May 11, 2009

ARCHITEKTUR MUSS BRENNEN


Flammenflügel | photo by Coop Himmelb(l)au
image source | 1980


Wie beschissen die 70er Jahre waren, kann man auch aus den ver-
klemmten Architekturprojekten lesen.
Die Umfrage und Gefälligkeitsdemokratie lebt hinter Biedermeierfas-
saden.
Wir aber haben keine Lust, Biedermeier zu bauen. Nicht jetzt und zu
keiner anderen Zeit. Wir haben es satt, Palladio und andere histori-
sche Masken zu sehen. Weil wir in der Architektur nicht alles das aus-
schließen wollen, was unruhig macht.
Wir wollen Architektur, die mehr hat. Architektur, die blutet, die er-
schöpft, die dreht und meinetwegen bricht. Architektur, die leuchtet,
die sticht, die fetzt und unter Dehnung reißt. Architektur muß schluch-
tig, feurig, glatt, hart, eckig, brutal, rund, zärtlich, farbig, obszön, geil,
träumend, vernähend, verlernend, naß, trocken und herzschlagend
sein. Lebend oder tot. Wenn sie kalt ist, dann kalt wie ein Eisblock.
Wenn sie heiß ist, dann so heiß wie ein Flammenflügel.

Architektur muß brennen.


© COOP HIMMELB(L)AU, ARCHITEKTUR MUSS BRENNEN (1980)



"OMA/Koolhaas' CCTV" | photo by Alfred Cheng/Reuters
image source | via archidose | FEB 2009



Zaha Hadid's Guangzhou Opera House | photo by 史大林
image source | via Kazys Varnelis | MAY 2009

April 12, 2009

Peter Zumthor is awarded the Pritzker Prize 2009



updated_11.50pm_13042009

Peter Zumthor, renowned Swiss architect, was awarded the Pritzker Prize 2009. After having received the Praemium Imperiale in 2008 awarded by the Emperor's house in Japan, he received now the architect's profession highest honors.

Quote from the New York Times article:
“He has conceived his method of practice almost as carefully as each of his projects,” said the citation from the nine-member Pritzker jury. “He develops buildings of great integrity — untouched by fad or fashion. 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.”

The project Peter Zumthor is probably best known for is the alpine spa and thermal bath in Vals in Switzerland and the art museum in Bregenz, Austria. Recently finished were the Bruder Klaus chapel in the rural landscape outside Mechernich between Cologne and Bonn in Germany and the Kolumba, the diocese art museum of Cologne.

More information to follow.

Source:
New York Times

More info:
Pritzker Prize 2009 Laureate @ Pritzkerprize.com,
also Photobooklet (pdf) and Textbooklet (pdf)

Interview with Zumthor @ Chicago Tribune
Washington Post

Articles and critiques on Zumthor's projects @ NZZ (german)
Kunsthaus Bregenz, Kolumba, Bruder Klaus Kapelle, Oblomov Stagedesign
On teaching by Peter Zumthor

Images:
I am currently uploading images of the Kolumba, the Burder Klaus chapel and the Bregenz Museum onto my Zumthor Flickr Set, so check back!