Cristina Garduño FreemanDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY – ARCHITECTURE

2013

University of Technology, Sydney.

Heritage, Media & the Socio-Visual Life of the Sydney Opera House

The Participatory Culture of Architecture

cultu

ral na

rrative

s: a tal

e to be told and retold

perso

nal r

epre

sent

atio

ns: n

ew o

nlin

e co

mm

uniti

es

experience: touching, feeling, moving for oneself borrowing status: symbols o

f end

orsem

ent

familiarity by m

aking: comm

ercial and personal things

mental images: playful formal imaginings

opera, film

, abc in

terview

s, books, b

logs

exhibitio

ns, records, co

llections

tiles

, viw

es, c

urve

s, sc

ale

dist

oriti

ons

mas

cots

, ha

rbou

r silh

ouet

tes

snowdomes, guidebooks, portraits

postcards, souvenirsbran

ding and logos, graff

itti, sta

mps,

advertism

ents, austra

liana

furniture, hats, napkins and costumes

miniatures, cakes, art

visual analogies, jokes, caricatures, puns

photomontages, spiritual similies

iii

Certificate of Authorship/Originality

I certify that the work in this thesis has not previously been submitted for a degree nor

has it been submitted as part of the requirements for a degree except as fully acknowledged

within the text.

I also certify that the thesis has been written by me. Any help that I have received

in my research work and the preparation of the thesis itself has been acknowledged.

In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated

in the thesis.

Signature of Cristina Garduño Freeman

iv

Acknowledgements

It is often stated that writing a doctoral dissertation is a lonely experience. Yet it takes the

support of many to complete such an endeavour. Here, I take the opportunity to thank my

family for their enduring support. We made it. This thesis is dedicated to you.

The completion of this dissertation is also the result of the contributions of my

supervisors, colleagues and friends. Dr Naomi Stead as my principal supervisor during

the formative years of this research offered her incisive perspective, attention to detail,

and articulate feedback. She has influenced this project greatly, and I am grateful for her

continued support as an external supervisor. Dr Kate Sweetapple was my co-supervisor

who took on the role of seeing this dissertation to completion. This was a difficult task,

and I appreciate her courageous approach and her confidence that it would come to

fruition. Dr Kirsten Orr joined the supervisory team in its last two years, and her attentive

and articulate feedback along with her practical approach was welcome. I would like to

thank you all.

I am the grateful recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Award and a UTS Design,

Architecture and Building Faculty Top-Up Scholarship. Without this financial support,

undertaking a doctorate would not have been possible. During the candidature I received

advice from Bronwyn Hanna and Paul Ashton at my confirmation, from the scholars

from the Oxford Internet Institute Summer Doctoral Program, and from Eric Cook, with

whom I collaborated in 2009/2010. I am appreciative of the encouragement shown to

me by Susan Ashley and Simon Rogers during the development of a journal article

published in the International Journal of Heritage Studies in 2010, titled ‘Photosharing on

Flickr: Intangible Heritage and Emergent Publics’. Sheridan Burke offered feedback on the

research on World Heritage and the Sydney Opera House, and I thank her too. I enjoyed

meeting José van Dijck and am grateful for her warm reception towards the research

at our meeting in 2012. Lastly, I would like to thank Dr Jennifer Gamble for her endless

enthusiasm and encouragement whilst editing the dissertation.

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My colleagues and family are also integral to the completion of this dissertation. Fellow

doctoral candidates, Vicki Leibowitz, Biz Hayman, Brownyn Clarke-Coolee, Jennifer

Preston and Zoe Sadokierski allowed me to articulate my formative ideas. Liisa Naar, Jane

Gavan, Teena Clerke and Sue Osmond, all provided sage advice in the last months of this

work. The encouragement of Lucila Carvahlo, Jemina Napier, Antonia Fredman, Sasha

Baroni, Cameron McAuliffe among the large circle of friends who have cheered me on,

over beers, dinners and kids at play, kept me determined to finish this task. I thank my

parents (all three of them) and my parents-in-law and extended family, for caring for my

family while I was writing.

Finally I would like thank and dedicate this work to my husband Nicholas and

my two children, Izel, now eight, and Tomas, who is now three and was born amid the

candidature. Without you, this project would not have been completed or even worth

doing in the first place.

