Peter Zumthor Wins the Pritzker

Thermal Baths Vals, Peter Zumthor, 1996/photo: Helene Binet

In most years the Pritzker Prize goes to one of the big international players in the world of architecture — Jean Nouvel, Renzo Piano, Norman Foster and so on. But some years it goes to a lesser known figure — Australia's Glenn Murcutt or Paulo Mendes da Rocha of Brazil. This is one of those years. I always hesitate to use the term cult figure but it's a word that gives you a sense of Zumthor's position in the field.

Over the weekend I posted a story that explains a bit more about him. There's also a slide show here.