Eindhoven University of Technology

MASTER

A podium for architecture students

by learning from Swiss architect Peter Märkli

van der Steen, T.J.J.

Award date:
2019

Link to publication

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 A PODIUM
FOR ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
by learning from Swiss architect Peter
Märkli

by T.J.J. (Tim) van der steen

(0726484)

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY EINDHOVEN

Department of the Built Environment
Architecture Building and Planning

July 12th 2019

Tutors:
J.P.A. Schevers
J.C.T. Voorthuis
J.J.P.M. van Hoof
 for my parents
and grandparents†
7XX37 Graduation Project July 12th 2019,
T.J.J. (Tim) van der Steen University of Technology
Studentnr. 0726484 Eindhoven
Department of the Built Under supervision of:
Environment ir. J.P.A. (Jan) Schevers dr. J.C.T. (Jacob) Voorthuis J.J.P.M. (Sjef ) van Hoof
Architecture, Building and
Planning
SUMMARY
This graduation report is part of the architecture design studio
‘Masterly Apprenticeship’ focusing on the general research
question: how to master the art of being an apprentice? How
should architecture students master being an apprentice of a
role model? In this report, this role model is the well known
Swiss architect Peter Märkli.

After an Introduction in Part I containing the graduation

motivation, methodology and an introduction of the Swiss
architect, Peter Märkli then functions as a Case Study in Part
II to investigate what attitude the Swiss architect has towards
the past. Here, history itself is assumed to be a role model for
Peter Märkli. How does Märkli learn from historic architectural
buildings?
To answer this question, the ‘history’ is divided in six topics:
plan & facade, proportion & scale, order & disorder, material,
color and ornament & detail. Märkli’s attitude towards these
historic rules and principles mentioned in the six paragraphs
is measured by categorizing Peter Märkli on a scale having a
conservative, creative or a progressive attitude towards the historic
principles of the paragraph.
Last, this knowledge is then used in Part III Design to design a
school for architecture students in Mendrisio, Switzerland. The
goal here is to complete the graduation design with a creative
attitude towards the learned historic principles in order to
master the apprenticeship.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It has been quite a ride, starting my graduation year in September Last but not least, I want to thank my parents Koos & An, my
2015, but here we are. Nevertheless, I am thankful that - despite sister Charlotte, my grandmother Riet and grandfather Koos
the complications - I have been given the chance to finish my senior who, each in their own way, always supported me and
master’s degree in Architecture Building and Planning. I am stood by me. In particular, I want to thank my lovely father
proud of the design and the fact that I can hand to you the Koos van der Steen who suddenly lost both his parents - Koos
report in front of you. The ride taught me more than I expected and Riet van der Steen - these last years and to whom I owe
and - seen through that lens - I am grateful that it went the way more than anything I could ever possibly give back in return.
it did. The theme of the graduation studio is, after all, about
learning as you will discover later on. And that, I sure did. I wished my grandfather could be here when I present to you my
last words at the university; because he would be most proud.
First off all, I want to thank my graduation tutors Jacob
Voorthuis, Jan Schevers and Sjef van Hoof who helped me
design the project with their professional guidance and patience
throughout my graduation project. I also want thank all the
other tutors at the university for the inspiring lectures they
presented to me throughout my student years for which I feel
very grateful and privileged.

Secondly, I want to thank my lovely girlfriend Alice Carolyn

Bowe who stood by me during my graduation years and
supporting me in numerous ways with her kind, thoughtful
presence and advice and with the physical presentation of the
design.
Furthermore, I want to thank one of my oldest known friend
Maikel Csik, who also studied at the University of Technology
and who made it possible for me to live in Eindhoven when I
needed to and reached out to me when I needed his help the
most. I also want to thank Boaz van der Wal for his architectural
guidance throughout the years, including these last ones.
vii
 PREFACE
Supposing that architecture is a language, what then? If that
were true, what would it mean? To begin with, it would mean
that we could speak ‘in architecture’ just as we can speak ‘in
English’. But how would that language sound like? I can speak
a tiny bit of German but it would sound quite awful. In order
for it to sound good I would have to study and practice the
language a lot. I would need to understand the language in all
its complexities. But then, were do I start?
Let us suppose architecture is indeed a language; and that the
sound of that language is the way we perceive the buildings
around us with our senses. Since we - hypothetically speaking -
could speak in architecture, it should mean we could write it as
well, right? It would also mean that if I were to write you a novel
in this language, I would need a whole lot of practice, let alone
I could write any sentences or a complete novel! Even if I could,
would it be a good story for you to read?

“This graduation report This graduation report explores the idea that architecture could
explores the idea that indeed be perceived as a language by starting where anyone
architecture could indeed would start when he or she would learn any spoken language:
be perceived as a language the letters, the most important words and the underlying
structure of the grammar. Since learning to write a whole new
by starting where anyone
language can take me years (probably even a life time), I will
would start when he only explore the most basic grammar principles. Lucky for
or she would learn any me, I could already recognize some of the language because I
spoken language: the have been studying it without even fully realizing it could be
letters, the most important learned and understood as a language; I just had to change my
words and the underlying perspective. By starting with the basics, I am hopefully able to
understand some basic principles to - by the end of this report
structure of the grammar.”
- write you a little short story myself. With a role model on my
side who has already mastered the language, the short novel in
front of you is hopefully a pleasant read for you.

viii
TABLE OF CONTENT

SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .V
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VI
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VIII

TABLE OF CONTENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IX

PART I: INTRODUCTION 1
GRADUATION MOTIVATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
GRADUATION STUDIO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

PART II: CASE STUDY PETER MÄRKLI 11

INTRODUCING SWISS ARCHITECT PETER MÄRKLI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2.1 PLAN & FACADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

2.2 PROPORTION & SCALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.3 ORDER & DISORDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.4 MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
2.5 COLOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
2.6 ORNAMENT & DETAIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

ix
APPENDIX I 90
A1: GRADUATION STUDIO BRIEF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
A2: LEARNING THROUGH MODEL MAKING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
A3: INTERVIEW 1  ELLI MOSAYEBI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
A4: INTERVIEW 2  ALEX HERTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

PART III 127

DESIGN 127
I. LOCATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
II. URBAN ANALYSIS & CONCEPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
III. PLAN CONCEPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
IV. FACADE CONCEPT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

