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!