(Opera House slide by Tom)

wheeee......!!!!

lho,

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Table of Contents

Certificate of Authorship/OriginalityAcknowledgements

Abstract ....................................................................................................... xi

CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1

Scholarly Fields ............................................................................................. 4

Methodology .................................................................................................13Collecting, Analysing and Ordering RepresentationsTheoretical Reframing: Participatory CultureObserving Participatory CultureReordering the Collection as Forms of Participatory Culture

The Structure of the Dissertation ..................................................................25

REPRESENTING PRACTICES: TELLING ........................................................27

CHAPTER 2THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 2007 WORLD HERITAGE INSCRIPTION .......37

World Heritage Significance of World Heritage inscription for the Sydney Opera HouseModern Architecture as HeritageCritiques of World HeritageConclusion

REPRESENTING PRACTICES: CRITIQUING ..................................................67

CHAPTER 3THE INSCRIPTION OF ICONICITY: A SOCIAL AND VISUAL VALUE ......... 75

Part One: The Inscribed Values .....................................................................77The Statement of Outstanding Universal ValueValues in HeritageOutstanding Universal Value: Criteria and Conditions

Part Two: The Nomination Dossier ................................................................92Claims Made in the Nomination DossierThe Development of the Sydney Opera House as an IconLiterature Employed in the Nomination Dossier

Part Three: Social Value of Iconic Architecture ........................................... 102Socio-visual Value: Social Value Through Representations in Mass MediaThe Discourse on Social Value

Part Four: Representations .......................................................................... 113Representations of the Sydney Opera HouseCollecting and Ordering as a ProcessConclusion

REPRESENTING PRACTICES: MAKING ......................................................137

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CHAPTER 4PARTICIPATORY CULTURE: EVIDENCING THE SOCIO-VISUAL VALUE OF ARCHITECTURE IN ONLINE MEDIA .........................................155

Part One: Socio-Visual Value & Participatory Culture ................................. 158Participatory Culture and the InternetParticipatory Culture and HeritageIntroduction to the Observations and Analysis of Participatory Culture

Part Two: A Self-Organised Example of Participatory Culture ...................... 188Flickr Groups and the Sydney Opera HouseParticipatory Culture on Flickr - Photosharing PracticesGenerative Communities and the Socio-Visual Value of FlickrThe Significance of Participatory Culture?

Part Three: An Institutional Example of Participatory Culture ..................... 218Myth and UtzonDescription - Personal Tributes to Utzon and the Sydney Opera HouseParticipatory Culture on the Utzon Memorial: Tributes and Online MemorialsAnalysing the Tributes for SentimentAnalysing the Tributes as Mediated MemoriesConclusion

REPRESENTING PRACTICES: TRADING .................................................... 249

CHAPTER 5REORDERING THE COLLECTION THROUGH THE LENS OF PARTICIPATORY CULTURE ......................................................................259

Framing the Representations as the outcomes of Participatory CultureSpeculating on the Representations: How do they Manifest Participatory Culture?Telling the Sydney Opera House: A Textual and Performative PracticeThe Other Taj Mahal: Critiquing the Sydney Opera House Critique: Sublime and RidiculousMaking the Sydney Opera House: Miniaturisation and DerivationTrading the Sydney Opera HouseVisiting and CapturingRepresentations as Evidence of Participatory CultureConclusion

REPRESENTING PRACTICES: VISITING .................................................... 305

CHAPTER 6DIGITAL HERITAGE AND INTANGIBLE HERITAGE: RECOGNISING COMMUNITY PRACTICES AROUND ARCHITECTURE ...............................321

Socio-Visual Value and Criterion (vi)Why UNESCO’s Digital Heritage Charter is ObsoleteIntangible Heritage ConventionThe Contingent Communities of Iconic SitesRepresentations of Iconic SitesThe Privileging of Tangible over Intangible Heritage.Conclusion

REPRESENTING PRACTICES: CAPTURING ............................................... 347

CHAPTER 7CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................357

FindingsImplications of the Research

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...............................................................................................367

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Representations of the Sydney Opera House ................................................................................ 2

