Unquestionably one of the most influential and revered contemporary architects, Peter Zumthor has approached his work with a singular clarity of vision and a strong sense of his own philosophy, both of which have earned him the admiration of his peers and the world at large. Choosing to only take on a few projects at a time and keep his studio small, Zumthor has produced a comparatively few number of realized buildings, but they rank among the world's most stunning: St. Benedict's Chapel in Sumvitg, Switzerland; Therme Vals in Vals, Switzerland; Kunsthaus Bregenz in Bregenz, Austria; and the Kolumba Art Museum in Cologne, Germany number among his most famous buildings. This collection, however, explores his entire body of award-winning work from 1986 to 2012 in five volumes, including his lesser-known but nonetheless critically acclaimed works such as the Field Chapel for Brother Klaus near Mechernich, Germany, and the Steilneset. Memorial for the Victims of the Witch Trials in Vardo, Norway. Peter Zumthor presents around 40 of his projects, both realized and unrealised, through Zumthor's own writing, and with photographs, sketches, drawings, and plans. A complete catalogue of his works starting in 1979 rounds out the book. Richly illustrated and beautifully designed, this book serves as both an introduction to Zumthor's work and philosophy for the layperson and a required addition to any architect's library. Text in German. AUTHOR: Peter Zumthor, born 1943 in Basel (Switzerland), trained as a cabinet maker and was educated as designer and architect at the College of Applied Arts in Basel and the Pratt Institute in New York. He runs his own architectural studio in Haldenstein (Switzerland) since 1979. He is also been lecturing at the Academy of Architecture of the Universita della Svizzera italiana in Mendrisio (Switzerland) and various universities and colleges in Europe and the US. Zumthor has also been awarded many prizes for his work, including the highest honours in international architecture: the Praemium Imperiale (Japan, 2008), the Pritzker Prize (USA, 2009), and the Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Gold Medal (UK, 2012). SELLING POINTS: . Unquestionably one of the most influential and revered contemporary architects, Peter Zumthor has approached his work with a singular clarity of vision and a strong sense of his own philosophy . This collection explores his entire body of award-winning work from 1986 to 2012 in five volumes, including his lesser-known but nonetheless critically acclaimed works such as the Field Chapel for Brother Klaus near Mechernich, Germany, and the Steilneset . Richly illustrated and beautifully designed, this book serves as both an introduction to Zumthor's work and philosophy for the layperson and a required addition to any architect's library 350 colour, 150 b/w illustrations
Industry Reviews
"Few architects are as patient and exacting as Peter Zumthor, and this monograph captures the materiality and intangible spirit of his work in drawings, photographs, and his brief texts. It was an inspired idea to divide this rich concentration of work into five slim volumes, rather than cram it into one of the mega-publications that entomb other celebrated architects. Each is a delight to hold and page through, and a model of Swiss design from the gray silk covers to the crisp typography and spacious layouts. Rarely has haptic architecture been better expressed in print."-- "Michael Webb, The Architects Newspaper, on the 2014 edition"
"With the same rigor and poetry of his architecture Zumthor offers us his opera omnia. But so laconic is he that who knows if this is the last."-- "Eduardo Prieto, ArcitecturaViva, on the 2014 edition"