Peter Zumthor: 3 buildings, 4 projects

Introduction of the lecture (photo Lucie Mlynářová)

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009, a lecture was held by the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor at the Bethlehem Chapel, who became this year's recipient of the Pritzker Prize. The next day at noon, Zumthor repeated the lecture in an intimate setting at the Regional Scientific Library in Liberec. One of the most well-known Swiss architects visited the Czech Republic after a long nine years. His first lecture took place in the spring of 2000 at the Round Hall of the Brno Exhibition Center, where it was the highlight of the International Building Fair. The audience at that time was captivated by his informal presentation style and many were surprised by the enthusiasm with which he spoke about subjects that, at first glance, had no direct connection to architecture.
He came to the Czech Republic for the second time to lecture at the invitation of David Vávra, thanks to the generosity of the company Happy Materials. Peter Zumthor approaches lectures just as he does all his works. Projects take several years to develop and buildings often take a whole decade to complete. Similarly to his buildings, he designs every detail and wants to maintain control over the publishers of his book publications. He does not compromise, which is why the canvas and paper for the Czech edition of his book Thinking Architecture had to be manufactured and purchased in Germany (the printing and binding already took place in Zlín). The tactile experience adds a new dimension and significance to the reading.
Zumthor, who is sparing with his lectures and holds only a few each year, wishes for his listeners to take away a different experience than what they expect from lectures: an introductory word, a person on stage with a projection, and discussion. Just as with his buildings, Zumthor wanted to have full control over the script of the evening in Prague, which did not quite succeed.
After a trio of introductory speeches (Hendrych – advertisement, Zavřel – patronage, Vávra – comedy), the hall finally dims, and the introductory black screen with blue lettering begins to resonate with the first tones from contemporary composer Luigi Nono, who lives in Venice and was inspired for this work by the bells of local churches. For at least the last ten years, music has been the greatest source of inspiration for Zumthor. He is fond of the stories hidden behind individual pieces. He sees various layers and levels in music that are similar to architecture. Right from the start, Zumthor urged those present to be able to refuse a commission in life and not to compromise. In the following three buildings and four projects, he demonstrated to everyone that when a person follows this advice, the results are definitely worth it.

Zumthor's House in Haldenstein (2004)

The first project presented was his own house in Haldenstein, where he has lived for many years and created within his family circle. Originally, he built a long wooden house, but with the arrival of larger commissions, he purchased another plot across the street and built a concrete house. One of the advantages of the new house is that it is even closer to the structural engineer, whose wife designed a garden with 11 different apple tree species for him in the atrium, each from a different corner of the world. When designing, it is important for him to have his family, collaborators around him, and also a quiet place where no one will disturb him. When Zumthor showed the house to his friend Peter Märkli, he aptly described it as a place where one would have to walk constantly. The elongated rooms and corridors force one to keep moving. Following fresh experiences from the Müller Villa, Zumthor compared the hidden salon of Mrs. Müller to the doors in his house that separate the family from his studio.

Bruder Klaus Field Chapel (2007)

Bruder Klaus Field Chapel in Wachendorf was created for a German client, whom Zumthor warned from the beginning that he is expensive and will only deliver contemporary architecture. The chapel is dedicated to Brother Klaus, whose life story still appeals to many Swiss even after five centuries and was one of the favorite saints of Zumthor's mother. Placing a vertical mass in flat terrain was quite a simple idea, but the concept of the interior space took more than seven years to develop. The mass of the chapel consists of 24 half-meter layers of rammed concrete. Building one layer took exactly one day, and after it hardened, work continued with another layer. Rain falls through the upper opening into the chapel onto the lead floor, where water remains and gradually evaporates. Casting the lead floor directly on-site was not without risk, and he no longer recommends it to anyone. Formwork for the interior required the farmers to cut down 77 trees in the forest, which then created an interesting envelope. The choice of wood was as important as its subsequent burning. A charcoal burner helped them choose wood that smells beautiful when burned, and then maintained a slow burning process inside the future chapel for three weeks.
The openings from the structural connections between the inner and outer shell were originally to remain open to serve the wind as an organ. However, due to the strong draft, it eventually had to be compromised, and glass droplets were placed in the openings. Instead of an image of a saint, a bust by eighty-year-old sculptor Hans Josephsohn was chosen. While Zumthor ultimately created the chapel project for free, the municipality had to save for a considerable time to afford Josephsohn's statue. It was then a surprise when they discovered that the chosen statue of Brother Klaus is actually a portrait of Josephsohn's former girlfriend.
Visitors to the chapel currently consist of half believers and architectural curious individuals. However, everyone has to park their car in the village and walk across the meadow to the chapel to clear their heads.