PLAN & FACADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

PROPORTION & SCALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
MATERIAL & COLOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
ORDER & DISORDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
DETAILLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

x
 GRADUATION
INTRODUCTION
MASTERLY APPRENTICESHIP

§1.1 GRADUATION
MOTIVATION
§1.2 GRADUATION STUDIO
§1.3 METHODOLOGY
“My question is more; how long do I exist in the present? Because
my education is in the past and my thoughts are in the future; and
the future I do not know. Sometimes I think we have only a little
time in the present.”[1]

architect
Peter Märkli

“But during the smallest or largest moment of happiness there is

always one thing why happiness becomes happiness: the fact that
we can forget, or to put it more scientifically, the
ability to - during this moment of happiness - feel non-
historical”[2]

philosopher
Friedrich W. Nietzsche

1 Märkli, P., & Roth, S. (2012)

2 Nietzsche, F. W. (2012), p.13

2
 GRADUATION MOTIVATION
HOW SHOULD ARCHITECTS LEARN FROM THE PAST? THREE ATTITUDES TOWARDS HISTORY

“How should architects
deal with history?
The things they learn
by looking at other
buildings, reading about
architectural history or
the things they learn from
their masters?”
To answer the above research question, I was reminded of a
book I ones read called “On the Advantage and Disadvantage of
History for Life” by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
The book fascinated because it reminded me of how architects
and architect students have to deal with history is their designs;
actual physical history. An old building to built next to for
example.
It did however trigger the question Nietzsche tried to answer:
how should architects deal with history? The things they learn by
looking at other buildings, reading about architectural history
or the things they learn from their masters?
In sum: how should architects learn from the past?
Without diving too deep into the book, Nietzsche prefers a way
where history serves life instead of life serving history. Therefore,
he ‘designed’ three attitudes we humans deal with history in
our lives and argues in favour of the creative approach: to use
history as an inspirator, a teacher so to speak, where we are it’s
apprentices.
In architecture, we have similar debates of how we should deal
with history and the three attitudes below often reflect those
debates. During my time as an architecture student, the creative
attitude always made the most sense to me but at the same time
it was the hardest position to get a grip on. This research report
attempts to clarify what this approach actually means and how
architecture students like me, can apply this.

CONSERVATIVE CREATIVE PROGRESSIVE

The conservative or, antiquarian way as
Nietzsche put it, comes down to the conservative
standpoint where ‘all the old is worth to maintain’.
In this perspective, architecture becomes a sort of
museum, storing all the historical data but the people
are merely spectators of facts which have lost all
meaning without their original context.
The creative approach, or monumental The progressive intercourse with history,
approach means to worship the past, but without results in the ‘everything needs to be different’-mentality.
preserving every detail; only certain aspects.
According to Nietzsche, this basically means that all
Nietzsche claims that we need to have a “heartfelt history is relative to it’s context and thus worthless for
aversion of knowledge that does not inspire [...] of us to use in the present.
history as expensive and perfluous knowledge of
luxury”[1]
1 Nietzsche, 2012, p. 6

3
 INTERMEZZO: EXTENDED GRADUATION
MOTIVATION
“[...] which elements in BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT NIETZSCHE’S BOOK strengthen the old. “Stubborn as I was (and
architectural history are Although the last option sounds as the best option, these still am), I naturally had
In the book On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for discussions seemed quite arbitrary; for all three perspectives
“inspiring” for my acting Life, Nietzsche critically reflects on the way we use history
more affection towards
one could come up with pro’s and con’s. At least, that was my
and which are merely in life and basically argues that the 19th century historicism experience as an architecture student. Often wondered: architects where I had
“expensive and perfluous is becoming too dominant - a sickness even - negatively more in common with;
knowledge of luxury”. influencing our daily life, our thinking and especially our “But.. is it really arbitrary? Why doesn’t it matter whether one’s architects who believed
And most important, acting in the present. design contrasts with the old building or blends in and still that architecture was not
why?” According to Nietzsche, we human animals get so hung up on containing something contemporary? Doesn’t it matter whether if arbitrary; that there are
the past, that we sometimes cannot effectively move forwards we erase the old building and make something new?”. Of course, it
into the future. That made me wonder, what is the right
certain rules; that there is
had to matter! I though. It just had to.”
amount of history we should take in and how do we determine in fact a language to learn
which parts are worth it? I remember that moment to be a very disappointing moment in architecture [...]”
during my studies.
THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF ARBITRARINESS The realization that, based on a lot real-life examples, apparently
“Why doesn’t it matter it did not matter which of the three perspectives I chose. That,
whether one’s design For me as a future architect, then the question became: which at some point, architecture became arbitrary. Something less
elements in architectural history are “inspiring” for my acting scientific but ‘merely’ a form of art. A personal preference of
contrasts with the old and which are merely “expensive and perfluous knowledge of form. “Vormwil” as we would say in Dutch. Just a matter of
building or blends in and luxury”. And most important, why? taste.
still containing something
contemporary? Doesn’t The above three positions are familiar terms in the architectural Stubborn as I was (and still am), I naturally had more affection
it matter whether if we debate. We can all recall architectural projects involving towards architects where I had more in common with;
erase the old building a redesign of an old building where the above three ways of architects who believed that architecture was not arbitrary; that
‘dealing’ are commonly used by architects to design ‘with’ the there are certain rules; that there is in fact a language to learn
and make something past. They often result in obvious decision making: should in architecture, a grammar to ‘write’ architecture, so to speak.
new?”. Of course, it had we preserve the past and make our new design inferior to the
to matter! I though. It current building? Or should we destroy the old building and SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH
just had to. I remember build something completely new and thus rebel against it? A Figure 1: Interior by Aldo van Eyck:
gathering place with a column at its center
that moment to be a very last option is to use the past as an inspiration for the current One of the first images that did convince me, were the images
disappointing moment design with an eye on the future. In other words, preserve some of the ORPHANAGE, build by the Dutch architect Aldo van Eyck Figure 2: Exterior by Aldo van Eyck:
of the best qualities of the old design and add new parts which (figure 1 & 2). Seeing this image luckily made me doubt the exterior gathering place and pool with
during my studies” column at its center

4
assumption that there was no language in architecture. I was became a guideline for me during this graduation project. His
amazed by the thoughtful dialogue between the construction of name is Peter Märkli.
the building and - something which I considered as something
completely different at the time - the use of the building. How
can a column be used so powerful, so layered, I wondered? As
one can see in the image, children can gather around the column
and play in a lowered circular area. When it rains, the area fills
itself with water and transforms in a nice little pool. But there
was more going on; what amazed me even more, was the logic,
the pure language of the elements themselves.

The start of a long adventure

After Aldo van Eyck, I started looking for more architects who
similarly had their own way of looking at architecture as more
than just an artistic expression. I created an eye for designs
which in a certain way were more scientific in the sense that they
were better explainable to me, containing less ‘loose ends’, so to
speak. Buildings which could almost be mathematically ‘solved’
according to a set of rules. Like 1+1 is always 2 and can never
be 3 or something else. It was this period when I discovered the
works of Louis Kahn for example, but also the architect and
urban planner Leon Krier who explained my rather conservative “I was lucky to have Figure 3: Provocative hand sketch by
approach in a graphical manner as a plea against modernism Leon Krier.

