Utzon and Platform

Can Feliz, as the new home was named, expressed Utzon’s love for the concept of platforms. In many of Utzon’s poetic works, the constructed plateau and platform are designed to intensify the experience of space stretching to the horizon under a vast sky.

As an architectonic element, the platform is fascinating.



Utzon gained great inspiration from the Mayan platforms when he was visiting Mexico, where they build the platforms on the level of the roof of the jungle, the platform is a worthy place for the worship of their gods. From there, they had the sky, the clouds and the breeze, the platform is like a great open plane. On these high platforms -many of them as long as 100 metres-, they built their temples. By means of this architectonic device they had completely transformed the landscape and presented their eyes with a grandeur that corresponded to the grandeur of their gods.

The raised platform and constructed plateau in Utzon’s architecture often appear as a Cartesian plan, a plane that is completely flat, with a grid geometry (square), singular material texture and color, and with visual continuity stretching to infinite space. In this sense, Utzon’s platforms and plateaus stand in contrast to the natural ground and have a sense of another world or a sacred place.
Utzon’s raised platform is essentially a place set apart from the common level of earth. The wonderful experience is going from the denseness of the jungle to the vast openness above the platform.
On this platform or square, you may have a strong feeling of remoteness and complete calmness. The feeling under your feet is the same as the firmness you experience when standing on a large rock.