The Pritzker Architecture Prize is often referred to as “architecture’s Nobel” and “the profession’s highest honor”. 2009 winner is Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.
Although most of his work is in Switzerland, he has designed projects in Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, England, Spain, Norway, Finland and the United States. His most famous work is in Vals, Switzerland — the Thermal Baths.
Thermal Baths in Vals, photos by Gary Ebner, Ludwig Moos and Helene Binet.
Zumthor, when notified that he had been named the 2009 laureate, responded, “Being awarded the Pritzker Prize is a wonderful recognition of the architectural work we have done in the last 20 years. That a body of work as small as ours is recognized in the professional world makes us feel proud and should give much hope to young professionals that if they strive for quality in their work it might become visible without any special promotion.”
House in Leis, photo by Ludwig Moos
Based in the remote village of Haldenstein in the Swiss mountains, Zumthor develops buildings of great integrity. Declining a majority of the commissions that come his way, he only accepts a project if he feels a deep affinity for its program, and from the moment of commitment, his devotion is complete, overseeing the project’s realization to the very last detail.
Brother Klaus Field Chapel in Wachendorf, Germany, photo by Pietro Savorelli
Zumthor has a keen ability to create places that are much more than a single building. His architecture expresses respect for the primacy of the site, the legacy of a local culture and the invaluable lessons of architectural history.
Kolumba Museum in Cologne, photo by Michiel van Raaij
Posted by Isabel Barros
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