(figure 3).
found another architect
who made this search
So then, my adventure started: the search for the grammar of his life’s work and his
architecture to learn architecture’s language. Although I know thoughts and works
it will probably will be a search of a lifetime, I am glad to give became a guideline for me
it a little boost during this graduation thesis. As you will later during this graduation
read in this report, I was lucky to have found another architect
who made this search his life’s work and his thoughts and works
project. His name is Peter
Märkli”

5
 GRADUATION STUDIO
1.1.1 ATELIER “MASTERLY APPRENTICESHIP” group- and individual interviews with known Swiss architects “The personal research
or their (former) apprentices. The result should represent a very into the Swiss architect,
How do you learn from a role model? This is the over specific and critical approach to learn from a Master instead
arching question of this graduation studio named “Masterly
combined with the group
of merely copying his work without understand the ‘what’, the
Apprenticeship”. The studio began with a group research ‘how’ and the ‘wherefore’. Thus, one must become masterly to research forms the basis
focused on the phenomenon of Swiss architecture and its make a building one’s own[3]. for the students design
peculiar educational structure it is a product of. A group of for an extension of the
sixteen students - under the supervision of Jan Schevers and 1.1.3 ARCHITECT MOTIVATION Academy of Architecture
Jacob Voorthuis - explored the idea of ‘learning from’ being the in Mendrisio (CH)”
“The group of students central theme of the group research[1]. The group of students Although the underlying reason for choosing architect Peter
explored the theme of explored the theme of the Master-Apprentice relationship in Märkli is already described in my motivation for this graduation
the Master-Apprentice Swiss architecture within four topics: thesis, I do want to mention some additional notes regarding “The result should
the things that attracted me to the Swiss architect since it was
relationship in Swiss (1) the Swiss architectural education system,
represent a very specific
not his architectural projects which grabbed my attention in
architecture.” (2) the Swiss architectural context[2], the first place. and critical approach
(3) the theory of Mimesis and, Instead, it was the variety of topics Märkli discussed when he to learn from a Master
(4) the genealogy of Swiss architects. talked about architecture; from art, literature, sculpturing and instead of merely copying
music to one’s position towards society, Märkli could interrelate his work without
1.1.2 DESIGN ASSIGNMENT them as if they had always belonged together. Furthermore, I understand the ‘what’, the
was really touched by his charismatic way of speaking about
Next, each student then was asked to research the work of one
‘how’ and the ‘wherefore’.
his profession, which was especially noticeable in Märkli’s
“[...]each student then specific Swiss architect and took on the role of an enthusiastic interview[4] with my tutor Jan Schevers and apparently, I was Thus, one must become
was asked to research the but also critical apprentice. The architect discussed in this report not the only one. masterly to make a
work of one specific Swiss is Peter Märkli, who will be introduced in the next chapter. One of Peter Märkli’s apprentices Alex Herter, who I later building one’s own.”
architect and took on the The personal research into the Swiss architect, combined with interviewed together with two fellow students, described a
role of an enthusiastic but the group research forms the basis for the students design for similar experience to us when he first met Peter Märkli during
an extension to the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio. In his time at the university:
also critical apprentice.
addition, the students can use their experience and inspirations of
The architect discussed their study trip(s) to Switzerland to construct a critical approach “He was the only one who was able to talk about
in this report is Peter to the design. During this trip, the students conducted several architecture in a much larger context and suddenly
Märkli”
1 Bouwhuis et. al. 2015 3 Text is based on project description, see appendix
2 I personally was involved in group 2 4 Märkli, 2011

6
 it covered everything for me; from your personal
feelings to painting, to music. It wasn’t just about
construction and how you make things which is how
many other architectural education works. That was
really a revelation for me.”[5]

I therefore decided to devote myself to Peter Märkli as a virtual

apprentice for this graduation project. I had only seen his rather
famous museum LA CONGIUNTA at that time, but that was about
it. Nevertheless, there was no way that a person who could
speak about architecture in such a complete way would not be
able to make great architecture as well. Thus, my graduation
journey started.

5 Herter, 2016)

7

“In order for me to
discover Peter Märkli’s
attitude towards history, I
decided to first investigate
which ‘grammar’ is
most important to get
familiar with the works
of Peter Märkli. These
topics changed or became
more specific during the
research since I got more
familiar with the work of
Markli.”
METHODOLOGY
“What is Peter Märkli’s attitude towards History?”
1.2.1 RESEARCH AIM research since I got more familiar with the work of Märkli.
In the end, I distilled 6 most important grammar elements in
Architect Caruso St. John ones described Märkli as a “maverick” the work of architect Peter Märkli:
because Märkli experiences his role as an architect as if it is“a
2,500-year-old conversation with history”[1]. This research aims 1. THE PLAN
to reveal this age-old conversation with the goal to later use 2. SCALE & PROPORTION
this information for the design of the workshop for architecture 3. ORDER & DISORDER
students in Mendrisio. 4. MATERIAL
5. COLOR
I will apply the above research question to the Swiss architect 6. ORNAMENT & DETAIL
Peter Märkli, who will function as my case study. Relating
questions are; How does Peter Märkli incorporate the things
he learned from the past and his Masters into his designs? How Defining ‘Attitude’
did Peter Märkli’s attitude develop over time? Since Märkli has Secondly, how do we define Peter Märkli’s “attitude”? After
learned from a wide variation of disciplines this information of defining Märkli’s main source of information regarding one of
the past is not necessarily architectural as we will discover. the six topics, I will try to clarify Märkli’s position within these
topics. Here, I come back to my initial graduation motivation;
1.2.2 REPORT STRUCTURE I will be using the three common ways to deal with history,
taken from Nietzsche’s “On the Advantage and Disadvantage of
Defining ‘History’ History for Life”; conservative, creative or progressive described
Which parts of history do we take in consideration? To answer on page xii.
this question I used Peter Märkli’s ‘language’ metaphor:
Märkli’s way of learning architecture has a lot to do with going
back to ‘the basics’ of architecture, the absolute beginning. He
describes this as if one has to learn a completely new, spoken
language.
In order for me to discover Peter Märkli’s attitude towards
history, I decided to first investigate which ‘grammar’ is most
important to get familiar with the works of Peter Märkli. These
topics changed over time or became more specific during the
1 Galilee, B. (2008, May)
8
 GRADUATION MOTIVATION
HOW SHOULD ARCHITECTS LEARN FROM THE PAST?

CASE STUDY: PETER MARKLI

WHAT IS PETER MARKLI’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS

HISTORY?

HOW DO WE DEFINE ATTITUDE ? HOW DO WE DEFINE HISTORY ?

USING NIETZSCHE’S WE DETERMINE MARKLI’S SOURCE OF INFORMATION

“On the Advantage and REGARDING THE 8 ‘GRAMMAR’ PRINCIPLES THAT WE
Disadvantage of History for Life” DISTILLED FROM MARKLI’S WORK AND THOUGHTS

ARCHITECTURE’S GRAMMAE
CONSERVATIVE
“All the old is worth to maintain!”
2.1 PLAN
2.2 SCALE & PROPORTION
CREATIVE 2.3 ORDER & DISORDER
“worship the past, without preserving 2.4 COLOR
every little detail” 2.5 MATERIAL
2.6 ORNAMENT & DETAIL
Figure 4: Overview of Methodology
PROGRESSIVE
“Everything needs to be different!”

WHAT IS MARKLI’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THESE PRINCIPALS?

WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT PETER MARKLI’S WAY OF LEARNING?