Figure 2: Results from Flickr Search ........................................................................................................ 16

Figure 3: Results from Internet Search ..................................................................................................... 17

Figure 4: Two Groups on Flickr ............................................................................................................... 22

Figure 5: Utzon Memorial Tributes .......................................................................................................... 23

Figure 6: The relationship between the parts of the World Heritage program............................................. 44

Figure 7: Defacing the Sails .................................................................................................................... 89

Figure 8: World-Famous Iconic Buildings Comprise Architectural Value and Social value ....................... 106

Figure 9: The Ubiquity of the Sydney Opera House According to Richard Weston .....................................114

Figure 10: Representations That Depict the Sydney Opera House .............................................................115

Figure 11: A Photograph and a Serviette.................................................................................................117

Figure 12: Mitchell’s Family of Images ...................................................................................................118

Figure 13: Maps and Memories ............................................................................................................. 120

Figure 14: Types of Representations Gathered from the Internet ............................................................. 121

Figure 15: Chronological Organisation from 2012 to 1957 .................................................................... 125

Figure 16: Order of Reality .................................................................................................................... 128

Figure 17: 1st Order – Reflection of Reality ........................................................................................... 129

Figure 18: 2nd Order – Denatures Reality .............................................................................................. 130

Figure 19: 2nd Order – Absence of a Reality .......................................................................................... 131

Figure 20: 3rd Order – Associative Relationship .................................................................................... 133

Figure 21: 4th Order - Simulacra .......................................................................................................... 134

Figure 22: The Sydney Opera House Official Website .............................................................................. 166

Figure 23: The Sydney Opera House as a Member of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube .............................. 167

Figure 24: Google Images Search on 8th August 2012 Using the Terms: ‘Sydney, Opera and House’ ....... 168

Figure 25: Three Representations of the Sydney Opera House Sourced Using Google Images ................... 169

Figure 26: Sunset from the Sydney Opera House Official Website and Night Scene from Flickr ................ 170

Figure 27: Mosaic Dining Table Top .......................................................................................................171

Figure 28: Websites that Contribute to the Ubiquity of the Sydney Opera House in Visual Culture ........... 173

Figure 29: Homemade Hat and Commercial Snowdome .......................................................................... 180

Figure 30: Scanned Pages from The Red Book in a Digital Gallery .......................................................... 182

Figure 31: Participatory Culture and Representations of the Sydney Opera House ................................... 184

Figure 32: The Relationship Between Artefacts, Participatory Culture and Participatory Media ............... 186

Figure 33: Flickr Group: Sydney Opera House ....................................................................................... 192

Figure 34: Flickr Group: Sydney-alt ...................................................................................................... 193

Figure 35: Performing Photography ....................................................................................................... 196

Figure 36: Photographs Posted on Flickr Start as Creative Engagements at the Sydney Opera House ....... 198

Figure 37: Real-time Updates from Sydney Opera House Group as Displayed on Author’s Home Page .... 200

Figure 38: Slideshow Mode Showing Photograph from Sydney Opera House Group Pool ......................... 202

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Figure 39: Thumbnail Mode Showing Group Pool from Sydney Opera House .......................................... 203

Figure 40: Individual Mode Showing Photograph by Flickr User “Lutherankorean” from Sydney Opera House Group Pool ....................................................... 204

Figure 41: Sydney Opera House Group Discussion Thread ...................................................................... 208

Figure 42: Other Representations of the Sydney Opera House in Group Pool ........................................... 209

Figure 43: Sydney, Australia Group Icon ............................................................................................... 212

Figure 44: Mediated Memories by José van Dijck ................................................................................... 214

Figure 45: Utzon Tributes Wordle .......................................................................................................... 226

Figure 46: Utzon Tributes Wordle with High Frequency Words Removed ................................................. 227

Figure 47: Typographic Map Love ......................................................................................................... 229

Figure 48: Typographic Map Sad........................................................................................................... 230

Figure 49: Wordle Content Analysis ....................................................................................................... 233

Figure 50: Terms that Correlate with van Dijck’s Mediated Memories ..................................................... 234

Figure 51: Typographic Map My ............................................................................................................ 237

Figure 52: Typographic Map People ...................................................................................................... 238

