Jack Zunz

Sir Gerhard Jacob Zunz (25 December 1923 – 11 December 2018) was a British civil engineer and former chairman of Ove Arup & Partners. He was the principal structural designer of the Sydney Opera House.

Career Zunz was born to a Jewish family After interrupting his studies to serve with the South African Army in Egypt and Italy in the Second World War, he graduated in civil engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 1948. He worked for a consultant and structural steelwork fabricator, before coming to London to join Ove Arup in 1950. In 1954, he returned to South Africa and together with Michael Lewis established an office for Arup.

In 1961 Zunz returned to London as an associate partner and then from 1965 as a senior partner. He led the team which designed the roof of the Sydney Opera House. He was responsible for many landmark projects, including Britannic House for BP, the Standard Bank building in Johannesburg, the Emley Moor transmitting station, the headquarters building for the HSBC Main Building, the first Stansted Airport Terminal and many more.

He was a Fellow Commoner at Churchill College, Cambridge (1967–68). He has lectured widely on his projects and related topics, particularly education. He is the author or co author of many papers. He held a number of appointments outside his firm including being Chairman of the Trustees of the Architectural Association and President of CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association).

Awards He was elected a Fellow

He was appointed Knight Bachelor in 1989. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Western Ontario in 1993, an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from the University of Glasgow in 1994 and an Honorary Doctorate of Science in engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2015. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1990 and an Honorary Fellow of Trevelyan College, Durham University in 1996.

Personal life Zunz died on 11 December 2018, at 94.