peter zumthor has installed a ‘workshop’ of his scale models inside the giardini’s central pavilion at the 2018 venice architecture biennale. the models, which vary greatly in terms of their scale, appearance, and materiality, illustrate some of the swiss architect’s best-known works — including his proposed building for the los angeles county museum of art (LACMA), and his recently completed zinc mine museum in norway. other projects on view include a restaurant in switzerland replicated using wax, and a desert hotel in chile recreated using cardboard and sand.

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale

protection shelter for hisham’s palace, jericho
study model 1:20, built in 2010 using concrete, sand, and plaster
collection of kunsthaus bregenz | image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale
image © designboom

peter zumthor models venice architecture biennale
image © designboom

 

 

peter zumthor was asked by the curators of the 16th international architecture exhibition — yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara — to contribute to the event as part of the biennale’s central pavilion. occupying the entire upper level of the venue’s largest space, the models on display document a wide range of zumthor’s work, with realized and unrealized projects on view. ‘in this exhibition, zumthor sets out a workshop of his models for us to enjoy, allowing us the opportunity to explore his own journey from thoughts and memories to actuality, to his spaces that nourish the soul,’ says farrell and mcnamara.

peter zumthor models venice architecture biennale
the exhibition is found within the giardini’s central pavilion
image © designboom

peter zumthor models venice architecture biennale
LACMA, building for the permanent collection, los angeles, USA (foreground)
site model 1:500, built in 2013 using colored concrete and bitumen
image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale

image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennaleimage © designboom

 

 

‘perhaps I work like an artist,’ says zumthor, discussing his creative processes. ‘I’m not implementing the ideas of others. my client wants a building; I will try to find a good form for it and share this work with them. the process of finding the right form is full of insecurities, of despair, pleasure and joy. and it needs freespace to move and think. our models — structural, sculptural, atmospheric, always different — aim to discover and show the physical presence of building and place. they help us to understand, to think and to dream. we make them to hold the promise of the object we are looking for.’

 

video courtesy of la biennale

peter zumthor models venice architecture biennale
zinc mine museum allmannajuvet, norway (completed 2016)
site model 1:100, built in 2004 using styrofoam, charcoal, and modeling clay
collection of kunsthaus bregenz | image © designboom

peter zumthor models venice architecture biennale
zinc mine museum allmannajuvet, norway (completed 2016)
site model 1:100, built in 2004 using styrofoam, charcoal, and modeling clay
collection of kunsthaus bregenz | image © designboom

 

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennaleimage © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale
tea chapel in namyang, south korea
site model 1:50, built in 2017 using sand, pigment, and wax
image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale
tea chapel in namyang, south korea
site model 1:50, built in 2017 using sand, pigment, and wax
image © designboom

peter zumthor models venice architecture biennale
atacama desert hotel, chile
study model 1:100, built in 2010 using card and sand
collection of kunsthaus bregenz | image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale
atacama desert hotel, chile
study model 1:100, built in 2010 using card and sand
collection of kunsthaus bregenz | image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale
image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennaleimage © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennaleroom of atacama desert hotel, chile
section model 1:20, built in 2009 using styrofoam, plaster, and pigment
collection of kunsthaus bregenz | image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale
mountain hotel braunwald, switzerland
site model 1:500, built in 2014 using styrofoam, sand, wax, and steel wool
image © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennaleimage © designboom

peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale
high-end residential development near the lake of lucerne, switzerland
competition model 1:200, built in 2006 using styrofoam, paper, wire and card
collection of kunsthaus bregenz | image © designboom

 

 

the exhibition will remain on view at the venice biennale until november 25, 2018

 

 

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peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 
peter zumthor puts a 'workshop' of models on display at the venice architecture biennale designboom
 

peter zumthor models venice architecture biennale

 

designboom’s coverage of the 2018 venice architecture biennale is in partnership with leading energy company edison. edison is taking part in the 16th international architecture exhibition of la biennale di venezia by initiating a path towards sustainability and the efficient use of resources. the collaboration between edison and la biennale is based on awareness that energy is one of the fundamental elements of architecture and of the places, spaces and cities of contemporary life.