Peter Zumthor, the hermit-like aesthetic-ascetic architect who practices architecture and creates structures with such an immense sensitivity that his buildings become a living testament to their very own Landscape, History, and Culture. Zumthor was born in 1943 and he initially trained as a cabinetmaker under his father’s guidance. Later on, he went on to study architecture at Pratt Institute, in New York, and then practiced conservation architecture in Kanton Graubuden, Switzerland. It is here that he worked on old conservation projects and developed his understanding of materials and learnt the importance of timelessness. He then established his own practice in 1979 in the picturesque Haldenstein, Switzerland.
Zumthor is an enigma in the architecture world who in his own words says that he has no problem getting inspired as he begins his design process. His main focus though is always to achieve a particular atmosphere in the building by using materials, light, and shadow as basic design tools. That is the starting point of his design process which further delves into the human psyche and engages our senses as it enables us to feel a certain way.
Architecture is a creative field and thus is also a medium of expression, it can be poetic or chaotic, anything that the architect wants it to be. Peter Zumthor’s genius lies in the amalgamation of minimalism, materiality, and immaculate detailing to create spaces and buildings that are meditative in their character and pragmatic in their essence. He uses his knowledge of architecture to craft the desired feeling he wants to create.
This process is inspired by Phenomenology- the study of consciousness as experienced from a person’s point of view firsthand. It can be an experience of an intentionality or even an experience of an object, its etymological root lies in the word ‘phenomena’ which means any observable fact, event, or occurrence that is directly perceived through our senses. Architecture being a spatial craft has the power to engage all the five human senses. Eyes give us a sense of space at first, if it is bigger or smaller, the fragrance of a place is how we remember it, the ears notice the deliberate sounds around and tactility is another important factor that helps one feel and remember a place. Architecture uses phenomenology to design spaces that resonate with human experience and engage the senses and elicit deep emotional reactions. Architecture is after all- spatial poetry – where instead of words, architects use light, textures, scale, and materiality to craft this desired feeling.
Peter Zumthor focuses on Architecture Phenomenology deliberately and asks the building, what it wants to become when he begins the design. This then leads to the questions about the history and context which are not replicable and unique in their essence for every site and project. As these questions get answered through the process of curiosity and design, then he begins the quest to create the required atmosphere for his building and how to achieve it using Natural Light, Materials, and surrounding Landscape around the building. There is always an inherent tension between tradition and innovation in Peter Zumthor’s design. (He was brought up in Swiss modernism and gradually began to respect the vernacular ways that have stood the test of time. He believes in respecting the old, but also in creating his own New whole with the old). One of his first recognized works is The Shelter for Roman Archaeological Site, 1986, a shelter built over Roman Ruins in Chur, Graubuden, Switzerland, 1986 which perfectly showcases his sensitivity to the context and site. He used only timber lamella to allow light and ventilation and has kept the site free, respecting the ruins and has given a volume to the space which is humbling in a way paying homage to the ruins.
In another of his early buildings is the St Benedict Chapel 1989, Sumtvig which was built after the medieval church that existed on site got destroyed in an avalanche.
The church has a wooden interior and exterior and is shaped like a boat which gives it a distinct shape. The clerestory windows and their ambient light also lend an essential spiritual impact to the space and connect the interior to the exterior in a sublime manner. It is also one of his first few buildings and is still quintessentially contextual and modern even now, which is a remarkable feat.
One of the most important works of Zumthor is The Thermal Bath Vals,1996, which is located in Vals, Switzerland. The building is a part of nature and its surroundings in a way that one could miss it if one doesn’t know where exactly it is. It is very well integrated into the landscape and at the same time it is a building that keeps opening up as you unravel it more.
It appears as a monolith from the road above with large ocular openings. The stone so used is not a cladding, it makes the very structure of the building, and this stone is the locally sourced quartzite which further makes the building a part of the landscape around. There is a sense of otherworldliness when one is inside the building and the windows that frame the outside are well placed so that one feels exactly in between the inside and outside.
Another one of his remarkable buildings is The Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, 2007, Cologne Germany which was built using rammed concrete on the outside, and in the interior, it was built using 112 pine sticks fixed in a tent like structure. The outer concrete was rammed half a meter each time and took 24 days to be made. Then the structure was put on a moderate fire which burnt down the whole structure and left deep vertical lines. In this process, the walls blackened and light that came through a glass tube from the top fell on these black walls which glistened like stars, with the smell of pine enveloping the space.
Peter was commissioned in 2011 to create The Serpentine Pavillion in Hyde Park. Picking up from the site, Zumthor wanted to create a pause that a garden or nature brings to a city. How the fresh yet retired slowness of a garden is an anti-thesis to the very pace of a busy city. In this pavilion, Peter Zumthor created a structure that opens up to a garden inside.
The structure was minimal and strong and the interior had walls that had worn patina of the burlap walls. On the outside it seemed like a simple structure, a black box and the exterior felt incongruous in Hyde Park, as once one moved inside it seemed like the interior and garden it encircled had existed for centuries. The garden in question was done by Landscape architect Piet Oudolf who used wild plants like Zumthor imagined and created a garden that complements Zumthor’s timeless appeal.
Another project of Peter Zumthor is The Abandoned Zinc Mines of Allmannajuvet, Norway,2016. The historic site inspired Peter Zumthor to create another art installation. He was commissioned in 2002 by The Norway Roadways Authority to create a Tourist route attraction center and lend life back to these derelict Zinc mines. It includes a museum, a cafe, toilets, parking facilities,a road and stairs. The building was made on the site and used a zinc corrugated roof to commemorate the mines and the interior was finished plywood with jute and burlap in black and unfinished timber that added the roughness that came with the task of mining and also the hard labor of miners.
All these projects discussed above showcase that Peter Zumthors reclusive existence is an anomaly and is as much intriguing and inspiring as his work is in today’s time of commercial architecture. There is an aged perfection in his craft which adds depth and character in each building he creates. There is no formula, he says, maybe it is just his passion that we live through while we experience his greatness through his buildings.
References:
A phenomenological journey into Peter Zumthor’s Serpentine pavilion,April 17,2020, Available at: https://spatialexperience.myblog.arts.ac.uk/embodied-experiences-and-empathic-design/, ,Accessed : 20 Nov,2024
Architectural Phenomenology: Crafting Spaces of Sensory Poetry, Author: Yasmine Hafza, September 19,2024.Available at: https://parametric-architecture.com/architectural-phenomenology/?srsltid=AfmBOoqlMjHlTVHAdhc2kU2KZwbG6O3ZdaEFmSzmc_AZk4MAl8PWhiSy,Accessed :23 Nov,2024
Naidu, Koomal & Mohan, Shanthini & Yogapriya, G. & Ii, M & Arch,. (2022). SENSORIAL DESIGN APPROACH IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
Unveiling the design secrets of Peter Zumthor, Author: Elif Ayse Sen, June 29,2024, Available at: https://illustrarch.com/articles/16628-unveiling-the-design-secrets-of-peter-zumhtor.html,Accessed :23 Nov,2024
Interview:Peter Zumthor, Author: Rob Gregory, July 5,2011, Available at: https://www.architectural-review.com/today/interview-peter-zumthor,Accessed :24 Nov,2024
