Architectural Folly

Peter Zumthor is also able to manufacture a certain emotion from the Steilneset Memorial, a monument designed to honor the life of 91 accused witches burned at the stake in the 17^th Century.  By having a dimly-lit, floating structure, on the rugged, wind-torn ocean landscape, a feeling of solemnity is created.  The narrow corridor and windows in the shell also add to the cathartic feel of the structure.  It seems that Zumthor dictates the emotion of all his projects, not just the Memorial.  One of the things I have learned from Zumthor in my research is that I need to think about what kind of emotion I want people to feel when they inhabit whatever structure I am creating. 

In the architectural folly project, the emotion I wanted to create with my structure is one of community.  My intentions were to have a fire in the center of the structure.  The fire would not only be a light source to illuminate the structure, but the focal point that would encourage congregation.   To me, my folly is a lens to reinterpret nature.

Sources

Meredith, Andrew. 2012. Photographs. N.p.

Stephens, Suzanne. "Steilneset Memorial to the Victims of the Witch Trials." Architectural Record. McGraw-Hill, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.

Zumthor, Peter. "Peter Zumthor in Conversation with Angela Brady." Interview by Angela Brady. YouTube. N.p., 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 31 Mar. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6vbqKvhsYY>.