In collaboration with his son Kim, who provided the final construction drawings, he planned the centre not as a museum but as a place where students of architecture could meet and discuss their ideas for the future.
As a boy, he spent much of his time sailing on the Limfjord or at the wharf where his father, Aage Utzon, worked as a shipbuilding engineer and where Jørn became fascinated with ships and their intricate designs.
[5] In August 2005, when he was 87 years old, the plans Utzon and his son Kim had completed for a 2,700 square metre exhibition and research centre on the Aalborg waterfront were presented to the press.
To protect visitors from the wind, Utzon has provided sheltered courtyards inside the complex which also contribute to the pleasure of eating in the outdoor area of the restaurant.
This is achieved by organising workshops, conferences and exhibitions and disseminating their results for the benefit of the architecture profession and the general public.
In 2011, there was a special exhibition devoted to the architect Michael Singer, furniture designed by Jørn Utzon was displayed in the park, and there was a workshop where children could build models under the general theme of "Little Manhattan".