Peter Zumthor (born 26 April 1943) is a Swiss architect. The son of a cabinet-maker, Zumthor learned carpentry at an early age. He studied at Pratt Institute in New York in the 1960’s. During lean years, Zumthor worked on many historic restoration projects, which gave him a further understanding of construction and the qualities of different rustic building materials. As his practice developed, Zumthor was able to incorporate his knowledge of materials into Modernist construction and detailing. His buildings explore the tactile and sensory qualities of spaces and materials while retaining a minimalist feel.
In 1998, Zumthor received the Carlsberg Architecture Prize for his designs of the Kunsthaus Bregenz in Bregenz, Austria and the Thermal Baths at Vals, Switzerland (see below).
Zumthor has taught at Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles, the Technical University of Munich, the Academy of Architecture Mendrisio, Università della Svizzera Italiana, and the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Zumthor's work is largely unpublished in part because of his philosophical belief that architecture must be experienced first hand. His published written work is mostly narrative and phenomenological.
Currently, Zumthor works out of his small studio which he founded in 1979, in the town of Haldenstein, Switzerland. He enjoys playing tennis, good cigars, margaritas and jazz.
Kunsthaus Bregenz
Principal works
1983 Elementary school Churwalden, Churwalden, Graubünden, Switzerland.
1983 House Räth, Haldenstein, Graubünden, Switzerland.
1986 Shelters for Roman archaeological site, Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland.
Awards (Premi) 1987 Auszeichnung guter Bauten im Kanton Graubüunden, Switzerland. 1989 Heinrich Tessenow medal, Technische Universität Hannover, Germany. 1991 Gulam, European wiid-glue prize. 1992 Internationaler Architekturpreis für Neues Bauen in den Alpen, Graubünden, Switzerland. 1993 Best Building 1993 award from Swiss tc's '10 vor '10, Graubünden, Switzerland. 1994 Auszeichnung guter Bauten im Kanton Graubüunden, Switzerland. 1995 International Prize for Stone Architecture, Fiera di Verona, Italy. 1995 Internationaler Architekturpreis für Neues Bauen in den Alpen, Graubünden, Switzerland. 1996 Erich-Schelling-Preis für Architektur, Erich-Schelling-Stiftung, Germany. 1998 Carlsberg Architectural Prize. 2006 Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award. 2006 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Architecture, University of Virginia.
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