You only have to show most people the iconic shape of the sails and they would instantly recognise the Sydney Opera House. Since the unveiling of the finished structure in 1973, the landmark has come to symbolise not only a vibrant performing arts scene, but modern Australia itself.
Every year, 11 million people visit the precinct and around 1500 performances take place inside the Sydney Opera House.
“The public feels like they own the building,” says the building operations manager Dean Jakubowski.
“They're part of the building.”
Perhaps no one is more enmeshed with the fabric of the Opera House than Jakubowski. He has shot fireworks off its peak on New Year’s Eve, helped execute filming on the Forecourt for Jackie Chan, and every five years Jakubowski scales the sails to tap and test 1,056,006 roof tiles.
“It’s quite an aggressive environment with the sea water, wind and whatnot, so we have a detailed preventative maintenance program,”.
