Hans Munk Hansen Interview: On Jørn Utzon

“He saw everything.” In this video, Danish architect Hans Munk Hansen describes his close relationship with the celebrated architect Jørn Utzon, whom he worked and travelled with. “He was different. We knew this at once.” Utzon had a love of the simple way of living, which inspired and attracted his peers. He didn’t aspire to create something new every time, but there was a common thread through all of his work – from his youth to his last days. According to Munk Hansen, Utzon’s greatest inspiration was nature, and he was often late to arrive at the office in the morning, as he had stumbled across something in the forest, which had inspired him. He didn’t read that much, but rather wanted to experience things for himself, which he also did by travelling, visiting architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe. Travelling was very important to Utzon, and many of these travels went to the Middle East, not least Morocco where he had family and also some of his first jobs. Their lo