I think the chance of finding beauty is higher if you don't work on it directly. Beauty in architecture is driven by practicality. This is what you learn from studying the old townscapes of the Swiss farmers. Peter Zumthor More Quotes by Peter Zumthor More Quotes From Peter Zumthor There was a time when I experienced architecture without thinking about it. Peter Zumthor architecture thinking If you look at the Earth without architecture, its sometimes a little bit unpleasant. So there is this basic human need to do shelter in the broadest sense of the word, whether its a movie theater or a simple log cabin in the mountains. This is the core of architecture: To provide a space for human beings. Peter Zumthor mountain space simple I’m a passionate architect... I do not work for money Peter Zumthor architect passionate I design for the use of a building and the place and for the people who use it... the reputation for arrogance comes because when work is offered to me, I look whether I can find a genuine interest in quality. Peter Zumthor design arrogance people I need a close contact to the client, whoever it is, and a commitment of the client to go out and do a process together. I want to do the best for him. I need his respect and his patience. I want to work with a sophisticated person who's interested in a good building and not in my name. Peter Zumthor names together commitment I grew up in a craftsman's home, where things were done with our own hands. I did cabinetmaking for four years and I hated it. Peter Zumthor home hands years If, early on, you know how things are put together, then you can build. The architect is in charge of making - he is not an artist. Peter Zumthor architect artist together There is still a real need for good quality architecture, not paper architecture, but the real stuff. Peter Zumthor quality real needs Architecture to me is whole. I cannot say I only care about this 25% and the other 75% I let go... it's just I want to work the way I want to work. In my shop, you can order certain things and other things you cannot. They are not available. Peter Zumthor care letting-go order The bottom line may be that my inventing buildings is, indeed, a very private kind of activity. But it's done to be shared. It is comforting and consoling. From the reactions I get I can see I'm not doing something strange. Peter Zumthor lines done comforting Small museums are great. Big museums are a drag. Peter Zumthor drag bigs museums The first 10 years of my professional life had only to do with running away from my father. He was a wonderful cabinet-maker, and me being the eldest son, I had to take over his shop, his profession and so on and so on. I tried to escape by going to art school and then going on to industrial design and then interior design. Peter Zumthor running father art I'm not mainly interested in what buildings mean as symbols or vehicles for ideas. Peter Zumthor buildings symbols mean ideas Architecture has its place in the concrete world. This is where it exists. This is where it makes its statement. Peter Zumthor place where architecture world I work anywhere between three and 10 years on a project, depending on the size. My lifetime is finite. Therefore, I have to look carefully at how many projects I want to put into my lifetime. Peter Zumthor look three want work I work a little bit like a sculptor. 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. Peter Zumthor architecture space work believe My first buildings, when I was about 30, were rejected for aesthetic reasons. Peter Zumthor buildings about first aesthetic
