A Study on the Structure of Implementation Element of ‘Atmosphere’ and the Characteristic of Expression on the Architectural Space of Peter Zumthor

This study analyzed the architectural space of Peter Zumthor-the Swiss architect who has kept explaining his own works with the concept of ‘atmosphere’-intending to understand why his works are noticed in the present-day society and which characteristics of his space impress people. To understand his concept of ‘atmosphere’ in architectural space and the related design methods, investigation was made firstly on the characteristics of atmospheric expressions produced in his architectural space in terms of the aforementioned basic thesis, the outcome of a theoretical analysis. Secondly, inter-elemental relationships were summarized in a table of matrix between the natural, the architectural, and the in-between situational elements of subjects-each element of which was derived from Zumthor’s two volumes of portfolio works-and then analyzed by the multi-variate quantification theory of type III. As a consequence, two axes were derived and their specific meanings were interpreted as follows: After all, Zumthor’s methods of embodying atmosphere in space can be divided twofold: receiving nature in space, and utilizing sensation of subjects who navigate the space. It could be found that both methods create atmospheres by making a building into a flexible medium, not any fixed one.