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Peter Zumthor on Presence

markcini

I didn't have an interest in architecture (except perhaps in a historical sense) until my daughter chose that as her major in college.   It's absolutely fascinating, especially so as everything is so new to me.   I'm only on my second book and have listened to just two lectures, one by Peter Zumthor which I'm halfway through.  Please forgive the clumsy use of language, I'm just getting my feet wet.

Many years ago I stayed in a hotel that was designed by Peter Dominick (AKL in Disney World, don't laugh), the experience was transformative.  The interior spaces/materials radiated energy, I had never felt like that in a building before. 

Zumthor describes the essence of living in the moment when past and future are no longer present, that kind of ethereal sensation you get so rarely in a lifetime.   His objective if I understand correctly is to create such an atmosphere through materials, light and structure.   He understood that meaning had to be diminished, to be in the background lest it intrude through formalization. Time slows down and can even stop in the unrecognizable, we recapture the sense of awe and wonderment that was lost in our youth.

 
Sep 28, 17 11:24 pm
chris-chitect

Interesting comments. 

While I don't know anything about Peter Dominick, I also wouldn't laugh at your comments. Disney and Theme Park architecture is low brow and not considered too intellectual, but I would agree that it can be transformative. I work with theme park architecture myself, and know it's a very special skill set to transport visitors to another time and place. There is a lot of very careful and thought out design that goes into these places. After all, you're paying a lot of money for an experience.

As for Zumthor, I would admit that I'm not that deep on architecture myself. I like design, I like something that is minimalist, clean, clever and practical, but I wouldn't say I get much of a vibe from the buildings I visit. I will however confirm that I lost track of time when I visited Zumthor's pool in Vals Switzerland and managed to spend 5 hours floating around and wasn't really ready to leave. 

Sep 29, 17 2:46 am  · 
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randomised

Don't worry about Disney being low brow, they sure as hell didn't:


Sep 29, 17 2:55 am  · 
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flatroof

If Disney dropped a dump truck load of money onto my front yard I wouldn't either

Sep 29, 17 7:59 am  · 
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randomised

Exactly, look at them smiling.

Sep 29, 17 1:40 pm  · 
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BulgarBlogger

Yes- Zumthor is known as a phenomenologist. Lookup Phenomenology in archicture. One work I would encourage you to read is the the "Eyes of the Skin" by Juhani Palasma. Also, if you are into reading, buy the anthology called, "Architectural Theory since 1968". Great collection of essays. They are either stand alone or part of a greater book/work.

Sep 29, 17 8:07 am  · 
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randomised

Another classic read would be "The Poetics of Space" by Gaston Bachelard.

Sep 29, 17 8:15 am  · 
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And word of warning - be prepared for the long haul reading this. It is by no means a quick read.

Sep 29, 17 11:25 am  · 
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I love this book, but so much this!

Sep 29, 17 1:54 pm  · 
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Additionally, look at Steven Holl's work. I lost track of time in the Hamsunsenteret last year and almost missed my ferry back across the fjord. Look for the book Questions of Perception: Phenomenology of Architecture which has essays by Pallasmaa, Holl, and Alberto Perez-Gomez.

Sep 29, 17 11:29 am  · 
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JLC-1

look at Christopher Alexander's books - timelessness as a goal, place as an extension of your body.

Sep 29, 17 11:46 am  · 
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Also worth a look is Genius Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture, by Christian Norberg-Schulz.

Sep 29, 17 1:58 pm  · 
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Also, while not necessarily a phenomenologist, look up Sverre Fehn's work and look into getting Per Olaf Fjeld's book Sverre Fehn: The Pattern of Thoughts. Look at his Glacier Museum, Ivar Aasen Center, and Hedmarksmuseet. The Hedmarksmuseet is one of my personal favorites.

Sep 29, 17 2:09 pm  · 
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Woman here, recommending women architects, because the thread is already full of old white men (disclosure: I'm an old white woman).

Deborah Berke just wrote a book called "House Rules" that is lovely and speaks of the very simple beauties of space and proportion and light in the seasons.

Jeanne Gang's work showcases craft in lovely, quiet ways, similar to Zumthor's early work. Don't just look at her most famous building, the Aqua Tower - towers by nature are a bit bombastic. Her smaller projects are phenomenologically gorgeous.

Oct 1, 17 2:09 pm  · 
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And I love men phenomenologically. I just wish a lot of them would shut up a lot of the time ;-)

Oct 2, 17 9:33 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

Remember that show, Designing Women? That was Delta Burke though.

Oct 3, 17 9:37 am  · 
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3tk

Phenomenology as a field is an interesting bend in philosophy; a bit misconstrued and lost in western education due to it's association with mid-20th century unpleasantness.

I find Zumthor's architecture to be superbly executed and his theories an interesting relationship of universal experience and reaction to spaces and phenomena.  Almost a counterpoint as well as a visceral response to the idea of form/identity/memory.  I personally associated Holl, Pallasmaa, Zumthor with Bachelard, Charles Moore, JB Jackson; the first trio as experience in abstract, the latter with a stronger association with collective memory.

Can't say the female theorists are as strongly published or read, but I do enjoy Dripps and Elizabeth Meyer (landscape, but content is just as applicable for architecture).

Oct 2, 17 3:48 pm  · 
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The women I mentioned are busy building theory, 3tk, not theorizing it. Ideas are easy, architecture is hard.

Oct 2, 17 9:32 pm  · 
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randomised

Coming up with ideas is what keeps me awake at night while translating those ideas into architecture is what makes me fall asleep.

Oct 3, 17 9:36 am  · 
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