Introduced by Robert Magurian, Peter Zumthor discusses the experience of space through building and materials, stressing the cultural importance of elemental materials such as stone and wood (“madeira, madre, material”).

Zumthor reflects on his own practice and his quest for design which relies on recalling experiences of spaces, places and of dwelling through materials, sounds, light, and shadow. He also stresses the harmony between the work of nature and the work of man.

Zumthor discusses several projects by other architects which have interested him in terms of material and composition. He states the importance of material and construction and how patterns and compositions of these elements create an architecture which is dynamic. He reflects on embracing buildings as bodies through surface, texture and skin manipulation, in an analogy to tattooed bodies.

Zumthor discusses how his Thermal Baths project gained another identity through material presence once construction began. He reflects on the quest for a design which is based on remembering experiences of other spaces and places, through light, material and sounds, and dwelling.