9
PART I: CASE STUDY
PETER MÄRKLI
WHAT IS PETER MÄRKLI’S
ATTITUDE TOWARDS
HISTORY?

INTRO INTRODUCING SWISS

ARCHITECT PETER
MÄRKLI

§2.1 PLAN & FACADE

§2.2 PROPORTION & SCALE
§2.3 ORDER & DISORDER
§2.4 MATERIAL
§2.5 COLOR
§2.6 ORNAMENT & DETAIL
 “Architects form themselves only by buildings. But I
learn so much from painting and from sculpturing that
I can transfer to buildings”[1]
1 Markli, P. (2011), 19m20s

Figure 5: Portrait of Peter Märkli

12
 INTRODUCING SWISS ARCHITECT PETER MÄRKLI
PETER MÄRKLI: THE APPRENTICE
Architecture as a Language
When Peter Märkli speaks in public or in interview, he often
mentiones he is interested in the ‘language of architecture’, as if
our profession were comparable with a spoken language. He is
convinced that architecture has a language of its own and that it
can - and must - be learned from the beginning.
Märkli already developed this view during his years as a
architecture student. After learning the language of the spoken
word for years as a child, he now had to understand the language
of a visual profession. It felt like he had to start all over again,
being in primary school and starting from zero. How does this
visual language work?
Märkli thought that he would learn to understand the language
at the ETH (“Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule”) in
“Märkli was lectured Zurich, but he was wrong. While the ETH did serve positively
about the works and for Märkli as a “protective space”[1], he did not understand most
of the information shown in architectural theory and history
results of Mies van der
lectures simply because he lacked understanding; Märkli was
Rohe and Corbusier, but
lectured about the works and results of Mies van der Rohe and
he could not grasp them Corbusier, but he could not grasp them or understand what
or understand what they they meant[2]. He had to start much more with the basics. He
meant.” later explains:
“Classifying things historically is something
intellectual and only the second step. I couldn’t
even comprehend the appearance. The examples
shown were too specific for me. First of all, I had
1 Märkli, Architecture and Education - Interview 5, 2012, p. 3
2 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 48
13
to understand a simple house: a rectangle on the
ground plan, the openings, an orientation in the
house, and how a certain tension develops in the first
place”[3]
Märkli had a lot of interest in the architectural expression of a
building but this was not taught either at the university back “[...]the ETH forgot
in the seventies. In a conversation with Marcel Meili, Märkli that architecture was
agrees that - back then - the ETH forgot that architecture was above all a question of
above all a question of form[4]. Instead, the school’s focus was on form. Instead, the school’s
social- and political theory[5]. In addition, the ETH was mainly focus was on social-
concerned with modernism[6], while Märkli’s interest lied in
early cultures such as the Greek antiquity, early Christianity,
and political theory.
Romanesque, African and Mexican Art[7]. In addition, the ETH
Märkli recalls one of his student projects in 1968 when he was mainly concerned
started his studies, where he “a whole semester on a housing with modernism, while
scheme and didn’t have to design a façade”[8]. A last note on Märkli’s interest lied in
Märkli’s time at the ETH was the arrival of Aldo Rossi, an Italian early cultures such as the
architect who is now seen as one of the leading architects and
designers of the twentieth century. Peter Märkli however, was
Greek antiquity, early
not much influenced by him, since he was already in the middle Christianity, Romanesque,
of his degree. Märkli later refers to Rossi seemingly denigrating African and Mexican Art”
stating that “then someone [Aldo Rossi, red.] would come along
who spoke about urban planning and such like again, and the
others lapped it up […] I didn’t need it that much because I’d
3 Märkli, March 2010, p. 260
4 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 48
5 Galilee, 2008
6 Märkli, Architecture and Education - Interview 5, 2012, p. 3
7 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 48
8 Woodman, 2007
INTERMEZZO: ELLI MOSAYEBI ON THE
INFLUENCE OF ALDO ROSSI AT THE ETH
Elli Masayebi (EM): My generation of architects is very particular
maybe because we are very somehow much influenced by
people like Peter Zumthor, Peter Markli and Pierre de Meuron.
This previous generation was extremely important because they
restarted the architecture after Aldo Rossi. Secondly, they also
criticised a lot what was taught when they were students. For
example, Marcel Meili is very important in this situation, as was
Miroslav Sik. We are the kind of architects that inherited that
what they developed a lot; we didn’t have to kill our fathers as
they had to. That is somehow the big difference between their
generation and ours. We had somehow the advantage that we
could build on what they were teaching. [...] So the influence
of Aldo Rossi was somehow brought to us through them. [...]
In the lectures they mentioned Corbusier and Rossi, but as a
student you just start and you don’t know exactly, but I the
retrospective I can observe it in a different way. The generation
is kind of famous, when Aldo Rossi was brought to ETH by
Fabio Reinhardt, that was in the late 60’s, they invited him as
a professor that has actually built something. The story goes
that Aldo Rossi gave the “pencil back to the architects”, because
before architects were only discussing about sociological and
political issues and they were writing instead of drawing. Aldo
Rossi was the guy who brought the pencil back to the architect
even though he was a theoretician. [...] Rossi left and then 10
years later the other generations like Andre Deplazes, Quintus
Miller, Olgiati, the son of Rudolf, then they were students of
14
Fabio Reinhard and Miroslav Sik.
[...] And then of course what is also very important is what
Rossi brought is the idea of architecture as a discipline of its
own. This Autonomous Architecture. So there is a history
of architecture that refers only to itself. Of course political,
geographical aspect of are important but it is also important to
look at the architecture as a discipline and how this discipline
has its auto referential system so you constantly refer yourself
to older architecture. That was also an important message. This
attention to history was very important, starting with Rossi
and later on with Analog Architecture. That is also what we
have learned this attention to history, and that history is very
broad and we are able to look at history as a kind of space but
also kind of a layout of different possibilities for architects. And
history from our perspective is a horizontal.
And what also played a role in our understanding was the
context. Context and concepts are not overlapping: concept
tries to be very formal, clear and abstract, context is always dirty
and never ideal. You always have to put you concept in this place
where nothing matches and modify it so it becomes a project.
Going back to the question where this strong idea of concept
comes from maybe look at this idea of rational architecture, the
typology and the idea of type as a clear idea of project. Palladio
villa is a type, you have this 9 spaces in a symmetrical way. This
idea of concepts has something to do with that.
 “Märkli not only spend already gone through it”[9]. There is a lot more to say about why these columns of Olgiati
a lot of time in museums are build this exceptionally large way, but that will be discussed
To conclude, the university could not teach Märkli the basics later on in this research.
during his times at the
of the architectural language so he found several ways to learn
ETH, but also found two it elsewhere. Märkli not only spend a lot of time in museums A last note on Rudolf Olgiati relates to Märkli’s shared ideas on
‘role models’ who could during his times at the ETH, but also found two ‘role models’ our senses. Olgiati taught Märkli that architecture is perceived
teach him the things the who could teach him the things the ETH could not. above all through the senses. Although this may seem very
ETH could not.” obvious, to Märkli this is an essential aspect of our profession
Rudolf Olgiati and the reason one has to “educate the eyes”[14]. A lot of Märkli’s
Via his physics teacher, Peter Märkli arrived at architect Rudolf investigative drawings are occupied with the expression of the
Olgiati (figure 6) at a relatively young age while he was still building, their facades, and need to have something to offer for
studying at the ETH. During this social-political time at the eyes of the spectator+ a certain tension. Olgiati even uses a
the ETH, Märkli obtained the political part of architecture system which he believed showed the effect of certain shapes on
mostly through Olgiati who was “very outspoken and regarded people, independent of the vagaries of fashion or time[15]. We
architecture as a political action”[10]. Moreover, Olgiati was a great will come back to this in paragraph 2.3 Order & Disorder.
admirer of the Greeks[11] and led Märkli in the direction of the
ancient architectural examples of the Greece and Romanesque
period. Partly through those examples, Olgiati taught him to
“notice certain fundamental things about architecture”[12]. The
work of Rudolf Olgiati itself relates to the work of Corbusier
in its plasticity, but then combined with the local architecture
of Olgiati taught Märkli the important distinction between a
column and a pillar for example and why a column is smaller
at the top is named a pedestal (‘zuil’ Dutch. transl.) which is
not thought at the university[13], Märkli mentions. At the ETH,
every vertical load-bearing element was called ‘support’ and
there was no vocabulary for describing architectural elements. Figure 6: Portrait of Rudolf Olgiati

