Zumthor: Simple and Elegant

Peter Zumthor

Zumthor is a Swiss architect that builds buildings that are very simple and very elegant. His buildings pay very close attention to detail while they still blow your mind. Zumthor studied carpentry as a child which gave him the ability to craft wood like a master. In his early career he worked for the Department of Preservation of Monuments. This helped him learn strategies of sustainability. His familiarity with wood shows in his work as he constantly turns to it and uses it as the prime material for buildings. Two of his most famous projects are the thermal baths at Val and St. Benedict Chapel. Zumthor uses various techniques to create things like never before. He uses a special wooded concrete to make the concrete look nice and real but it also stays very strong for a long period of time increasing the buildings sustainability

The Baths at Val

The baths were reconstructed in 1996. These were to be like no other set deep in the side of the mountain near a hotel. The baths consist of various water jets, nozzles, and chutes. They are often reffered to as a geometric cave system. Slits in the ceiling give a dramatic light effect on the water below. The waters have different temperatures from fire water, flower water, and cold water. The walls in the baths are made of wood inlaid concrete which gives it a wooden feel but it still remains hard and strong.



Saint Benedict Chapel

A small little wooden chapel on the side of a mountain often to reffered to as the boat, the leaf, or the eye for its very distinct shape. Inspired by the mother church. When you walk in you should feel the security, dignity, composure, concentration. It is a place of reflection a place to breathe. the entire inside of the church is made of wood. There is no drywall so you can see the wooden pillars and the support beams. Zumthor decided to use his skills with wood and create something absolutely amzing.