From Tourist Siren to Technological Beacon: Analysing the Industrial Function of the Sydney Opera House Thirty Years after its Completion
Chief Investigator: Assoc. Professor Paolo Tombesi
Funded by: ARC Discovery Project grant 2005–2006
The research will show that public buildings provide fertile ground to plant industrial seeds; but to have an impact on the local economy, they must respond to specific structural conditions or be supported by political will. These findings will improve Australia's institutional understanding of the relationship between cost and investment in construction, and clarify that the evaluation of building productivity requires a long-term perspective. Government agencies should use institutional projects to define their public face but also to plan and implement industrial strategies. The research will help Australia maximise its creative and technological capability by understanding the factors conducive to innovation and its acceptance.