9 Märkli, March 2010, p. 260

10 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 54
11 Johnston, 2017, p. 31
12 Märkli, Architecture and Education - Interview 5, 2012 14 Märkli, About drawings and references, 2014
13 Riederer, 2004, p. 11 15 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 11

15
 INTERMEZZO: VISITING A PROJECT BY
RUDOLF OLGIATI
During our group study trip in Switzerland I was lucky enough
to experience Olgiati’s work when visiting Flims, in the canton
of Graubünden. I was especially fond of CASA LAS CAGLIAS, also
known as CASA RADULFF, one of Olgiati’s more widely known
projects. I was quite impressed with the plasticity of the ceilings
which gradually became higher as one moved to the light
coming from the windows (figure 7). Märkli too was really
amazed by this interior and later called the lounge above the café
in this house “the nearest thing we have to a pure distillation of
Corbusier interior space”[1].

The second striking appearance which really impressed me,

were the enormous signature columns of Rudolf Olgiati. One
of Peter Märkli’s first experiences of really understanding the
fundamentals of architecture’s language was with Rudolf
Olgiati, discussing one these columns (image x):

“[...]And this column was built so directly. That I

Figure 7: Excursion: Interior space of
Casa Radulff by Rudolf Olgiati. Plasticity
of the ceilings.
was possible to see it. That was the first second of
understanding our profession. I remember it very
well. And from this point I went step by step, with
a lot of time in between them. (…) That was the
first moment, I think, that I became [an] architect.
It was quite nothing, but it was a very important
moment. Because I understood it. Otherwise it was
only knowing and with only knowing you cannot do
anything, you have to understand it.”[2]

1 Johnston, 2017, p. 31
2 Märkli, About drawings and references, 2014

16
Hans Josephson
Another sources outside of the ETH, came from the sculptor
Hans Josephson (figure 7). Märkli first saw the work of Josephson
in the newspaper and he ended up having a close relationship
with the sculptor. Although it seemed that the two had a master-
apprentice relationship, both Märkli and Josephson deny this[16].

Josephson was born in 1920 and has had studio in Zurich until he
recently passed away. Like Märkli, Josephson was considered to
be an outsider since his work has “remained essentially figurative,
developing in a constant manner, independently of general artistic
currents”[17]. The reliefs of Josephson are completely conceived
from the imagination and usually consist of several figures. The
full sculptures he makes are - in contrast - observations from
a model. Both types of work are essentially about the conflict
between appearance and perception[18]. Figure 8: Portrait of Hans Josephson

Having worked for Josephson for a while in his early years,
Märkli used Josephson’s advice from the beginning of his
architectural career. Although the sculptor could not understand
the architectural ground plan, he helped Märkli in designing his
facades; telling him “if he had too much wall over a window”[19].
But it did not stop with solely giving advice; the sculptures
of Hans Josephson are incorporated in almost all of Märkli’s
buildings.
The climax of this corporation with Josephson is the museum
LA CONGIUNTA, which is completely dedicated to the display of
Josephsohn’s sculptures; a building for art.
16 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 54
17 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 54
18 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p. 54
19 Woodman, 2007, p. 1
Drawings
In sum, Märkli’s time on the architecture school did not learn
him much. Märkli mostly developed his own language with the
help of his role models and with his most authentic tool: his
drawings.
Märkli started drawing because he had no language of his
own yet. He sometimes had no idea what he was doing at the
beginning but later gained confidence because an established
painter told him they were “very nice”[20]. Nowadays, his
seemingly naive sketches are - next to his habit to make small
scale models - the most central medium in Märkli’s work,
leading him through the design process.
20 Märkli, About drawings and references, 2014)

17
Figure 9: Investigating sketches by Peter
Märkli

18
PETER MÄRKLI: THE MASTER
SINCE WE WILL DISCUSS THE WORK OF PETER MÄRKLI AS AN
ARCHITECT IN PART 2 OF THIS REPORT, I WANTED TO BRIEFLY
END THE INTRODUCTION WITH MÄRKLI’S WORK AS A ROLE
MODEL HIMSELF.
Märkli teaching at the ETH
It will be no surprise that Märkli’s teaching on the ETH focuses
on architecture of the past. As a student, the great Palladio “was
immersed in and surrounded by these kind of profane buildings,
these lessons.”[21], Märkli stresses which helped him to become a
great architect. Students nowadays should therefore study these
periods as well.
In the book Märkli: Chair of Architecture at the ETH Zurich
2002-2015 made by one of his assistants[22] at the ETH who
later worked for Märkli, we notice projects ranging from the
temples of the ancient Greeks and Egypt, to projects alongside
Canal Grande in Venice, relating to the works of Palladio.
During his teaching studio, Märkli ask his students fundamental
questions such as “[…]what is white, or red - and which red
- and what does this red mean for your building?”[23] These
questions are somewhere between fine art and architectural
geometry and are concerned with the architectural expression of
a building. According to Märkli, these basic abstract things are
somewhat forgotten in contemporary architectural education
which is noticeable in graduation students nowadays he says:
21 Märkli, Architecture and Education - Interview 5, 2012
22 Imoberdorf, 2016
23 Märkli, Architecture and Education - Interview 5, 2012, p. 6
19
“In my experience our students, before they receive
their diploma, look at a tree and call it a tree. They
don’t talk about the leaves, the way the light sits on
it, how it is proportioned and so on - it’s simply a
tree. So then when it comes to more abstract things
like white or a square or a circle then it’s almost
impossible for them to explain. But they have to
learn because this is our language. We have to ask
what arises from all this. So again, I have to say that
we just need to start from the beginning.” [24]
A Students Identity
One of the reason for this is because Märkli thinks the younger
generation of architects are less politically engaged. Märkli
explains this saying “today, everything has become a lot more
homogenous, the parties adept their manifestos to keep voters”.
This generation must accomplish a lot more “to realize there are
different possibilities for life and social forms”[25].
Since borders are dissolving in a globalist world, Märkli’s last
advice to students of architecture is to recognize that it is
important to maintain one’s personal identity which is formed
within a specific culture:
“I observe things but I am me, the way I am - and
when I’m in Portugal I look around, but I’m still
me. I can’t be like those Dutch, who will analyse
Spain in a week and then develop projects out of the
data - insisting that it’s correct. For me that’s totally
unacceptable. I have lived together with some people
24 Märkli, Architecture and Education - Interview 5, 2012, pp. 6-7
25 Märkli, History, Typology, Invention - March 2010, pp. 274-275
 for a long time and I still don’t know them precisely.
They still have secrets. This means that I have to
assess the mood of the landscape in a more general
way - and then I build something that is correct
according to my judgement - but it will always come
from me. I can never stand outside of myself.”[26]

So, if you are a in a graduation studio, with all these different

kinds of nationalities, it can never be that you build exactly
the same as your fellow student, since you have been raised in
different cultures. Märkli advices students to start designing
with these unique, personal emotions and to not to look in
magazines too often and merely copy those things. That to me,
seems like a great last piece of advice to start my graduation
design.

