I’m starting a new little series of book recommendations—nothing regular, just whenever I read something I think people need to know about. If a book moves me, inspires me, or just makes me see the world differently, I’ll write about it here.
What a book! I didn’t expect this when I first saw a post about it somewhere online. I mean, I love Peter Zumthor’s work—it feels like yesterday when I first stepped into the thermal baths in Vals and thought: the mood in there, the light filtering between the Valser stone, the space—empty yet full… So, I felt an urge to buy the book straight away.
I had a quick look online but didn’t want to wait, and honestly, why always shop online? So, I hit the road—not far, luckily, as I have a bookshop just down the street. The owner walked to a shelf and grabbed it right away when I asked for it.
Well, then I started reading. Page by page, I gained a deeper insight into Zumthor’s thinking, and I have to say, he speaks in such a humble and honest way that I felt truly touched and inspired. The way he describes things, the way he thinks—so often, I found myself nodding along, thinking: I’d sign off on that! Sometimes, I even felt a bit strange, because what Peter Zumthor was saying were things I’d thought myself many times before.
And then there are the little stories scattered throughout the book—snippets of his life, what he notices when he enters a new place, the way he talks about the feelings he experiences. My mind’s eye pictured it all as if I were there too…
I highly recommend reading this little red book, even though many aspiring architects have probably already read it. It’s known as a must-read for young architects, but it’s so much more than just a guide to creating the perfect space. It’s an inspiration for anyone who has that thing—the thing where you see something no one else seems to notice, or feel the light no one else seems to see, or sense a feeling in a space that suddenly transports you back to your grandma’s kitchen.
So, go read it!