PAGE NAME
Sir Jack Zunz Engineering an
Opera House BY GAIL GORDON
J
In recognition of his contribution to engineering and the built environment, as well as his contribution through the Ove Arup Foundation, Sir Jack Zunz received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Wits University at its Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment graduation ceremony on 9 December 2015. Zunz, 92, who was unable to travel from England to attend, pre-recorded his address. A retired director of Arup, James Oppenheim accepted the scroll on Jack’s behalf.
ack studied civil engineering at Wits, where
The roof of fan-like precast concrete arches employed
he met zoology student, Babs Maisel. They
techniques that were used for the first time.
married in 1946 and Jack graduated in 1948 – a class renowned for a significant cohort of world-renowned engineering alumni. Jack
moved to London and in 1950 joined Ove Arup & Partners. In 1954, Jack returned to South Africa to
Jack became Chairman of Ove Arup in 1977 and global co-chairman in 1984. He was knighted in 1989 and received numerous prestigious awards recognising his contribution to the built environment.
establish Ove Arup here with Michael Lewis (BSc Eng
In his acceptance speech for his honorary degree
Civil, 1949). The firm was awarded the design of
from Wits, he said, “Education has always been a
Johannesburg’s Brixton Tower.
passion in my life. Education really is key, and you can
On 26 March 1960, Sharpeville happened. Jack
never spend enough – not just money, but time.”
was unable to reconcile himself with a society in
The Jack Zunz Scholarship was created to provide
which police opened fire on thousands of protestors
advanced study opportunities for talented engineers
opposing apartheid “pass” laws. Sixty-nine people
within Arup. The University of Technology, Sydney set
died. Jack returned to the UK.
up The Zunz Lecture Series in his honour.
He began work on the Sydney Opera House,
His legacy and Arup’s spirit of education endure
designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon. The design
in South Africa through the Arup Education
presented huge engineering challenges. Ultimately
Trust, established in 2010. The Trust sponsors
the solutions proposed were under Jack’s leadership
undergraduate study in the built environment and
in collaboration with Utzon.
runs a high school holiday programme.
46 | WITSReview | April 2016
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