26 Märkli, Architecture and Education - Interview 5, 2012, p. 7

20
INTERMEZZO: ALEX HERTER ON SCALE
MODELS
MZ: Did you work with scale models in this project? If yes, was
there anything Peter Markli really focused on? Do you still use any
of these techniques or approaches towards models?
AH: I can remember, indeed, that working with models was
important but only for the volumetric situation, a small model.
He was never much interested in interior models or fragments
of a building where you can see the inside. And I can relate to
that, because that takes a lot of work for something which is
quite small compared to the whole project. And as a student,
when you are in a semester, you have to make sure that you have
the focus on the important things. To lose time, though it can
be good for someone of course, I also felt that you had to focus
on that what is important. The benefit of small scale models is,
that it does not take too much time and you can reduce to the
important things. It is like an abstraction, not go into the details
but make a disposition of the most important parts and then
you plus minus had it, in a way. But later, I was an assistant of
him, and I remember we had a similar topic on the mountain,
again with this ski lift and we made this huge plaster models.
Three of them. We made a large base, this socket, and then
the mountain on top of this. And then the students worked
on this model, not just with cardboard, but with a sort of clay
or plastiline which does not dry out, so you could come back
a few days later and adjust it. That was quite a good way to
sculpture their design. You have to imagine that the base model
they made was very
large but their model was only 3 centimeters or so, and they
could place it anywhere they wanted so you could see what all
these different settings meant in a spatial way; you saw your
model in a sculptural way. We did also made big models in
the studio. Peter Markli always said that he did not do this for
himself, but since we are with a lot of students now, we have a lot where I changed the structure on it, or the windows. That is not
of man power to do this. They then made big situation models, possible, you need a lot of employees if you want to do that, and
which was nice to have when you talk about the designs; it is I do not have that.
better visible.
MZ: So later, in your own office, and in his, you did not work on
these large models?
AH: Yes, we do make them. The bigger ones you see here, are
for presentations or for
competitions instead of renderings. But to work with, in the
process quite seldom. Mostly the efficiency is the problem, it
just takes too long; I therefore work with the small models only.
For competitions here in Switzerland, we always have these
white plaster models. When you enter a competition, first thing
you get is the program and you get the model. And always,
you have to turn one in. When you get it, the building site in
the center is empty. When something stood there, it is already
taken out. And in the end, you have to turn one it. Then the
jury has these posters with the plans hanging and the model is
right below. And each contestant turns in a model so they can
compare. The model is very important in these projects because
it is part of what they see. You cannot just make the project and
plans, and then in the end think, now I have to make a model.
That’s too late. Having this model is
a good way to develop the project for the urban spatial
dimensions. So I always work with these models and I try to
make everything I put in there in such a state that I can turn
them in, in the end. I bring my version to the model maker, and
he makes the same in plaster, since in the end, everything in this
model needs to be made with this material. Apart from these
competitions, I can’t remember that I ever made a big model
21

IN THIS PARAGRAPH WE WILL
DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT OF
HIERARCHY IN PETER MARKLI’S
DESIGNS REGARDING THE FLOOR
PLAN AND THE CORRESPONDING
FACADES. “HIERARCHY” HERE,
IS THE ARTICULATION OF THE
IMPORTANCE OR SIGNIFICANCE
OF SPACE BY ITS SIZE, SHAPE, OR
PLACEMENT RELATIVE TO THE
OTHER SPACES OF THE DESIGN.
2.1 PLAN & FACADE
2.1.1 HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE
Rudolf Olgiati introduced the young student Peter Märkli to
the antiquity and the Palladian renaissance. These buildings
express a clear hierarchy in their floor plan and corresponding
facades. The most representative facade was often that side
of the building where one entered and it usually met the
classical standards: the entrance in the centre, imposing facade
proportions and overall symmetry (figure 14). As a result, the
aesthetic challenge seems to lie in how the architect connects
the four facades of the volume while still reacting differently to
the context on each side and without losing the sense unity in
the design.
A similar challenge holds for the floor plan; which spaces are
lower in the hierarchy ladder and how does this effect the
organization of the plan? Aren’t all spaces imporant for the
design to function? After all, renaissance architect Leon Battista
Alberti used to say that beauty “is the result of a beautiful shape
and of the harmony between the whole and the parts, between
the parts and then again between the parts and the whole as if “As we will see, the
the building is a complete, well functioning body [...]”[1]
unity of the block and
I decided to take the historical reference to Palladio as a starting the hierarchy of facades
point to look at Märkli’s early approach towards hierarchization. is an important theme
As we will see, the unity of the block and the hierarchy of in Markli’s projects and
facades is an important theme in Markli’s projects and clearly clearly developed over
developed over time. time”
1 Wittkower 1996
22
 INTERMEZZO: EXAMPLE BY ALEX HERTER

In our interview with an apprentice of Peter Märkli, Herter

described a project in Pontresina (CH) (figure 13,14).
The project was part of a master plan designed by Peter Märkli,
but three of his employees were assigned to design different
housing projects within the master plan. Alex Herter was one
of them.

Herter described his visitation to a project by Palladio; the

PALAZZO THIENE BONIN LONGARE in Vicenza (figure 11,12).
Here, the facades reacts quite differently to the context on each
of the facades while still trying to maintain the unity of the
whole.
This Palladian design is one of the most extreme examples of
hierarchization in facades; the facade on the public square-side
is very ‘mural’ while the entrance facade at the back completely
opens up to the visitor. One can doubt if the difference in
facades might be too abrupt losing its overall unity. There are
Figure 10: Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare
by Andrea Palladio, 1572, Sqaure facade however other building of Palladio where the unity of the block
(left) might be more elegant.
Figure 11: Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare
by Andrea Palladio, 1572, entrance facade Herter applied a similar strategy in the Pontresina project.
(right)
Read more on this project in the transcription of the interview
in the appendix.

Figure 12: Project in Pontresina by Alex Figure 13: Project in Pontresina by Alex
Herter (side facade, left) Herter (main facade, right)

23
 Figure 15: Analysis 2 - Schematic plan
and facade of Markli’s project in Mels,
Figure 14: Analysis 1 - Schematic diagram 1979
of Palladian Floor plans by project

