1918

Born in Copenhagen, on April 9th. His father was Aage Oberg Utzon, a naval architect (1885-1970), and his mother was Estrid Hauna Waleska Olsen (1894-1951). Jørn Utzon was baptised in Budolfi Church. 

The Utzon family lives in an apartment in Vendelbogade, close to the harbour. 

Childhood in Aalborg.

1924

Jørn Utzon attends school at Klostermarksskolen.

Every summer Jørn visits his grandmother in Aalsgaarde, North Zealand.

Jørn often goes to Aalborg Monastery and Hotel Phoenix with his mother.

The Utzon family moves to another residence, a house in Vejgaard, Aalborg.

1930

Utzon's parents attended the World Exhibition in Stockholm.

1937

Jørn Utzon moves to Godthaab near Aalborg where he lives for 6 months. His parents move to Elsinore.

Graduates from The Cathedral School in Aalborg. 

1942

Graduates as architect of The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where Kaj Fisker, Steen Eiler Rasmussen, Edvard Thomsen among others were his teachers.

Hereafter he studies and works in Sweden. He works with Hakon Ahlberg and Paul Hedqvist in Stockholm, and with Alvar Aalto in Finland.

He regards Asplund and Aalto as his Nordic masters.

Marries Lis Fenger on December 4th in Seglora Church, Skansen, Stockholm.

1945

Works in Alvar Aalto's studio. After a few weeks he moves back to Denmark.

1947-48

Study tours to Europe, with a stay in Paris as well as in Morocco where he becomes very interested in the anonymous

Islamic building tradition.

Participates in competitions in collaboration with Arne Korsmo.

1949

Study tours around Mexico with Arne Korsmo, where he studies the Mayan pyramids and their use of platforms, and in the United States, where he meets with Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe and Eero Saarinen.

1950

Establishes an independent architect studio.

1951

Becomes a member of the PAGON-Group (Progressive Architects' Group Oslo Norway).

1952

Builds his own house in Hellebæk, where he introduces the "open plan" in Denmark.

1952

Works with the Swedish architects Erik and Henry Andersson.

1957

First journey to Australia.

Travels to China, Japan and Nepal.

1959

Study tour to Isfahan, where he studies Iranian city structure, bazaars and ceramic facades, together with Hans Munk Hansen.

1961

Journey to Albisola, Italy, where Utzon meets Asger Jorn.

1963

Moves to Sydney in order to direct the construction of the Opera House.

1971

Builds his own house in Porto Pedro, Mallorca.

1971-75

Lives in Hawaii and teaches architecture at the Honolulu University. 

1975

Lives periodically in Denmark, Sweden and Mallorca.

1982

Establishes the Utzon Association in cooperation with his sons, the architects Jan and Kim Utzon.

2008

Jørn Utzon dies on November 29th.