Peter Zumthor is a renowned Swiss architect whose design is high in sensibility and

fine details. Zumthor was born in Basel, Switzerland, on April 26th 1943. He has received

some awards and recognitions such as RIBA Gold Medal (2013), Pritzker Architecture

Prize (2009), Praemium Imperiale (2008), and some other awards. Zumthor is currently

working out of his small studio in Haldenstein, near the city of Chur, Switzerland.

• 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, abandoned, demolished in 2004.

• 1997-2000 Swiss Pavilion EXPO 2000, Hannover, Germany.

• 1997 Villa in Küsnacht am Zürichsee Küsnacht, Switzerland.

• 1997 Lichtforum Zumtobel Staff, Zürich, Switzerland.

• 1999 Cloud Rock Wilderness Lodge, Moab, Utah, United States.

• 2007 Bruder Klaus Kapelle, Mechernich-Wachendorf, Germany.

• 2007 Kolumba - Erzbischöfliches Diözesanmuseum, Cologne, Germany.

• 2011 Steilneset Memorial for the Victims of the Witch Trials, Vardø, NorwaY.

• 2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London, England.

• 2012 Werkraum Bregenzerwald Hof 800, 6866 Andelsbuch, Austria.

• 1987 Auszeichnung guter Bauten im Kanton Graubüunden, Switzerland.

• 1989 Heinrich Tessenow medal, Technische Universität Hannover, Germany.

• 1991 Gulam, European wiid-glue prize.

• 1992 Internationaler Architekturpreis für Neues Bauen in den Alpen,

Graubünden, Switzerland.

• 1993 Best Building 1993 award from Swiss tc's 10vor10, Graubünden, Switzerland.

• 1994 Auszeichnung guter Bauten im Kanton Graubünden, Switzerland.

• 1995 International Prize for Stone Architecture, Fiera di Verona, Italy.

• 1995 Internationaler Architekturpreis für Neues Bauen in den Alpen,

Graubünden, Switzerland.

• 1996 Erich-Schelling-Preis für Architektur, Erich-Schelling-Stiftung, Germany.

• 1998 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture (aka Mies van der Rohe

Award) for Bregenz Art Museum.

• 1998 Carlsberg Architectural Prize.

• 2006 Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award.

• 2006 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Architecture, University of Virginia.

• 2008 Praemium Imperiale, Japan Arts Association.

• 2009 Pritzker Prize.

• 2013 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for 2013, announced September 2012,

award ceremony February 2013.

“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.”

“Designing is a matter

of concentration. You go deep

into what you want to do.

It's about intensive research, really.

The concentration is warm and

intimate and like the fire inside

the earth - intense but not distorted.

You can go to a place,

really feel it in your heart.

It's actually a beautiful feeling.”

“My buildings should have an emotional core

–a space which, in itself, has an emotional nice feeling.”

“Architecture is exposed

to life. If its body is sensitive

enough, it can assume a quality

that bears witness to past life.”

“I am convinced that a good building must

be capable of absorbing the traces of human

life and taking on a specific richness.”

“I think space, architectural space, is my thing.

It's not about facade, elevation, making image,

making money. My passion is creating space.”