Atmospheres, by Peter Zumthor

The reading of «Atmospheres», written by Peter Zumthor, has in some way driven me to rethink of all that surrounds us, from buildings to spaces. Every thought explained leads you to reflect on what embraces us.

In my case, as a first year student of architecture, this text has made me question myself about what we can understand by architecture creations and atmospheres. In his writing, he focuses on nine different aspects he considers fundamental to understanding a built space, as well as on three additional appendixes. After reading them with all my senses, I consciously claim that he has hit the nail on the head with all of them.

To make a quick summary, I would say that he defines the word atmosphere as a set of lights, textures, shapes, sounds, temperatures… and he emphasizes on how he can acquire all these points anywhere he is, as well as we do when we meet someone for the first time.

Last but not least, he remarks that, first of all, we have to think in the necessity of the people to place any object or material; because architecture, principally, is a useful art.