Sydney Opera House conservation plan

–69–CHARACTER AND TREATMENT OF INTERNAL SPACESThe existing interiors of the Sydney Opera House fall into groups withdistinctive characteristics:• hybrid ‘outside’ spaces (Utzon and Hall);• individually designed major auditoria (Hall);• spaces fitted out with timber panelling regimes (Hall);• The Studio and orchestra assembly area (Kristensen and Public Works);• service and plant areas (Hall);• excavated space with utilitarian fitout (Public Works).Hybrid ‘outside’ spacesThe hybrid ‘outside’ spaces are the major public spaces with outsideviews. Their concrete structures were designed by Utzon and becausethey related to the outside they were to be finished in natural materials,textures and colours similar to those on the exterior of thebuilding. It was a way of bringing the outside inside. The work wascompleted by Hall in ways he believed respected Utzon’s intentions.The spaces included all the foyers surrounding the major auditoria, theReception Hall, the Box Office Foyer (with its glazed range of doors tothe south) and the Bennelong Restaurant. These spaces are covered bypolicy 1.3 (hybrid ‘outside’ spaces) and are detailed on pages 76 to 78.Hall’s interiorsPolicy 1.4 states that ‘in any adaptation or modest functional improvement,interiors designed by Hall should retain the character of hisoriginal design regimes with their co-ordinated detailing’. A secondpolicy, 1.5, deals with major works, but it is the first policy thatrequires an explanation of the character of Hall’s work.During the final stage of construction in 1970–73 Hall, Todd andLittlemore established a three level hierarchy of interior treatments.They reflected in a general way the degree of importance placed onthe spaces and therefore on the nature and cost of the finish appropriate.The hierarchy was:• major auditoria;• minor performance spaces and performers and staff areas; and• service, handling and plant areas.The character of these groups and their policies are set out below.52. Interior areas treated as hybrid‘outside’ spaces and finished accordingly.Major auditoriaThe Concert Hall and the Opera Theatre were individually designed tomeet the acoustic and capacity requirements of the day. Visually, theConcert Hall has a moulded ply ceiling finished with a white birchveneer arranged in a ribbed pattern radiating from above the stage.The small wall areas and floors are clad in thick laminated brush boxand the doors are finished with a laminated brush box veneer. It is thegrandest interior space in the building.The Opera Theatre was a smaller, steeply raked space with a prosceniumarch and revolve stage serviced from below. Unlike the ConcertHall, which generally remained lit during performances, attention wasto be concentrated on the stage and a dark Australian veneer wassought for the ceiling and walls—without success (Hall, SOH, 133). Finallya timber known as “yellow caribeen” (Sloanea woollsii) was used andstained matt black.