A Way of Looking at Things,
1.1 In search of the lost architecture :
Perter Zumthor talk about images that come to his mind when he think about architecture. Some image are connected with his work as an architectect before and some images is come from his memory when he was a child. When he design a building , he try to think about characteristic of architecture such as atmosphere of that building, what it look like, form and sense of place.
1.2 Made of materials :
Zumthor refers to works of Joseph Beuys and some Arte Povera (Poor Art)in describing the use of the matterial by these. The way of using matterial by them seems rooted to ancient, relate to social and culture, and at the same time ,it expose the very essence of materials too. Zumthor try to use material like this in his work. He believe that material can not beautiful by itself if architect is not able to generate a meaningful situation for them.
1.3 Work with things:
He continues describing, the core of all architecture work lies in the act of construction . Because materials are assembled and erected, the architecture becomes a part of real world.???
1.4 Preliminary promises
Design drawings are important in Zumthor’s work .the drawing must show quality of architecture by itself like a sketch by a sculptor , not only show an idea but also innate part of the work of creation.
1.5 Chinks in sealed objects
Zumthor interested in joint detail that sculptor- Richard Serra ,Josept Beuy and Mario Merze design. Perception of the whole is not distracted by inessential details because each joint is smooth, simple and integral as the stone and wood ancient sculpture. He tries to use the material in the same way and believed that details are not decoration but lead to an understanding of the whole project also.
1.6 Completed landscapes
Each building should to have harmony with surrounding such as form or historical value. Because our feeling and understanding are rooted in the past for example image, moods and forms, so we can evaluate architecture from different angles: historically, aesthetically, functionally, persionally, passionately.
1.7 .The tension inside the body
Zumthor said that when architect talk about theirs buildings, they will talk about the rational, thought-out aspects of their work, but less about passion that inspires it. He believe that , normally, designing is based on understanding and establishing system of order, however it start from our feeling and insight which result from patient work.
1.8 .Common sense
When Zumthor study in school,he looked for new solution to every problem. He said that he invented what had already been invented or tried to inventeing the uninventable. But finally, he belive that in architecture, most of the solution already exists. If we integrate knowledge and experience contained in the past, we have better of making a genuine contribution of our own.
1.9 Melancholy perception
Zumthor said “….a good building must be capable of absorbing the traces of human life…” He give a sample by refer the film “ Le Bal “ (1983) -The film use only 1 background stage to explain culture and social change between 1936-1893. There are many even happen in that ballroom. When he talk about this film,Naturally, he think of the patina and scratch of age on material. It make him feel these place is special because it can refer to human life in these place.
Resistance
He believe that architecture needs to reflect on task and possibilities its own.Every building is build for a specific use in a specific place and for a specific society.