Kolumba in Cologne (2007)

Kolumba - the art museum of the archbishopric in Cologne stands on the ruins of a Gothic church. The realization of the project took a long ten years. While contemporary museums behave like department stores, the concept of Kolumba was non-commercial from the very beginning. No opening receptions or guided tours are held here. It is not a Catholic museum either. First and foremost is the art and the individual experiences of the visitors.
The new mass grows on the outer walls of the church bombed during World War II. The main idea is immediately clear to everyone and is not complicatedly encoded only for architects. Following a meandering path upward, the museum becomes lighter and more illuminated. The walk through the museum ends with a large window overlooking the Cologne Cathedral. Light flows into the upper galleries from various sides, changing the mood in the rooms. If you are lucky, next to the “living room” lined with wooden panels and with silk curtains in the windows, there is an open small kitchenette, where they will prepare coffee for you, and nothing will prevent you from savoring the intimate and tranquil atmosphere in the midst of a big city. On this occasion, Zumthor recalled a thank-you letter that came to his office a few years ago from an unknown person who went to sit in the museum after a funeral service and reflect in the “living room”.
The largest part of the ground floor is occupied by the excavation of old masonry. A proven way to protect them is to cover the historical site, but not enclose it, and allow air to flow, just as farmers store hay. Already during the competition, Zumthor promised to create a unique brick just for Kolumba. Masonry construction was the cheapest way to restore the damaged German cities after World War II. This thousands-of-years-old construction method moves forward in this project. The design consists of two separate walls with openings for which a laying plan had to be created, similar to a musical score, which a crew of Polish masons from the Kraków area then built over two years. As visitors move, the walls in motion create a moiré effect. The new museum has quickly integrated into the urban structure. It can work with historical references, but it clearly moves forward.

Mining Museum in Almannajuvet (2003-)

Almannajuvet Mining Museum, Sauda - Norway is a country that prides itself on its natural wealth. At the same time, they fully realize the importance of the environment, which includes quality architecture. They often reach high levels by frequently holding competitions, even for small commissions such as viewing platforms, roadside rest areas, or public toilets.
Peter Zumthor was invited to participate in an ambitious project for a mining museum in a place where zinc was once mined under inhumane conditions. From thousand-meter underground tunnels, stones were brought to the surface through narrow openings, transported by horses through gorges to the fjords, and from there shipped to England. The concept of the museum consists of four buildings: facilities, café, platform, and mine. Although the wooden structure and connections of individual elements look very simple, more than fifty variants have already been created, and negotiations with the client about the final form of the museum have been ongoing for two years. The project is thought out to such details as the menu in the café (miner's pie, miner's soup, …), theatrical performances, or a book publication that you will be able to preview on-site and will never be for sale.

Monument to the witches of Finnmark, Vardø (2007-)

Monument to the Burned Witches in Finnmark, Vardø – the second presented project is again located in Norway, but this time beyond the Arctic Circle, where, in the 17th century, a trial took place involving at least 137 alleged witches, two-thirds of whom (92) were ultimately burned. Alongside Zumthor, French sculptor Louise Bourgeois, who has been based in New York since 1938, was also invited to the project. Out of mutual courtesy, two objects ultimately emerged. Similar to the Berlin Topography of Terror, this concept features a long volume alongside a point structure. Set into the 180-meter-long structure on the edge of the settlement are 92 stories of accusations and the subsequent confessions of the accused witches. 92 windows illuminated by light bulbs face the nearby sea. A wooden structure similar to those where fishermen dry their catch is threaded with a black textile "sleeve". At the end of the point structure is an installation by Louise Bourgeois - five metal chairs from which fire erupts. The aggressive form is meant to express the headless act of killing. The installation is framed by black glass, like welding goggles. The dark walls allow only flames to escape outside.

Holiday House in Devon (2009-)

Holiday House in Chivelstone – the English organization Landmark Trust, which offers interested parties the opportunity to rent a room in historical monuments for short periods, decided to include modern architecture in its offerings. To this end, they approached several European architects (Michael Hopkins, Nord, JVA, MVRDV). However, Zumthor did not like the idea of people coming here for the weekend without any plans on how to kill time. His design, resembling a cluster of stones, is intended for a maximum of 12 people to gather and work on common interests. Zumthor was attracted to the nearby cliffs and the magical landscape surrounding Devon. Inspiration and significance of the environment can also be read from Zumthor's models, in which he places his designs. They are not white abstract models, but by choosing materials, he tries to approximate the real place (stone, clay, plants, water). He uses materials in the designs that then appear in the constructed building (bricks, concrete, wood, fabric).

Hotel in the Atacama Desert (2009-)

Hotel in the Atacama Desert - the commission came from a wealthy banker who decided to change his life and began to explore nature more. However, he did not compromise on his accustomed standards. He approached Zumthor to design a luxurious hotel in the middle of the Chilean desert. The resulting circular form with a central oasis is based on local climatic conditions, where it rains only once a year but regularly has to be protected from sandstorms and cold nights. The surrounding emptiness did not limit him in any way, and thus he felt a need for generosity. The resulting organic form can also be understood as a tribute to Oscar Niemeyer.
At the end of the lecture, Zumthor introduced his collaborators with whom he tries to maintain control over each phase of the project down to the last detail. In this exhausting work, he is assisted by a team with an average age of 25 years and nationalities from all over Europe.

Peter Zumthor with his wife Annalisa and members of the Civic Association Šumná města, the organizers of his visit: from left - David Vávra, Annalisa Zumthor, Peter Zumthor, Lucie Havlová, Tomáš Hendrych, and Radovan Lipus. (photo Lucie Mlynářová)