Born:
April 26, 1943 in Basel, Switzerland
Education:
- 1958-1962: Trained as a cabinet maker
- 1963-1967: Kunstgewerbeschule in Basel, Switzerland and the Pratt Institute in New York City, USA.
Selected Buildings:
- 1986: Protective Housing for Roman Archeological Excavations, Chur, Switzerland
- 1988: Saint Benedict Chapel, Graubünden, Switzerland
- 1990: Art Museum, Chur, Switzerland
- 1993: Homes for Senior Citizens, Chur, Switzerland
- 1996: Thermal Baths Vals, Vals, Switzerland
- 1997: Kunsthaus (Art Museum), Bregenz, Austria
- 2000: Swiss Pavilion, Expo 2000, Hannover, Germany
- 2001-2004: Harjunkulma Apartment Building, Jyväskylä, Finland
- 2002: Luzi House, Jenaz, Graubünden Switzerland
- 2007:Saint Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, Mechernich, Germany
- 2007- : Memorial Site to the Burning of Witches, Finnmark, Varde, Norway
Selected Awards:
- 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
- 1999: Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture, for the Kunsthaus Bregenz in Barcelona, Spain
- 2006: Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award
- 2008: Praemium Imperiale, Japan Arts Association
- 2009: Pritzker Architecture Prize
Quotes:
- "I believe that the language of architecture is not a question of a specific style. Every building is built for a specific use in a specific place and for a specific society."
Thinking Architecture by Peter Zumthor
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About Peter Zumthor:
The son of a cabinet maker, Peter Zumthor is often praised for the detailed craftsmanship of his designs. Peter Zumthor works with a range of materials, from cedar shingles to sandblasted glass, to create inviting textures. "I work a little bit like a sculptor,” Zumthor told the New York Times. "When I start, my first idea for a building is with the material. I believe architecture is about that. It's not about paper, it's not about forms. It's about space and material." (Full story)
Peter Zumthor lives quietly in the remote village of Haldenstein in the Swiss mountains. His buildings are found mainly in Europe.
