A remarkable coincidence led to the birth of one of the world's great architectural monuments. After a very heavy lunch, the New South Wales Premier announced his intention to build the world's greatest opera house and asked his dining partners if they had any suggestions.
One famous local architect said: "I'll do you a Blues Point but much wider, and done in grey to go with the Bridge."
"I like it," said the Premier.
Australia's second most famous architect immediately jumped in and said, "I'll do you one that's longer than the Queen Victoria Building, seats a hundred thousand and is built entirely out of corrugated iron."
"I like it even more," said the elated politician.
At that moment Joern Utzon gazed across the room and saw the Thai waiter arranging a table with folded napkins for dinner.
"I love them napkins," said Utzon. "I'm gonna build that."
"You're on," said the Premier and from then on gave the two local architects the cold shoulder.
The manager of the Bennelong Restaurant where the encounter took place, however recalls a slightly different version of the encounter. Danish architect Joern Utzon sighted the New South Wales Premier and quickly sketched out his idea for a Sydney Opera House on a table napkin and then asked the waiter to take it over to the Premier. Misunderstanding the Dane's instructions, the waiter quickly re-folded the napkin and took it over to the Premier's table. "I love it!" exclaimed the Sydney politician on seeing the traditional three-pointed Thai napkin design. "We'll build it!"
The rest of course is history.
Devised and designed in Denmark by Ove Arup and partners, the Opera House was floated out to Australia on barges that were in themselves feats of engineering. However, on its arrival in Sydney Harbour, residents of Balmain vehemently protested against having it in Black Wattle Bay so as a last minute decision it was decided to moor the outsize barges on the tip of the old tram depot.
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