24
INTERMEZZO:
ELLI MOSAYEBI ON CONTEXT & CONCEPT
EM: [...] And what also played a role in our understanding was
the context. Context and concepts are not overlapping: concept
tries to be very formal, clear and abstract, context is always dirty
and never ideal. You always have to put you concept in this place
where nothing matches and modify it so it becomes a project.
Going back to the question where this strong idea of concept
comes from maybe look at this idea of rational architecture, the
typology and the idea of type as a clear idea of project. Palladio
villa is a type, you have this 9 spaces in a symmetrical way. This
idea of concepts has something to do with that.
Next to the concept is the idea how to deal with the context,
because you are very rarely in the situation where context is
clear. Very often you are in situations where you don’t have
anything, a periphery situation with few trees and you suffer
as an architect because you don’t know where you can get you
images and your references from.
At the ETH it is still like that, you choose with whom you
would like to study. The first year it was clear, we had Andre
Deplazes and Marc Angélil, and in the second year we could
choose. A visiting proffer at that time was then Christoph
Luchsinger only for a year, who was very much kind of the
same generation as Meili, I think he also had studied Rossi.
He was interested in urban questions and he studied context.
Then we had the traineeship and I was in the office of Barth
and Deplazes and then I came back and I was studying with
Herzog de Meuron, Peter Markli and Dominique Perrault. In
this semesters the studios were like you really follow his masters.
You enter the world of your master and find out how would he
design his things. It was very close but not so close at Kolhoff
at the same time here. It was my decision to go to teachers who
25
have a certain kind of openness to you. And Kolhoff was very
famous at my time at least that he really want what he wants
and that is closed. It is not entirely true in retrospective but in
my perspective as a student I felt that way.
For example Peter Markli who was later not like that anymore,
it was his first year as a professor there, so it was very interesting
and opened. He didn’t know what he want so he of was curious
to see how do you develop things. And of course he is a guy who
is extremely charismatic and he puts his students in hypnosis. He
already had it at the beginning later on it even became stronger.
The topics were already clear, there were topics of facade, the
floor-plan as a layer which is extremely important. What we
do in the office with the beauty of the floor plan is influenced
by Peter Markli. These teaching they were really present, also
Jacque Herzog and Pierre de Meuron they really came weekly
to the studio. You wouldn’t talk to them really weekly but they
were around so they were walking between the students and
looking at plans if you wanted to. [...]
TVDS: Could you remember what did you learn from those projects
with Peter Markli?
[...] EM: Yes it was very much about facade, about certain
materials he prefers. Also the beauty of the floor plan. But it was
very sort of banal in a certain way. It was not about lets the view
of architecture into your floor plan but about what solution
would be good. Sometimes the answer was very pragmatic and
sometimes we came with something which was very surprising.
But it was very open and it was a dialogue and as a student you
appreciate it very much [...].
 2.1.2 EARLY DESIGNS: SEARCHING FOR UNITY
In the beginning, Märkli’s architectural means were still
limited[1]. He was mainly focused on the expression or
representation of the building. For this research however, we are
especially interested in these early designs since they can help
us give an insight in the learning development of Peter Märkli.
of the building. Through this massing, or “muralization” as Elli
Mosayebi[3] from EMI architekten called it, we are reminded
of the architecture of this teacher, Rudolf Olgiati (figure 19).
Secondly, we can again see the resemblance with the Palladio
villas in the facade and corresponding plan.

Duplex house (Mels, 1979) 3 EMI Architekten, 2005

As a student, Peter Märkli got the chance to work on a duplex
house in Mels (figure 16). The design shares many characteristics
with Palladio’s floor plan designs. The DUPLEX HOUSE has a strict
symmetrical structure, reminding us on the schemes of Palladio’s
villas. Märkli cleverly uses the symmetric principle to order the
shared entrance area for the two families. The stairs are only “Märkli cleverly uses
accessible via the private dwellings and are conveniently pushed the symmetric principle
inside both dwelling. They are organizing the space just like in to order the shared
Palladio’s villa’s but with a appropriate adjustment.
In the corresponding facade, we recognize the columns. His
entrance area for the two
master Rudolf Olgiati uses a similar non-structural aesthetic, families. The stairs are
designed to emphasize an important place of the duplex. More only accessible via the
on this in paragraph 2.6 Ornament & Detail. private dwellings and are
conveniently pushed inside
Two Single Family Houses (Azmoos/Trubbach, 1982) both dwelling. They are
The TWO SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES in Azmoos (figure 17,18), was
Markli’s first project as a architect. Like the Mels project the
organizing the space just
TWO SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES are designed “premodern, almost in like in Palladio’s villa’s
an archaic manner of building”[2], Märkli notes. He oriented the but with a appropriate
buildings towards the garden whereas the ‘back facade’ is facing adjustment”
the street. This is emphasized by both the color and the massing

1 Mostafavi 2002, p. 51
2 Mostafavi 2002, p. 12

Figure 16: Analysis 3 - Schematic plan

and facade of Märkli’s project in Azmoos,
1982

26
Figure 17: Analysis 4 - Muralization and
Hierarchy of facades, Peter Märkli in
Azmoos (1987)

27
Figure 18: Analysis 5 - Muralization and
Hierarchy of facades, project Haus Dr.
Allemann by Rudolf Olgiati, 1968-69

28
INTERMEZZO: PETER MÄRKLI ON
GEOMETRY
When studying Märkli’s work, it takes no brilliant observer to For the above reasons, Märkli rejected all the languages that
see that Märkli only uses rectangular shapes for his buildings were too individual and formalistic. Through this way of
with clear, readable proportions and hierarchy. Using an selecting, Markli learned which languages he should accept and
other, round shape can be fulfilling for a moment, “but in which he should not. And that is something Märkli wants to
time, nobody is interested in that”[1], Märkli notes passionately teach the younger generation: that language is not arbitrary and
irritated during his presentation on proportion. Märkli’s role that one should never privatized their personal language, since
model Palladio reserved this shape exclusively for temples since “you then would just be doing something that nobody could
it is the only geometrical shape which is singular, uniform, understand”[6]
equal on all sides, closed and spatial.[2].
6 Schevers en Herrenberg, 2012, 8m30s
It is because of these characteristics, Märkli continues in his
lecture, that he disgraces the fact that his Swiss colleague
architect Mario Botta uses this shape to make a family house.
According to Märkli it is “stupid in a higher sense”[3], to use
the circular form for an individual house since all the societies
who lived before us reserved that shape for very special social or
religious occasions, such as the half circled apses around an altar
in a Christian church.

To be able to explain and understand the characteristics of

the circle so clear and to see what it meant for architecture is
something Märkli learned from Olgiati who gave him “the key
to the language”[4]; he taught Märkli the basics of geometry.
Märkli learned that a buildings can never be too individual;
meaning that it cannot limit the expression of its neighbouring
buildings. For Märkli, it is important to understand that “in
every period of time, it was possible to project an own feeling
of life a still produce neighbourhoods”, he explains[5].

1 Video Märkli - Video lezione Peter Markli, 2007, 2m35s

2 Wittkower, 1996, p. 31
3 Video Märkli - Video lezione Peter Markli, 2007, 3m20s
4 Mostafavi 2002, p. 49
5 Märkli - Small Houses in Concrete, 2002, 7m30s

29
2.1.2 FACADE-SYSTEMS TO MAINTAIN THE WHOLE

Later on in Märkli’s projects, we can detect more uniform

facades with regards to his private housing projects. An example
of this is Märkli’s project in Azmoos, 2000 (figure 20) but
started already in his project in Winterhur.
The differences between the facades are much more refined while
we can still detect a strict hierarchization of the floor plan; the
intimate spaces of the house are located on the private, garden
side of the house, protected as it where, by the service spaces.

One can still see the hierarchical differences between facades

Figure 19: Analysis 6 - Hierarchy of
but in a more subtle manner because of the overlayed color facades with uniting overlay-system,
system. Other examples of this kind are the Single-family house Azmoos (2000)

in Grabs (1995).

