Materiality in the Art of Craftsmanship

Materiality in the Art of Craftsmanship (Work of Shigeru Ban and Peter Zumthor)

Focussing on the craft of art where craftsmanship is applied through the work of the Tamedia Building by Shigeru Ban and the Thermal Baths by Peter Zumthor. Comparing Ban and Zumthor’s early experience of ‘architecture’, their memory and experience encompass beyond the material physicality. The inspiration that enhances the senses through space will be drawn. The paper will further investigate the materiality and the immateriality of architecture: the ‘formless phenomenon’.

Introduction “How does the philosophy of materiality influence the work of Shigeru Ban and Peter Zumthor?” Comparing the study of Shigeru Ban and Peter Zumthor’s philosophy on materiality, we focus on the first chapter entitled Materiality and Craftsmanship, where it presents definitions and description of craftsmanship as a way of life and is part of the basic human impulse. The first comparison will be of Ban and Zumthor’s early experience of ‘architecture’. The second comparison is understanding where they draw their inspiration from. The art of craft that both architects have lies on their memory and their experience of the senses. Based off the first and second research, the third will gain an overall conclusion on their philosophy on materiality shown in the case study of the Tamedia Building by Shigeru Ban’s Memory of Time and the Thermal Baths by Peter Zumthor’s Senses of Space. Materiality is not forced to be an objective approach but as a philosophical language. The essay will further investigate materiality and beyond by bringing the chapter The Materiality of Space. The understanding of concepts that architecture can create. The spaces of meaningfulness to the one that perceives anything of value. It will then end with the last chapter The Immateriality of Architecture, where it will explore the architecture of the material and immaterial. Focussing on discovering perceptions beyond material physicality, embracing the ‘formless phenomenon’. Keywords: Materiality, craftsmanship, memory, senses, experience