Submitted by Taylor Lynch on the 2023 summer program in New Zealand and Australia…
The next stop on my study abroad trip is Australia. We are now currently staying in Sydney, Australia and one of the excursions that we were able to go on was touring the Sydney Opera House. I was very excited to be able to go and see the Opera House because I feel like it is one of the most iconic symbols seen in Australia. The architecture of the building is also so interesting and unique, so I couldn’t wait to be able to see it in person.
It was really interesting to be able to learn about the history of the building’s construction and all of the small details that went into making it. One piece that was really cool to me was that they used certain types of wood in the theaters in order to make the sound quality better. The wood that is used on the wall and the stage is meant to project sound so that no form of volume enhancement, like a microphone, needs to be used during performances. The wood used in the seats, on the other hand, is able to absorb sound so that the sound the audience makes doesn’t disrupt the performance. This is one of the many cool details that were added to the opera house that most people wouldn’t notice or think about at first glance.
The land that the Opera House is on is also so pretty since it is right on the harbor. The original architect of the building wanted there to be a lot of windows ensuring that there could be a view of the harbor no matter where you were in the Opera House. The construction of the Opera House took a lot more time and money than first estimated, and the Australian government officials at that time were very upset by this. They eventually forced the original architect out of the project and brought in three new ones to finish the interior design in a fast manner.
It was very interesting and eye-opening to learn about the structure and history of this iconic landmark. The effort that went into making it was very crazy and more intense than I would’ve expected. From this trip, I was able to gain a new appreciation for architecture and learn about all of the little details that go into making buildings this scale. Each aspect put into it has a purpose and isn’t picked at random. Everything down to the type of wood and the types of tile put onto the roof has a specific purpose.
Overall, I have been enjoying being able to see these landmarks that you see in the media and see what they look like in person. At every place we have visited so far, there has also been an acknowledgment at the beginning of the tour of the indigenous people and how these landmarks, and where we are standing, are on their land. It is very important to be able to have that recognition of the native people because it was originally their land, and it was sadly taken from them. Having that acknowledgment helps to slowly build back their trust in others outside of their culture, and give them the honor that was taken away. The US should take note of countries that are doing this and provide more respect and consideration to the Native American populations.