Which structural engineer firm designed the roof?

Ove Arup was the structural engineering firm responsible for designing the Sydney Opera House roof.

More precisely, the firm was Ove Arup & Partners, founded by the engineer Sir Ove Arup. Arup’s team worked with architect Jørn Utzon to turn the competition-winning concept of shell-like roof sails into a structure that could actually be built.

The roof changed significantly during development. Early sketches suggested complex free-form shells, but between 1958 and 1962 the design evolved toward a spherical solution: the sails were derived from sections of a common sphere. This allowed repeated precast concrete ribs and standardized components to be used in construction.

Arup’s work went beyond calculations. The team investigated wind loads, pioneered computer-assisted structural analysis, and helped develop the construction methods for the roof shells. Utzon provided the architectural vision, while Arup’s engineers supplied the structural solution that made the iconic form possible. The firm remained involved after Utzon’s departure and continued consulting through the building’s completion in 1973.