40 41Peter Zumthor, Houses in Leis

Shelter in the Storm

fotografije photographs byportret portrait

Houses for Annalisa and Peter Zumthor, Vals, Leis, Switzerland

Vera Grimmer

Damir FabijanićStanko Herceg

Peter Zumthor

¶ A glance at the small village of Leis, above the architecturally famous Vals, surprises one in a moment. This happens at the moment when two roofs, covered in schist like all the other village houses, gleam in front of us in the morning sun. Nevertheless, these two roofs levitate and move slightly apart, at the same time clearly showing their unity. Peter Zumthor entered the old Alpine village dating from the 18th century, which can be called a village in spite of its 16 inhabitants since it has both a chapel and an inn, with two houses of which one he built for his wife. He came here with respect for the existing and established a relationship with vernacular tradition by adjusting in the process to the conditions of the sometimes extreme climate, but also to the possibilities the landscape offers, and this does not merely imply luxurious Alpine scenery, but also the vegetation, odours, atmosphere. ¶ Here, where the blue Alpine flowers bloom and wild animals approach houses, one can feel unity with nature. In Leis, one has to be reminded of the words of Alvaro Aalto: Architecture cannot disengage itself from natural and human factors. Its function is rather to bring nature ever closer to us. Knowing the anonymous architecture of the canton of Graubünden very precisely, Zumthor takes over its materiality, while at the same time interpreting and transforming its constructive principles. ¶ The constructive system of a traditional rural house of four

Peter Zumthor, Kuće u Leisu

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¶ Pogled na malo planinsko selo Leis ponad Valsa, čuvenog u arhitektonskom smislu, u jednom nas času iznenađu je. Događa se to u trenutku kad pred nama na jutarnjem suncu zabljesnu dva krova pokrivena škriljevcem, kakvim su uostalom prekrivene i sve druge seoske kuće. Međutim, ova dva krova lebde, a i razmiču se blago jedan od drugog istodobno po­kazujući jasno svoje zajedništvo. U staro alpsko selo iz 18. st., koje se smije tako nazvati premda ima samo 16 stanovnika, no ima i kapelu i gostionicu, Peter Zumthor ušao je s dvije kuće od kojih je jednu izgradio za svoju suprugu, a ušao je s poštovanjem prema zatečenom stanju. Uspostavio je odnos s vernakularnom tradicijom prilagodivši se pritom uvjetima

Kuće za Annalisu i Petera Zumthora, Vals, Leis, Švicarska

arhitektarchitect

42 43oris, number 76, year 2012 Peter Zumthor, Houses in Leis

the production of constructional elements with the same enthusiasm as about their installation on the construction site: Standing behind glass, we watch the fluid staccato of the machine operating... The tools are sharp. The precision is great. And further: It seems to me, you could hear the carpenters hammering, sometimes in concert with the sound of farm machinery, the tinkling bells of goats grazing further up the slope and the bright sound of the church bells chiming in the bellcote of the lime-white St Jacob’s Chapel nearby. Legs wide apart, faces intent with concentration, but breaking into a smile if one caught their eye, the young men stood on the walls, hammering down the beams with their sledgehammers, usually working in pairs to a rhythmical beat. ¶ Houses still dry slowly, wood will shrink in such a manner that the height of the floors will be reduced by 2­3 centimetres in the next

walls that create some sort of strict box only allows rather small openings. Since one of the architect’s essential intentions was to introduce nature and landscape into the house, it was needed to find a balance between respecting the tradition of the existing surroundings and new desires and needs. The architect carried out this balancing act truly impressively by introducing a number of traditionally constructed wooden ‘boxes’ that close service spaces: staircases, bathrooms, storage rooms and closets. These boxes, connected with the ceiling construction, create the support system of the house and between them, glass surfaces as high as the entire height of the rooms are enabled. ¶ In the houses in Leis, wood is not used as a coat or a mask, but for the massive wooden construction of all walls, and concrete is used only in contact with the ground. The beams are 11 cm wide, 20 cm high, and

up to 6.60 metres long; they are stacked one above another and are connected by means of classical carpenter’s joints, such as dovetail. All the elements necessary for building – wall beams and ceiling beams, window frames, metal joints, especially long screws, steel bracings, and similar – were prefabricated and arrived on site prepared for installation. ¶ Oven­dried timber had the right degree of humidity: 14% for the interior walls and 17% for the façade elements. All the openings, grooves and elements of the joints had already been made at the right places on precisely specific elements of construction. Approximately 5000 beams were needed for both houses and few of them were identical. It was all executed with the help of computerized machines on the basis of data from the implementation design. ¶ Peter Zumthor talks about

