Building a Masterpiece: The Sydney Opera House

This richly illustrated book explores new perspectives on the Sydney Opera House’s many stories, encompassing technological and social history, as well as design themes. Through ten engaging essays, written by eminent authors and experts in their fields, Building a Masterpiece explores the history of the Opera House from the international design competition in 1957, through the extraordinary innovations involved in and the saga of its construction, to its opening in October 1973 and its current world status as a symbol of Australia.

Anne Watson is Curator of Architecture and Design at the Powerhouse Museum. She has written and lectured widely on many aspects of nineteenth- and twentieth-century design. Her publications include: Decorative arts and design from the Powerhouse Museum (Powerhouse Publishing, Sydney, 1991) as a contributing author, Beyond architecture: Marion Mahony and Walter Burley Griffin in America, Australia and India (Powerhouse Publishing, 1998) as content editor and contributing author; Visions of a republic: the work of Lucien Henry (Powerhouse Publishing, 2000) as a contributing author; and Mod to Memphis: design in colour 1960s-80s (Powerhouse Publishing, 2002).