Jørn Utzon's Can Lis captured in photography by Alex Dormon
The Mallorca holiday home of Danish architect Jørn Utzon, designed after he resigned from the Sydney Opera House, is captured in these photos by British photographer Alex Dormon.
Built in 1972, Can Lis is located on the edge of a cliff near Portopetro, on the south coast of the Balearic island.
Dormon's images showcase the sandstone walls and columns of this celebrated vacation residence, now restored after the Utzon Foundation acquired it in 2011.
"The building structure blurs the boundaries between interior and exterior, integrating seamlessly with the surrounding landscape," the photographer told Dezeen.
"Moving through each of the spaces, you discover rooms left entirely open to the elements," he said.
"Their openings draw your attention inevitably towards the sea – a constant reminder of this residence's beautiful backdrop."
Utzon had originally intended to build a holiday home in Australia, where he was based for several years after winning the competition to design the Sydney Opera House in 1957.
The idea was scrapped after things in Sydney turned sour. Tensions rose as construction costs escalated, prompting Utzon to resign from the project in 1966 and vow never to return to Australia.
On his return journey to Denmark, the architect made a stop in Mallorca and resolved to design a summerhouse here instead.
Named after his wife Lis, the house has little in common with the opera house. While that building is famous as a feat of engineering, this property embraces traditional local building materials and techniques.
It consists of four blocks, loosely organised in sequence along the cliff edge.
Mallorcan stone provides most of the structure and surfaces, with Marés sandstone used for the cavity wall structure and Santanyí sandstone providing interior walls, worktops and flooring.
Concrete beams support tile-covered roofs, while pine wood provides kitchen and joinery details.
"The interiors are pared back and very understated, with subtle tones and textures which complement the building's fabric," said Dormon.
"Bespoke built-in furniture is intentionally positioned to frame views through carved openings in the building's facade, each piece functioning as both seating and viewing platform," he continued.
"This furniture introduces a slightly more playful vocabulary of forms and textures, in juxtaposition to the orthogonal nature of the spaces formed by the building's load-bearing stone envelope."
Can Lis was restored in 2012, overseen by Danish architect and former Utzon collaborator, Lise Juel.
Often cited as one of the most iconic houses of the 20th century, it now hosts artist residencies and is open to the public on Fridays during the summer months.
Dormon photographed the house using a 35-millimetre film camera. With only 18 shots left on the film, he avoided the obvious views and instead selected "subtler, less expected frames".
"After spending the afternoon in Can Lis, quietly taking in its beautiful surroundings, my main takeaway is that this house feels both ancient and forward thinking, where traditional Mallorcan building techniques serve a distinctly modern architectural vision," he said.
"Can Lis demonstrates Utzon's ability to create profound spatial experiences, proving that great architecture requires neither complexity nor cutting-edge technology."
Other recent photo collections published on Dezeen include Brendan McNeill documenting the juxtaposition of the historic buildings of Toronto and the current wave of construction and Johan Blasberg photographing Egypt's New Administrative Capital.
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