Jorn Utzon - Bagsbaerd Church - Addictive Architecture

View of the sanctuary Utzon, Jørn (Danish architect, 1918-2008) architects, Larsen, Gerald. 1974-1976 (creation). Bagsvaerd Church, interior view, view of sanctuary. churches (buildings) ; churches (buildings). https://library-artstor-org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/asset/23050573.

JøRN UTZON Addictive Architecture - Bagsværd Church, Denmark

Created and Assembled By Gaurav Naidu s5056391 for 2907ENV

This exhibition will explore the breathtaking genius behind Bagsværd Church.

Understanding Utzon’s background and thought processes behind the church’s simultaneously simple and complex creation. The exhibition will feature a collection of 8 original works from Jorn Utzon and, to accompany this, 3 interpretive works by the artist (created by Gaurav Naidu).

Jorn Uzton Danish Architect (1918-2008) Utzon, born 1918, was a Danish Architect world renowned for his work on the Sydney Opera House. He was excellent at creating fantastical designs, understanding the process behind engineering these fantasies and expressing natural forms within his structures. He had the ability to use his love of natural forms and monumental ideas as well as his vast knowledge of innovative construction methods to ultimately bring to life his ideas exactly the way he had intended to in his mind. Utzon had the profound ability to be flexible and absorb influences that he had seen as remarkable during his travels around the world. From Central America to Japan, Utzon took what he had learnt about various culture’s architecture and combine it with his love of nature and expressionism to create his own style of architectural design known as ‘addictive architecture’.

Addictive architecture is the culmination of years of architectural practice, whether that was boats to residential houses, and the building styles experienced during his travels around the world. Utzon realised this and put into his own words in “The Courtyard houses” Utzon Logbook Volume 1, where he says:

“The Architect is the only person in the building process who by virtue of his contact with everyone and his thorough knowledge of people’s overall wellbeing is able to discover and create an environment capable of pleasing his fellow human beings.”

Here he is talking about living architecture, whereby the architecture is growing and capable of looking after itself. The design must essentially feel timeless. Addictive architecture compliments present day architectural standards like passive lighting, ventilation and large use of the existing environments.

Early Sketches of Bagsværd Church Chiu, Chen-yu & Goad, Philip & Myers, Peter & Kılınçer, Nur. (2019). My Country and My People and Sydney Opera House: The missing link. Frontiers of Architectural Research. 8. 10.1016/j.foar.2019.03.002.

Bagsvaerd Church, not one of his most famous works, was completed in 1976 and clearly represents addictive architecture. The plain and unassuming exterior facades only show hints of what may be inside, on the other hand, the complex and surreal interior come from early design sketches made by Utzon. The heavenly design was inspired by rolling clouds in Hawaii and is translated into the geometrically beautiful curves on the ceiling which let in and reflect light highlighting key spaces. The curved ceiling open and close the space giving a natural path to follow for users of the space.

View of Altar Utzon, Jørn (Danish architect, 1918-2008) architects, Larsen, Gerald. 1974-1976 (creation). Bagsvaerd Church, interior view, View of altar. churches (buildings) ;. https://library-artstororg.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/asset/23050571.

Utzon used the brilliant idea of allowing light to enter the altar room without showing the source. This enhances the sacred ambience of the room, paired with opening and compressing nature of the cloud inspired ceiling create a natural attraction to the altar.

Use of circles to create inner roof Løvschall, K., 2022. BAGSVAERD KIRKE_D15_001 | Bagsværd Kirke | Drawings | The Utzon Archives. [online] Utzon-archives.aau.dk. Available at: https://utzon-archives.aau.dk/drawings/bagsvaerdkirke/BAGSVAERD+KIRKE_D15_001.png.html

Utzon used various sizes of circles to help bring to life his initial design sketches of the church.

Hallway View Utzon, Jørn (Danish architect, 1918-2008) architects, Larsen, Gerald. 1974-1976 (creation). Bagsvaerd Church, interior view, Hallway view. churches (buildings) ; churches (buildings). https://library.artstor.org/asset/23050563.

Hallways are beautifully highlighted using skylights above. Utzon understood the church to be a ‘holy light’ and thus using the sunlight he then manipulated forms and allowed the sun to dance throughout the structure.

