PETER ZUMTHOR

UNIT 2- ARCHITECTURE AND CONTEXT

 Peter Zumthor is a Swiss architect
whose work is frequently described as
uncompromising and minimalist.

PETER ZUMTHOR
About Architect
 1943 –Born in Basel, Switzerland.

1958 -Internship in cabinet-making.

1966 -Pratt Institute, New York, USA,

visiting student in architecture and
design.

1979 - Founded his own firm.

2009- Won Pritzker prize for Therme

Vals

PETER ZUMTHOR
About Architect
• His buildings explore the tactile and sensory qualities of spaces and
materials while retaining a minimalist feel.
• His work on historic
restoration projects gave
him a further
understanding of
construction and Zumthor
was able to incorporate his
knowledge of materials into
Modernist construction and
detailing.

• In the end of every conceptual thinking starts real

architecture which is based on structure and
materials PETER ZUMTHOR
Philosophy
 His wonderful feeling of
materials is what probably
strikes first, and then perhaps
the beautiful, understated
‘rightness’ of his details – all of
these the products of a master
craftsman who studied to be a
cabinet maker and then learned
about materials and
construction.

• Hence each of Zumthor’s works always responds to

extraordinary architectural demands.

PETER ZUMTHOR
Philosophy
• 1989- Heinrich Tessenow medal, Technische
Universität Hannover, Germany.
• 1991- Gulam, European wiid-glue prize.
• 1993- Best Building 1993 award from Swiss
tc's 10vor10, Graubünden, Switzerland..
• 1995- International Prize for Stone
Architecture, Fiera di Verona, Italy.
• 1996- Erich-Schelling-Stiftung, Germany.
• 1998- European Union Prize for Contemporary
Architecture  for Bregenz Art Museum.
• 1998 Carlsberg Architectural Prize.
• 2006- Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture
Award.
• 2006- Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in
Architecture, University of Virginia.
• 2008- Praemium Imperiale, Japan Arts
Association PETER ZUMTHOR
• Awards
2009- Pritzker Prize
& regonization
1997
2002
Bregenz, Museum
Luzi House
and Administration
Jenaz,
Buildings
Graubünden,
Bregenz, Austria
Switzerland

1993
Homes for 1996
Senior Spittelhof Estate
Citizens Biel-Benken,
Chur, Masans, Baselland
Graubünden, Switzerland
Switzerland

PETER ZUMTHOR
Works
 1996
Thermal Bath Vals
Graubünden, Switzerland

2000
2007 Swiss Sound Box,
Brother Klaus Field Swiss Pavilion, Expo
Chapel
Wachendorf, Eifel,
Germany PETER ZUMTHOR
Works
THERMAL BATH AT VALS

PETER ZUMTHOR
Location: Graubünden, Switzerland
Design and Construction: 1986-1996
Client: Municipality of Vals, Graubünden
Special features –
Mountain :geology of the site built into the
Mountains.

Material: stone, Water

Function: bath

PETER ZUMTHOR
SITE

PETER ZUMTHOR
• The Therme Vals is a hotel
and spa for which the idea
was to create a form of cave
or quarry like structure. 

• The idea of a quarry , were cut

out of the single blocks, so
that between the stacked and
cut out block caves are
created.

• The Therme Vals is built from

layer upon layer of locally
quarried Valser Quarzite
slabs. PETER ZUMTHOR
• The ‘natural’ thermal water which
comes from the mountain just
behind the baths has a
temperature of 30°C.

• There is no directly visible

entrance to the building - the
visitors are access to the
complex through a tunnel.

PETER ZUMTHOR
 CONCEPT

PETER ZUMTHOR
EVOLUTION

PETER ZUMTHOR
 UPPER LEVEL PLAN
4
5 1-Terraces
6 7 2-Indoor pool
3-Outdoor pool
4-Showers
5-Changing
rooms
3 2 6-Make up
room
7-Entrance
1 from the hotel
1 1 1

PETER ZUMTHOR
LOWER LEVEL PLAN

Functions: Massage
room, Rest space.

PETER ZUMTHOR
The whole building is made up of 15 simple units.
This units are all different each one has a large outcropping roof sections.

PETER ZUMTHOR
• The roof of each unit covering the whole
developed site fit together like a puzzle.
PETER ZUMTHOR
 CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
• The overhanging concrete slab is held in the horizontal position by
metal cables.

• And these cables are invisible due to the second layer of the
concrete and this units look like a single stone unit. PETER ZUMTHOR
 The
overhanging
roof of the
each units
doesn’t
coincide with
each other it
creates a
beautiful
natural light
effect in the
building.

PETER ZUMTHOR
PETER ZUMTHOR
Architect creates a single
sensation in each block, Like in a
unit the temperature of the water
is 40 degree and the color of that
unit associated with the
temperature for example Red
means hot water and blue means
cold.

PETER ZUMTHOR
• The whole construction,
inside and outside is clad
with the same quality of
gneiss stone.

• Different sizes of stones

are placed in a layer form
in a non-repetitive pattern.

• Three different thicknesses

are used which are  63
mm, 47 mm, and 31mm
and the slabs are placed
again and again in different
order to give it a non-
repetitive pattern. PETER ZUMTHOR
BROTHER KLAUS FIELD CHAPEL EIFEL, GERMANY

PETER ZUMTHOR
• The field chapel
dedicated to Swiss Saint
Nicholas von der Flüe
known as Brother Klaus,
was commissioned by
farmer Hermann-Josef
and constructed with
help of his farmer friends
• Zumthor used a
technique called
“rammed concrete”
where farmers poured a
layer of concrete over a
tepee of timber.
PETER ZUMTHOR
• In its
irregular
five-sided
form,
rising
starkly
above the
surroundin
g
landscape,
there are
virtually no
clues to
what lies
within. PETER ZUMTHOR
• A narrow gravel
path leads from
the road directly
to its massive,
triangular steel
door.

• The tower rises

12 meters in 24
layers of
concrete each of
50 cm. thick.

PETER ZUMTHOR
• The interior of the chapel
had to be shaped for that,
112 slender tree trunks, cut
from trees felled in a nearby
forest, were arranged in
the shape of a tepee over a
concrete
Platform.

PETER ZUMTHOR
And after that 50cm layers of concrete, each layer
poured one per day for 24 days
PETER ZUMTHOR
• The timber was
then burnt out by
colliers, using the
same process as
making charcoal,
leaving a charred
inside.
• And concrete has
taken the shape
of tree trunks
giving the similar
effects as tree
trunks.
PETER ZUMTHOR
Three hundred
and fifty holes
punched into the
concrete shell are
filled with plugs of
mouth-blown
glass; the light
passing through
them, dancing and
sparkling out of
the blackened
walls.

PETER ZUMTHOR
• The space is tiny and offers no obvious
sense of comfort. barely large enough
for two or three people at a time.

PETER ZUMTHOR