Peter Zumthor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter Zumthor
Zumthor at the 16th Venice Biennale of Architecture in May 2018
Born	(1943-04-26) 26 April 1943 (age 82) Basel, Switzerland
Occupation	Architect
Awards	Carlsberg Architectural Prize (1998) Praemium Imperiale (2008) Pritzker Prize (2009) Royal Gold Medal (2013)
Buildings	Therme Vals (1996) Kunsthaus Bregenz (1997) Kolumba (2007)

Peter Zumthor (born April 26, 1943) is a famous Swiss architect. His buildings are often described as simple and strong. Even though his company is small, he has won major awards like the 2009 Pritzker Prize and the 2013 RIBA Royal Gold Medal. These are some of the highest honors an architect can receive.

Early Life and Learning

Growing Up in Basel

Peter Zumthor was born in Basel, Switzerland. His father was a cabinet-maker, someone who builds fine wooden furniture. This meant Peter was around design and building from a very young age. He even became a carpenter's helper in 1958.

Studying Design and History

In 1963, he started studying at an arts and crafts school in Basel. Later, in 1966, he went to New York to study industrial design and architecture. After that, in 1968, he worked to help protect old buildings in the canton of Graubünden. This job taught him a lot about how buildings are put together and the special qualities of different building materials.

His Unique Design Style

As Peter Zumthor continued his work, he learned how to use his knowledge of materials in modern buildings. He likes to explore how spaces feel and how materials look and feel. His buildings often have a simple, clean look. People say that "Zumthor’s key building material is light," meaning he uses light in a very special way in his designs.

Peter Zumthor's Career

Starting His Own Company

The Kolumba Museum in Cologne, designed by Peter Zumthor.

Peter Zumthor started his own architecture company in 1979. His company quickly became well-known, and he began working on projects in different countries.

Teaching Architecture

He has also taught at many famous universities. These include the University of Southern California, the Technical University of Munich, and Harvard Graduate School of Design. Since 1996, he has been a professor at the Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio in Switzerland.

Famous Buildings and Projects

Some of Peter Zumthor's most famous buildings include:

• The Kunsthaus Bregenz (1997): This is a shiny glass and concrete building that looks over a lake in Austria.
• The thermal baths in Vals, Switzerland (1999): These are like a cave-like spa where people can relax in warm water.
• The Swiss Pavilion for Expo 2000 in Germany: This was a building made entirely of wood, designed to be reused after the event.
• The Kolumba Diocesan Museum (2007) in Cologne, Germany.
• The Bruder Klaus Field Chapel: This is a small, unique chapel on a farm in Germany.

Other Important Works

In 1993, Zumthor won a competition to design a museum in Berlin. This museum, called the Topography of Terror, was meant to show the terrible history of Nazism. Part of it was built, but the project was stopped for money reasons and later taken down in 2004.

He also worked on two projects in Norway for a special tourist route. One was a memorial for victims of witch trials, and the other was a rest area at an old zinc mine. In 2011, he designed the Serpentine Gallery's summer pavilion in London.

As of 2025, Peter Zumthor works from his small studio in Haldenstein, Switzerland, with about 30 employees.

Awards and Recognition

Peter Zumthor has received many important awards for his work:

• In 1998, he won the Carlsberg Architectural Prize for his designs of the Kunsthaus Bregenz and the Thermal Baths at Vals.
• He received the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture in 1999.
• He was given the Praemium Imperiale in 2008.
• In 2009, he won the prestigious Pritzker Prize, which is like the Nobel Prize for architecture.
• In 2012, he was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal.
• In 2023, on his 80th birthday, a German newspaper called him "the great magician of minimalism."

Books About His Work

Peter Zumthor believes that buildings should be experienced in person. Because of this, not many books have been published about his work. The books that do exist often talk about his ideas and feelings about architecture.

Thinking Architecture

In this book, Peter Zumthor shares why he designs buildings that feel special and have a strong presence. He talks about how buildings can have a "beautiful silence" and how he tries to make materials feel warm and real. He explains that when he designs, he thinks about the place and its history, and also about other places or art that have inspired him.

Atmospheres

Atmospheres is a book where Zumthor talks about what inspires him to create the feeling or "atmosphere" in his buildings. He describes how things like the materials, the size of rooms, and the way light enters a building all help create a special mood. He says an architectural atmosphere is "this singular density and mood, this feeling of presence, well-being, harmony, beauty."

Peter Zumthor Therme Vals

The Therme Vals in Switzerland, known for its unique stone walls.

This book is all about his famous Therme Vals building. It includes his original drawings and beautiful photos of the spa. The book also explains how the building connects to nature and why he used local stone.

Seeing Zumthor

This book is a special project between Zumthor and photographer Hans Danuser. It shows Danuser's photos of Zumthor's buildings, including the Therme Vals. The book explores how architecture and photography connect.

Dear to Me

In 2017, Peter Zumthor helped create an art show called Dear to Me. For this show, he had conversations with many interesting people like philosophers, writers, and artists. These talks are collected in a set of small books. They offer a look into his thoughts and how he works. A short film called "Notes From A Day In The Life Of An Architect" was also made about him.

Personal Life

Peter Zumthor is married to Annalisa Zumthor-Cuorad. They have three children together.

Main Buildings and Projects

• 1983 Elementary school Churwalden, Churwalden, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1983 House Räth, Haldenstein, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1986 Shelters for Roman archaeological site, Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1986 Atelier Zumthor, Haldenstein, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1989 Saint Benedict Chapel, Sumvitg, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1990 Art Museum Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1993 Residential home for the elderly, Masans, Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1994 Gugalun House, Versam, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1996 Spittelhof housing, Biel-Benken, Basel, Switzerland.
• 1996 Therme Vals, Vals, Graubünden, Switzerland.
• 1997 Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Austria.
• 1997 Topography of Terror, International Exhibition and Documentation Centre, Berlin, Germany (partly built, then taken down in 2004).
• 1997–2000 Swiss Pavilion EXPO 2000, Hannover, Germany.
• 1997 Villa in Küsnacht am Zürichsee Küsnacht, Switzerland.
• 1997 Lichtforum Zumtobel Staff, Zürich, Switzerland.
• 2007 Bruder Klaus Kapelle, Mechernich-Wachendorf, Germany.
• 2007 Kolumba – Erzbischöfliches Diözesanmuseum, Cologne, Germany.
• 2009 Leiser Ensemble, Leis/Vals, Graubünden, Switzerland
• 2011 Steilneset Memorial for the Victims of the Witch Trials, Vardø, Norway
• 2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011, London, England
• 2012 Werkraum Bregenzerwald Hof 800, 6866 Andelsbuch, Austria
• 2016 Rest area/museum, Allmannajuvet zinc mines, Norway
• 2018 'Secular Retreat' summer villa for Living Architecture, Salcombe, Devon, England
• 2018–2024 (under construction) LACMA, Los Angeles, CA.

Images for kids

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  The Kunsthaus Bregenz, a modern art museum.

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  The unique facade of the Therme Vals.

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  The peaceful St. Benedict Chapel.

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  The Bruder Klaus Chapel, known for its simple design.

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  The Kolumba—Erzbischöfliches Diözesanmuseum.

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Peter Zumthor para niños