oris, broj 76, godina 2012 Peter Zumthor, Kuće u Leisu

ponekad ekstremne klime, ali i mogućnostima što ih pruža krajolik, a to nije samo raskošna alpska scena, već i vegetacija, mirisi, atmosfera. ¶ Tu gdje cvate plavo alpsko cvijeće, a divljač dolazi do kuća, može se osjetiti jedinstvo s prirodom. U Leisu se valja podsjetiti na riječi Alvara Aalta: Arhitektura se ne može odvojiti od prirodnih i ljudskih faktora. Štoviše, njena je funkcija da nam prirodu posve približi. Vrlo precizno poznavajući ano­nimnu arhitekturu kantona Graubünden, Zumthor preu­zi ma njenu materijalnost, dok istovremeno interpretira i transformira njene konstruktivne principe. ¶ Konstruktivni sistem tradicionalne seljačke kuće od četiri zida koja čine neku vrstu krute kutije, omogućava tek manje otvore. Kako je jedna od bitnih arhitektovih intencija bila uvesti prirodu i krajolik u kuću, trebalo je naći ravnotežu između poštivanja tradicije zatečenog okoliša i novih želja i potreba. Taj je akt

sušena drvena građa imala je valjani stupanj vlažnosti: 14% za unutrašnje zidove i 17% za fasadne elemente. Svi su otvori, utori, elementi vezova već bili na pravim mjestima točno odre đenih elemenata konstrukcije, pri čemu je za obje kuće bilo potrebno oko 5000 greda, među kojima je bilo malo istovjetnih. Sve je to izvedeno kompjuteriziranim strojevima na podlozi podataka iz izvedbenih planova. ¶ Peter Zumthor jednako oduševljeno govori o produkciji građevnih elemenata, kao i o njihovoj montaži na gradilištu: ...Stojeći ispred staklene stijene promatramo fluidni staccato rada stroja. Alati su oštri, preciznost je velika. I dalje: Čini mi se da se lanjske godine gotovo čitavog ljeta moglo čuti tesare kako lupaju kladivima katkada u ritmu poljodjeljskih mašina, zvonaca što ih oko vrata nose koze na strmoj ispaši i zvonkog zvuka crkvenih zvona, obližnje, vapneno bijele kapele sv. Jakova. Razmaknutih nogu,

balansa arhitekt izveo zaista dojmljivo, uvodeći veći broj tradicionalno konstruiranih drvenih ‘kutija’ koje zatvaraju služeće prostore: stepeništa, kupaonice, spremišta, garderobe. Te kutije povezane stropnim konstrukcijama čine nosivi sustav kuće, a između njih omogućena su ostakljenja u čitavoj visini prostorija. ¶ Kod kuća u Leisu drvo nije upotrebljeno kao plašt niti kao maska, već kao masivna drvena građa svih zidova, a tek je u kontaktu s tlom upotrijebljen beton. Grede široke 11 cm, visoke 20 cm i dužine do 6,60 metara slagane su jedne iznad drugih, povezane klasičnim tesarskim vezovima kao što je npr. lastin rep. Svi elementi potrebni za gradnju – zidne i stropne grede, prozorski okviri, metalne poveznice, osobito dugački vijci, čelične razupore i slično – sve je to prefabricirano i pripremljeno za ugradnju stiglo na gradilište. ¶ Termički

44 45oris, number 76, year 2012 Peter Zumthor, Houses in Leisoris, broj 76, godina 2012 Peter Zumthor, Kuće u Leisu

skice tlocrta: Peter Zumthor

plan sketches by Peter Zumthor

skice pročelja i presjek: Peter Zumthor

elevation and section sketches by Peter Zumthor

46 47oris, number 76, year 2012 Peter Zumthor, Houses in Leisoris, broj 76, godina 2012 Peter Zumthor, Kuće u Leisu

cross section longitudinal section

poprečni presjek uzdužni presjek tlocrt 1. kata

1st floor plan

tlocrt 2. kata

2nd floor plan

48 49oris, number 76, year 2012 Peter Zumthor, Houses in Leis

few years. Of course, all the windows, doors, staircases, and installations, like built­in closets, are prepared for the changes immanent to wood as a construction material. The pleasant climate of the house is ensured by means of a series of small openings with sliding doors, as well as the free roofing through which air flows unhindered between the rafters covered in stone plates and the ceiling of the top floor. ¶ Numerous and various factors: utter precision in design and prefabrication, proper execution, great technological knowledge, as well as usage of traditional experiences all enabled realization of the long­standing desires and dreams of Annalisa Zumthor. She knew a long time ago that the feeling of wood as a shell for the body can be realized only in a house made of wood, such that would justify the words: to be at home. ¶ After many years of searching for an adequate plot, a piece of land was found on the outskirts of a small Alpine village at 1526 metres above sea level, and two related houses were set on a steep slope, vertical to the level lines. The one placed higher is Annalisa’s house. One climbs to the house on granite panels dug into the grass. They pass by the garden with a simple fence

