Explore the architectural traditions of Scandinavia focusing on the life and legacy of Jørn Utzon and his contemporaries, tracing the ideas that shaped some of the 20th century’s most significant buildings.

At a Glance

  • Trace the architectural legacy of Jørn Utzon and his contemporaries across Scandinavia
  • Examine the influence of Alvar Aalto and the Saarinen architects in Helsinki
  • Explore Stockholm’s synthesis of architecture, landscape and urban design
  • Visit Aalborg and the Utzon Centre, dedicated to Utzon’s life and work
  • Conclude in Copenhagen, the thriving heart of Danish Modernist design

Begin in Helsinki, where the humanist modernism of Alvar Aalto and the work of the Saarinen family informed Utzon’s early thinking, grounded in a close relationship between architecture, nature and material.

Then, travel to Stockholm to examine the integration of landscape and urban form, including the sublime Skogskyrkogården cemetery, a work of Gunnar Asplund and one of the most significant creations of modern architecture.

Conclude in Denmark, starting from Utzon’s birthplace, Aalborg, which houses the research centre that is also the last building to be designed by the architect himself. In Copenhagen, where his mature ideas find expression in works such as Bagsværd Church, gain a deeper understanding of the principles of light, structure and setting behind the design of the Sydney Opera House.

Please click ‘Register Interest’ to receive further information when more details are available.

 

This tour is part of the World Art Tours program organised by the Art Gallery Society of NSW in partnership with Renaissance Tours.

Dates

September 2027 (14 days)

Tour leader

Helen Pitt

Tour Status

On request

More Details

Tour code: AG2709

Fitness level: Above Moderate
Tour members must be able to:
•    negotiate airports and railway stations without wheelchair assistance
•    use combined shower/bath facilities (it is impossible to guarantee walk-in shower facilities)
•    undertake walking tours of 2-3 hours duration, including using stairs, walking over cobblestones and other uneven surfaces
•    climb staircases of 100 or more steps
•    stand for long periods in museums and other sites
•    embark / disembark coaches, trains and other methods of transportation without assistance
•    handle their own luggage

Please see Terms & Conditions for fitness level definitions here.

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