place using Building eventually arrived in crates were not just of greater magnitude a special track. architectural icon. He ended up staying over 35 years. This is how he from Denmark and Switzerland. but much more prestigious, giving My frst task was to catalog all me great job satisfaction. Moving to became part of architectural history. the drawings to ensure they were Kuwait is something I never regretted. complete. As well as representing “It was the opportunity of a lifetime then with his son Jan, whose role Utzon, my job description also to work with Jørn Utzon, the famous was to implement the design through included representing the Ministry Danish architect who some years the entire construction phase. of Public Works (MPW), with whom earlier, had designed the Sydney I would build up an enjoyable Opera House in Australia. To me, I had convinced my wife and twin relationship. Sydney was, and of course, still is, daughters to come with me to Kuwait The majority of the building one of the world’s most beautiful just for the duration of the project superstructure consisted of precast iconic pieces of architecture. It was which was planned to be 32 months concrete columns and beams with Utzon’s far-reaching project, the … almost 40 years later I am still all structural connections visible. Kuwait National Assembly (KNA) in Kuwait and my family has grown The featured columns supporting that brought me to Kuwait. up here. the curved roof beams over the Over the years, what started as My initial role on the Kuwait National Assembly Hall and the Public Square a professional relationship would Assembly was as Assistant Resident adjacent to the Gulf Road were to develop into a deep, personal Engineer, then later, Resident be formed from individual variable- friendship initially with Jørn, and Engineer, for the construction on- shaped precast elements. 56 57 The late Amir Shaikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah visiting the National Assembly during his tenure as Crown Prince and Prime Minister I believe the key beneft for any young on a project known as the Kuwait Municipality, the Consultant Selection engineer fortunate enough to work Compensation for Environmental Committee (CSC) and the MPW, in Kuwait is the opportunity one is Remediation and was involved in the I have been told the introduction granted to gain valuable experience updating of the Kuwait Airport Master of new international companies is of the entire project throughout its Plan. These are just a small sample always welcome; however a good life cycle. of the kind of opportunities that deal of patience must be practiced working here in Kuwait has offered by these new companies. Consultants Following my tenure on the National me both as a Project Engineer, and from overseas need to embrace the Assembly building, I was appointed as Technical Manager in one of the fact that projects although planned, Assistant Project Manager for the largest of the major Kuwaiti design do not happen overnight. Even after Kuwait University Building Program. consultant practices. a project is awarded, it could still Upon completion of the project, I take up to a year or more for the joined a major consulting offce Kuwait has now become home. project to actually start due to the Assistant Technical Manager until There is a great social life with other bureaucracy and lengthy government the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, when expatriates and I have many close procedures. I relocated to Bahrain as Technical Kuwaiti friends. Hopefully the authorities can Manager of the consultant practice. Working in Kuwait for almost four endeavor to resolve these issues After my time in Bahrain I moved decades has given me many in time to encourage more new back home to Kuwait where I was business contacts and permitted international talent to bring their appointed Resident Engineer for me to develop professional working respective expertise and innovative the Kuwait University Administration relationships with colleagues in designs to Kuwait, which will further and Library building. the Ministries, local institutions, enhance the nation’s reputation for During the next years, my career developers, local and international cutting-edge architecture. brought me numerous exciting consultants and local contractors; When I left England all those years projects, including the Kuwait looking back I am very satisfed with ago I could not have imagined the University, Gulf Investment my career and all the jobs I have opportunities that lay ahead. With Headquarters, Hilton Resort, Arraya been involved in. courage, expertise and patience and Courtyard Marriott, Public Having said that, I have also any good engineer will fnd that Authority for Civil Information (PACI) witnessed international consultants Kuwait is one of the most dynamic building and Mowasat Hospital and nations in terms of its engineering and who are reluctant to pursue projects Clinic. I also worked as a Project construction opportunities and that in Kuwait due to the bureaucracy and Manager for the Amiri Diwan and life here can be extremely enjoyable”. constant delays and postponement as part of a consortium. of planned projects. From my More recently I was Project Manager discussions with the Kuwait 58 59