Shelter in the Storm

architect Peter Zumthor
project Houses for Annalisa and Peter Zumthor, Vals, Leis, Switzerland
written by Vera Grimmer

 

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, glare 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.