Exterior Facade Utzon, Jørn (Danish architect, 1918-2008). designed 1968; completed 1976, Image: 1992. Bagsværd Church, view northeast, Exterior, General View. churches (buildings). https://library-artstororg.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/asset/24730048.

Utzon takes inspirations from his travels to Southern China in the use of stair-step like facades. The bland look of the exterior is to make it less striking from the surrounding streets.

North Façade Elevation Plan Løvschall, K., 2022. BAGSVAERD KIRKE_D10-D13_002 | Bagsværd Kirke | Drawings | The Utzon Archives. [online] Utzon-archives.aau.dk. Available at: https://utzon-archives.aau.dk/drawings/bagsvaerdkirke/BAGSVAERD+KIRKE_D10-D13_002.png.html

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On the exterior facades of the church repetition and mathematical precision is used in a bland but aesthetic manner, as to not make the structure too striking from the surrounding roads. The facades utilize a series of long and short tiles calculated by Utzon. Ten upright tiles placed vertically make up the same width and length of the lower larger tiles. These not only increase the aesthetic nature of the structure but also give subtle hints of the shape of the interior roof.

Light Play Within The Altar Room

Inspired by the way in which moves around the cloud like ceilings of the altar room. The model by the artist explores the way like bounces and plays around the room at various times of day.

Invisible Light Source

Throughout Bagsvaerd Church Utzon uses natural sky lighting that isn’t always visible from the ground. Instead, he allows the light to bounce into spaces. This model by the artist aims explore this idea at its most basic form.

Repetition and Grids

Inspired by the uniform grid layout of the structure and mathematical precision the exterior tiles, this model by the artist combines both these elements to create the outline of the north façade of the church using only the same size bricks.

Bibliography Carter, Adrian, 1959, Marja Sarvimäki, and ProQuest Ebooks. Jørn Utzon and Transcultural Essentialism. New York;Abingdon, Oxon;: Routledge, 2022;2021;. doi:10.4324/9781003094180.

Utzon, Jørn (Danish architect, 1918-2008) architects, Larsen, Gerald. 1974-1976 (creation). Bagsvaerd Church, interior view, view of sanctuary. churches (buildings) ; churches (buildings). https://library-artstororg.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/asset/23050573.

Utzon, Jørn (Danish architect, 1918-2008). designed 1968; completed 1976, Image: 1992. Bagsværd Church, view northeast, Exterior, General View. churches (buildings). https://library-artstororg.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/asset/24730048.

Utzon, Jørn (Danish architect, 1918-2008) architects, Larsen, Gerald. 1974-1976 (creation). Bagsvaerd Church, interior view, Hallway view. churches (buildings) ; churches (buildings). https://library.artstor.org/asset/23050563.

Chiu, Chen-yu & Goad, Philip & Myers, Peter & Kılınçer, Nur. (2019). My Country and My People and Sydney Opera House: The missing link. Frontiers of

Architectural Research. 8. 10.1016/j.foar.2019.03.002.

Chiu, Chen-Yu, Philip Goad, Peter Myers, and Cem Yılgın. "Ideas and Ideals in Jørn Utzon's Courtyard Houses: Dwelling, Nature, and Chinese Architecture."

Journal of Architecture (London, England) 25, no. 5 (2020): 513-557.

Chen-Yu, Chiu, Philip Goad, and Peter Myers. "The Metaphorical Expression of Nature in Jørn Utzon's Design for the Sydney Opera House." Arq (London, England) 19, no. 4 (2015): 381-396.

Weston, Richard. "Jørn Utzon: 1918–2008." Arq (London, England) 12, no. 3-4 (2008): 197-202.

Løvschall, K., 2022. BAGSVAERD KIRKE_D10-D13_002 | Bagsværd Kirke | Drawings | The Utzon Archives. [online] Utzon-archives.aau.dk. Available at: https://utzon-archives.aau.dk/drawings/bagsvaerdkirke/BAGSVAERD+KIRKE_D10-D13_002.png.html Løvschall, K., 2022. BAGSVAERD KIRKE_D15_001 | Bagsværd Kirke | Drawings | The Utzon Archives. [online] Utzon-archives.aau.dk. Available at: https://utzon-archives.aau.dk/drawings/bagsvaerdkirke/BAGSVAERD+KIRKE_D15_001.png.html