switzerland

Shelter Roman Archaeological Site /  by hugo keene

Location: Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland
Architect: Peter Zumthor
Completed: 1986

14 Photographs

The whole visit to the Shelter Roman Archaeological Site in Chur was a somewhat uniquely Swiss experience. After visiting a small office near the train station and handing over 50 swiss francs as a key deposit, we ventured off up a hill and into the suburbs of Chur. Before too long, around another corner, and nestled between a series of wholly unremarkable Swiss suburban buildings (I can never quite tell what from what), we came across a simple, but familiar timber pavilion.

Entering the space with the loaned key, through a cantilevered steel portal, the darkness descends, and you step onto a series of suspended steel walkways that stretch between the pavilions and then down into each of the spaces. The whole thing is designed to be a lightweight covering over the footprints of the Roman ruins, protecting them, but allowing them to remain outdoors and untouched. Within these spaces, there is a series of information displays and a display cabinet displaying what are beautiful and no doubt likely priceless Roman artifacts.

While thoroughly impressed with what is an exquisite piece of simple, robust architecture, I was perhaps more impressed with the implicit trust of the Swiss authorities, who happily loaned a couple of disheveled rogue Australian architects a key to take a private tour of this place, all for the princely sum of 50 Swiss francs, which of course was promptly returned when we came back a few hours later.

I was pretty impressed with the little shelter.

HWLK

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EPFL Learning Centre /  by hugo keene

Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Architect: SANAA
Completed: 2010

11 Photographs

I once got into a robust conversation with a student about this building during a crit. She was trying to claim it was the best thing since sliced bread and I was probably overly reactive to that, having forgotten what it was like being a student. From memory whatever critique I gave, was not that well received.

Perhaps around 2003, I saw Sejima present a lecture at the National University of Singapore, where she showed an early concept sketch of this building. I remember distinctly a moment during the lecture, which was initially given in Japanese with a translator, where Sejima stopped the translator, corrected her and then, moments later, seemingly dissatisfied, switched over and completed the lecture in English. I recall the sketch being a slightly more playful version of what was finally built, but much the same.

We visited this building during a break in term time at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, so I wasn’t able to see it ‘in full flight’, but I imagine that when it is, the undulating floors are inhabited at all angles by students of all shapes and sizes. I especially liked the circular courtyards cut-outs which puncture the unique undulating concrete under croft. It was a beautiful sunny day when we visited, and these pockets of sun were wonderfully varied.

The building reminded me of the works of some of the architects who have influenced me, Mies, Glenn Murcutt, and Kerry Hill, and other masters of the screened box, but done with playfulness and that sense of humour that Japanese architects excel at.

I have not been back since that day, but we have family in the region and have driven past Lausanne a couple of times. I will have to stop by again during the winter, as I would love to see it in the snow.

HWLK