Figure 53: Typographic Map Inspire ...................................................................................................... 239

Figure 54: Typographic Map Remember ................................................................................................. 240

Figure 55: Typographic Map Feel .......................................................................................................... 241

Figure 56: Typographic Map Visit ......................................................................................................... 242

Figure 57: Table Cross-Referencing Findings .......................................................................................... 244

Figure 58: Writing a Tribute: A Reflective Practice ................................................................................ 246

Figure 59: Rose’s Sites of Meaning for Images ....................................................................................... 262

Figure 60: Participatory Culture in this Chapter .................................................................................... 264

Figure 61: Schema of Participatory Culture ............................................................................................ 266

Figure 62: Telling: Yeomans, Wikipedia, Eighth Wonder, Eoghan Lewis .................................................. 269

Figure 63: The Sydney Opera House and the Taj Mahal ......................................................................... 272

Figure 64: Critiquing: Flowers, Sails, Clouds, Dishes, Cornette Wimple and Turtles Copulating............... 274

Figure 65: Dame Edna’s Ascot Races Hat .............................................................................................. 276

Figure 66: 1962 Hats – Serious, Handmade and Performed ................................................................... 278

Figure 67: Susan Giles Spliced Buildings ............................................................................................... 280

Figure 68: Repurposed Miniatures - Cake, Chook (Chicken) Shed and Origami ....................................... 282

Figure 69: Repurposed Language – Speakers, Campervan and Jewellery ................................................. 283

Figure 70: Ordinary Things Made More Valuable as Merchandise ........................................................... 286

Figure 71: Logos - Sydney 2000 Olympic Bid, Sydney Writers Festival, Sydney Swans Sports Team, Australasian College of Hair and Beauty ............................................................................... 287

Figure 72: American Airlines Advertisement and Australian Postal Stamp ............................................. 289

Figure 73: Models Made from LEGO ...................................................................................................... 290

Figure 74: LEGO Sydney Opera House Kit ............................................................................................. 292

Figure 75: LEGO Kits and LEGO Themeparks ........................................................................................ 293

Figure 76: Maps, Guidebooks and Souvenirs .......................................................................................... 295

Figure 77: People Looking .................................................................................................................... 296

Figure 78: Scale and Relationship ........................................................................................................ 298

Figure 79: Performing at the Real and LEGO Sydney Opera House ........................................................ 300

Figure 80: Comparison of Representations of 7 Iconic Places. ................................................................ 339

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Abstract

In 2007 the Sydney Opera House was inscribed onto UNESCO’s World Heritage List

as a masterpiece of 20th century architecture and engineering, and for its value as a

‘world-famous iconic-building’. The inscription serves to establish the building’s international

significance, yet methods to evidence and better understand its social value for global

audiences remains largely unaddressed. The thesis investigates and evidences the building’s

social value through practices in popular culture enabled and made visible by the recent

growth of online participatory media, arguing that such representations of the building and

the online interactions around these are cultural practices through which people engage with

the Sydney Opera House. Further, these practices are significant because they offer individuals

and groups a means to negotiate their collective and individual senses of identity.

Using the concept of participatory culture the thesis explores the anecdotal attachment

people have for this work of iconic architecture. Through visual analysis of a collection of online

representations gathered on Pinterest.com the social value of this place is evidenced in the

everyday engagements of people that are inspired by the building, such as visiting it, collecting

souvenirs, posting photographs or making opera-house-shaped cakes. Closer observations of

participation in photosharing groups on Flickr.com and tributes posted to the Sydney Opera House

Utzon Memorial website demonstrate that such popular activities are complex social

negotiations of memory and identity. The investigation concludes that social value is a cultural

process; one that is co-constituted between tangible, intangible and digital forms of culture.

The thesis is located at the intersection of architecture, heritage studies and media

studies. The argument builds on the scholarly contributions of Terry Smith, Leslie Sklair,

Jose van Dijck and Henry Jenkins as well as the discourses on World Heritage, Intangible

Heritage and Digital Heritage to demonstrate that although at present participatory culture

of architecture is unable to be recognised by UNESCO’s suite of heritage instruments, the

everyday social engagements around the Sydney Opera House contribute to its broader

cultural significance.