This document provides biographical information about Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, including his education and some of his notable works. It was born in 1943 in Basel, Switzerland and completed an apprenticeship in cabinetmaking in 1958 before studying architecture at Pratt Institute in New York. Some of Zumthor's most renowned projects discussed include the Thermal Baths in Vals, Switzerland (1994-1996), the Brother Klaus Field Chapel in Germany (2007), and the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2000. The document discusses design elements and construction techniques used in these projects, emphasizing Zumthor's focus on materials, tactile qualities, and creating sensory experiences through architecture.

1. Peter Zumthor
Amit Sen
2010uar106

2. Born
1943 Basel, Switzerland
Education
1958 Apprenticeship in cabinetmaking.
1966 Pratt Institute, New
York, USA, visiting student in
architecture and design.

3. •He is a Swiss architect and winner of the 2009 Pritzker Prize.
•His father was a cabinet-maker and he was also apprenticed to a cabinetmaker in
1958.
•In 1966, Zumthor studied industrial design and architecture as an exchange
student at Pratt Institute in New York.
•In 1968, he became conservationist architect for the Department for the
Preservation of Monuments of the canton.
• His buildings explore the tactile and sensory qualities of spaces and materials
while retaining a minimalist feel.
•Zumthor founded his own firm in 1979.
•The attention Zumther pays to materials and to their visual, tactile and even
olfactory attributes.
•He applies materials with the sophisticated precision and he pursues the skills and
techniques of construction.
•Each of Zumthor’s works always responds to extraordinary architectural demands.

4. Some of his notable works
1996
Thermal Bath Vals
Graubünden, Switzerland
2007
Brother Klaus Field Chapel
Wachendorf, Eifel, Germany
2000
Swiss Sound Box, Swiss Pavilion, Expo 2000
Hanover, Germany

5. Some of his notable works
1996
Thermal Bath Vals
Graubünden, Switzerland
2007
Brother Klaus Field Chapel
Wachendorf, Eifel, Germany
2000
Swiss Sound Box, Swiss Pavilion, Expo 2000
Hanover, Germany

6. 2002
Luzi House
Jenaz,
Graubünden, Switzerland
1996
Spittelhof Estate
Biel-Benken, Baselland
Switzerland
1997
Kunsthaus Bregenz, Vorarlberger Landesgalerie
Museum and Administration Buildings
Bregenz, Austria

7. 1994
Truog House
Gugalun, Versam
Graubünden, Switzerland
1993
Homes for Senior Citizens
Chur, Masans,
Graubünden, Switzerland
1988
Saint Benedict Chapel
Sumvitg,
Graubünden, Switzerland

8. Thermal Bath at Vals

9. Architect: Peter Zumthor
Location: Vals, Switzerland
Program Type: Thermal Bath / Spa building
Construction Period: 1994-1996
Approx. Size: 4000sm (35000sf)

10. •
•
•
The Thermal bath exists as a part of an existing 1960s hotel and spa complex.
The main conceptual idea of Zumthor focuses on the geology of Vals.
He treats the bath complex as a volume of a rock that is hollowed out of the
mountain.
5
4
1
3
2

11. •
•
To avoid spoiling the view of the guests in the main hotel, the commission refused to
allow the architect to build upward and zumthor responded it to sinking his building
in the slope.
The flat roof covered with the grass makes the building blended with the landscape
only the geometrical patterns reveal its presence.

12. •
•
The only façade of the building facing the mountain is built in stone
The façade is interrupted by wide openings, windows and terrace.

13. 4
5
3
1
6
2
1
1-Terraces
2-Indoor pool
3-Outdoor pool
4-Showers
5-Changing rooms
6-Make up room
7-Entrance from the hotel
1
1
Plan at upper level
7

14. Plan at Lower level
Functions: Massage room, Rest space.

15. •
The spa area revolves around two large irregularly shaped pools, one in the center
of the building and other in the open air.

16. •
•
The whole building is made up of 15 simple units.
This units are all different each one has a large outcropping roof sections.

19. •
•
The roof of each unit covering the whole developed site fit together like a puzzle.
While the smaller units beneath them don’t quite fill the whole surface area and
that free space allows the movement within the building.

33. Construction of each unit
•
•
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.

34. •
The overhanging roof of the each units doesn’t coincide with each other it creates a
beautiful natural light effect in the building.

36. •
In each unit zumthor has created a surprise.
•
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.
•
Even In a unit you can hear the music of stone.

37. •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 these three type of slabs are placed again and again in different order to give it a
non-repetitive pattern.

39. Brother Klaus Field Chapel
Eifel, Germany

40. •
•
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.

41. •In its irregular five-sided form, rising starkly above the surrounding landscape, there
are virtually no clues to what lies within.
•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.

42. •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.
•And after that 50cm layers of
concrete, each layer poured one per
day for 24 days

43. Sections showing 24 concrete layers.

44. •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.

45. •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.
•The space is tiny and offers no obvious sense of comfort. barely large enough for two
or three people at a time.

47. •References
Wikipedia
Youtube
Thinking Architecture by Peter Zumthor.
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