oris, broj 76, godina 2012 Peter Zumthor, Kuće u Leisu

koncentriranog izraza lica, no ipak smiješeći se posjetiocu, ritmički su udarali po gredama. ¶ Kuće se polako suše, drvo će se skupljati tako da će se u sljedećih nekoliko godina visina katova smanjiti za 2­3 cm. Dakako, svi su prozori, vrata, stube, instalacije kao i ugrađeni ormari pripremljeni za promjene imanentne drvetu kao građevnom materijalu. Ugodnu klimu kuće osigurava niz malih otvora proviđenih kliznim vratašcima, kao i slobodno krovište kroz koje između rogova prekrivenih kamenim pločama i stropa zadnje etaže neometano struji zrak. ¶ Mnogobrojni i raznorodni čimbenici: krajnja preciznost projektiranja i prefabrikacije, valjanost izvedbe, veliko teh­no loško znanje, kao i korištenje tradicionalnih iskustava, omogućili su ostvarenje davnih težnji i snova Annalise Zumthor. Ona je odavno znala da se osjećaj drveta kao ljuske za tijelo može ostvariti samo u kući građenoj od drveta, takvoj koja će opravdati riječi: biti u domu. ¶ Nakon višegodišnje potra ge za primjerenom parcelom nađeno je zemljište na kraju alpskog zaselka na 1526 metara nadmorske visine, te su na strmi obronak, okomito na slojnice, postavljene dvije srodne kuće. Ona više položena Annalisina je kuća do koje

50 51oris, number 76, year 2012 Peter Zumthor, Houses in Leis

autor authorarhitektonski ured architectural office

suradnici collaborators

investitor clientpovršina parcele site area

bruto površina brutto areaneto površina net area

realizacija completedcijena costs

Kuće za Annalisu i Petera Zumthora, donja i gornja kuća, Vals, Leis, Graubünden, Švicarska Houses for Annalisa and Peter Zumthor, lower and upper house, Vals, Leis, Graubünden, Switzerland

Peter ZumthorAtelier Peter Zumthor & PartnerRosa Gonçalves, voditelj projekta / project architect; Lisa Barucco, Karina Bühler, Mengia Friberg, Simon Mahringer, Rainer Weitschies, Annalisa ZumthorAnnalisa Zumthor746 m²265 m²206 m²2009nedostupna / undisclosed

that protects from wild animals, and this garden is exactly what gardens in mountain villages look like: vegetables and flowers grow together. The owner is looking forward to the fruits of her garden, rhubarb in the spring and Savoy cabbage in the autumn. ¶ The programme of the house develops along the height in order to use the advantages of the location as best as possible so the house has become a belvedere of a kind. The promenade architecturale is a stroll from one image of the Alpine landscape to another, contained within window frames. The central living­room space that meanders fluidly between thematic niches is the material equivalent to the lifestyle and eventually, to the life philosophy of its inhabitants. All the materials, devices, objects, artefacts of this house undoubtedly indicate aestheticization of life, but certainly not in terms of Josef Hoffmann, in other words, not in the sense of representation of the ritual of bourgeois life. This house does not have a need to represent, it does not want to represent anything, but it does want to be something. Life in the house does not conceal anything, but is open to nature and the neighbourhood – in a small settlement, solidarity of inhabitants is important. ¶ In its ambivalence, this house is, along with its

dana, olujni je vjetar vodoravno nosio snijeg tolikom snagom da su se prostrane staklene površine pretvorile u apstraktne slike raznih intenziteta bjeline. U istovremenom osjećaju potpu ne izloženosti i zaštićenosti pokazala se prava priroda ove kuće – idealno zamišljenog boravišta gotovo arhajskog karaktera.

openness and almost being one with the surroundings, also a shelter, and a winter experience with the house best illustrates this. On a winter’s day, a gale­force wind carried snow with such a force that the spacious glass surfaces transformed into abstract images of different intensities of white. The true nature of this house revealed itself in the simultaneous feeling of being exposed and being protected – the ideally conceived living space. With an almost archaic character.

www.swissworld.orgYour Gateway to Switzerland

oris, broj 76, godina 2012 Peter Zumthor, Kuće u Leisu

se uzlazi granitnim pločama ukopanim u travu, pokraj vrta s jednostavnom ogradom za zaštitu od divljači, onakvog kakvi su vrtovi u planinskim selima, gdje povrće i cvijeće usporedo rastu. Vlasnica se raduje plodovima svog vrta, rabarbari u proljeće, kelju u jesen. ¶ Program kuće razvija se po visini kako bi se što bolje iskoristile prednosti lokacije i kuća na neki način postala vidikovac. Promenade architecturale šetnja je od jedne do druge slike alpskog pejzaža ograničene prozorskim okvirima. Središnji boravišni prostor koji fluidno meandrira između tematskih niša, materijalni je ekvivalent načina života, a na kraju i životnih stavova svojih stanovnika. Svi materijali, uređaji, predmeti, artefakti ove kuće, nedvojbeno ukazuju na estetizaciju života, ali sigurno ne u smislu Josefa Hoffmanna, dakle ne u smislu reprezentacije rituala građanskog života. Ova kuća nema potrebe reprezentirati, ne želi nešto predstavljati, već želi nešto biti. Život u kući ne skriva se, već je otvoren prirodi i susjedstvu – u malom naselju važna je solidarnost njegovih stanovnika. ¶ U svojoj ambivalentnosti ova je kuća uz svu otvorenost, gotovo stapanje s okolišem, isto tako i zaklon o čemu najbolje govori zimski doživljaj kuće. Jednog zimskog

Literature: Peter Zumthor: The Leis HousesLiteratura: Peter Zumthor: Kuće u Leisu