30
 Public buildings: a relevant school design expression of being a public building which harmoniously is
Last, I discuss a non-private building of Peter Märkli. In these part of the neighbourhood, while simultaneously repelling due
projects, he prefers a more uniform appearance of the building to its public status. In (figure 21, 22, 23) you can see how - with
due to it’s (semi-)public function. This was especially interestingthe same system- Märkli achieves to create different facades
for me since in the second part this graduation, I will design a and thus reacting differently to the context without losing the
school myself. expression of the whole, similar to his private housing projects.
This overlay by the same system is something that is also present
In the SCHOOL PROJECT IN OERLIKON (2000), Märkli has put all in his later housing projects will have seen.
the public spaces on the ground floor on all facades resulting
in a feeling of “both neutrality and uniformity, [and] the sense To conclude, Markli realized that with his strict view regarding
of a public space”[1]. By treating all sides equally, the building hierarchization in the plan, his facades are losing their unity.
acquires an independent quality where “the city does not As a counter balance again the interior hierachization, he uses
encroach upon it”[2], Märkli notes. The building creates a dual a unifying system for the facades. Although Märkli let go of
Figure 20: Analysis 7 - Beams of Im Birch
the very strict hierarchization, it never disappeared. He just
Schule, Oerlikon, Zurich by Peter Märkli 1 Mostafavi, 2002, p. 180 creatively refined it.
(2000) 2 Mostafavi, 2002, p. 180

31
Figure 21: Analysis 8 - Different fill-in “A building has its own logic and stands in a town or in the
of Im Birch Schule, Oerlikon, Zurich by
Peter Märkli (2000)
countryside. Depending on its site and orientation one side of
the building will be its main side. Today’s generation are obsessed
with creating buildings that are equal on all sides, all sides are
equally important, but that’s not right. This only exists in special
buildings like a baptistery for instance. In profane/ordinary
buildings this simply isn’t the case.” [3]

3 Märkli, 2012, p.5

32
Figure 22: Excursion - Project visitation:
Im Birch Schule by Peter Märkli, Zurich
(CH)
 Figure 23: Summary sketch: Azmoos
1982 (left), Sargans 1986 (middle),
Trubbach 1988 (right)

36
SUMMARY
• It is important to understand what side of your building is considered the front-, side- and back of the building. This is true
even for (semi-)public buildings which are often accessible from more than one side.
• The treatment of these facades can be different but one should not lose the sense of unity and the whole.
• A good way to do this is e.g is using the same system for each facade with a different fill-in. Each facade can thus be different
while using the same formwork, color pattern or facade construction e.g.
• In housing projects privacy is very important and the floorplan of the house and its facades should represent this. One tends
to make the relation with the public street to imporant in these type of buildings.
• Ways to emphasize the boundary between the public and the private are hight differences and ‘muralization’ of the facade
facing the street to create a subtile border between the two zones.

All the above is related to the design and placement of the service spaces. At all times, these spaces should be an integral part of the design
instead of problems. They can even be use to ‘solve’ the order within the plan. See paragraph 2.3 Order & Disorder

• Try to understand the meaning and characteristics of certain shapes and what these findings mean for architectural design.
• It is helpful to start the design with a rectangular shape and only adjust it when you have a good reason to do so. Don’t be to
individual.
• Special shapes, such as the circle should be avoided since these (historically speaking) are only used for buildings with an
important social or religious purpose.
• Breaking up shapes without losing the sense of the whole may have a positive effect on the perception of it, creating a tension
for the eyes. (related to 2.3 Order & Disorder)
• If the building has a rectangular shape, there is more room for disorder via other architectural means. The reverse also holds;
when there is already an irregular shape (due to the context for example) it is usually a good idea to counter-balance it with
‘order’ on other characteristics of the building.

• Do not lose too much time with scale models. Only for the basic shape of your building on a small scale. These models can be
rough, fast and don´t have to be precise.

37
 2.2 PROPORTION & SCALE
PROPORTION IS AN IMPORTANT 2.2.1 ELIMINATING THE ARBITRARY
PRINCIPLE IN ARCHITECTURE
WHICH CONNECTS
MATHEMATICS WITH ART. It is no secret that one of Märkli’s role models in architecture
IN SHORT, IT IS THE VISUAL was Andrea Palladio. What both architects have in common is
EFFECT OF MATHEMATICAL
their shared interest in ancient architecture and their attempt
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
CERTAIN PARTS OR SPACES OF to revive, and transform ancient architectural aesthetics into a
THE BUILDING, EACH OTHER timeless quality and value. The basis to achieve this timelessness
AND THE WHOLE
seems to lie in the study of the use of proportion in architecture.
Märkli studied proportion largely in his free time next to his
architecture studies. One of the reasons to use proportion
system for Märkli is to eliminate the arbitrariness in the design
process. Secondly, using a proportion system makes sure that
the building parts relate to one another and to the whole since
all the parts share the same numerical principles of the system
in use.
2.2.2 MASTERING PROPORTIONS
Märkli not only studied these proportion tools, but literally
made them his own. In his proportion lecture[1], Märkli
graphically explains his own proportion system that is based on
Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian man with that difference that in
Märkli’s diagram, the two upper corners of the square touch the
circle and not only the centre of the bottom side of the square[2].
Consequently, he achieves to bring both the golden section and
the Triangulum together in one diagram. The centre of the
circle is exactly five-eights above the downside of the square,
approximating the golden section. A seven-eights proportion,
equal to the Triangulum, is found on the intersection of one
of the sides of the square with one of the perpendicular lines,
“I researched Märkli´s
needed to construct the circle. proportion system quite
excessively. In the end I
I researched Märkli´s proportion system quite excessively (figure
24, 25, 26). In the end I came to the conclusion that it does not came to the conclusion
really matter which proportion system one uses, as long as all that it does not really
the parts use the same system. I reached this conclusion after my matter which proportion
conversations with Alex Herter. He really helped me to simplify system one uses, as long
the concept of proportion systems. as all the parts use the
In the end, the most important thing about proportion systems
same system. I reached
is that they limit your measurements opties and therefore help
you in giving exact dimensions to your building. this conclusion after my
Simultaneously it makes sure that building parts are related to conversations with Alex
one another and to the whole. Herter [...]”
“I did not know how to create the measure ...
One of the answers was that you simply had to take
a brick and not break it, then I said what kind of
morale is that? That does not interest me , you can
just make them smaller. Anyhow I did not get an
answer and I decided to study proportion next to my
education. Because it always made me nervous when
you had to make arbitrary decisions as if there were
endless variations. I looked for the exact values.” [3]
3 Schevers en Herrenberg, 2012

1 Märkli, z.d.
2 Mostafavi 2002, p. 50

38
Figure 24: Analysis 9 - Self study to Figure 25: Analysis 10 - Study of Märkli’s
understand Markli’s proportion system. proportion system on his facade in
Left: the system. Right: Markli’s Azmoos Azmoos
project 1982
INTERMEZZO: ALEX HERTER ON
PROPORTION
MZ: About that, I read that he said that, if you have something, for
instance a proportion system, something strong, where you base your
project on; when you give that to a contractor, to build this projects,
something always goes wrong, someone will always do something
wrong. But because of the proportion system Peter Markli uses, this
building will still be his project, the idea still stands.
Yes that’s true. I think it is important to have ‘hierarchy’, I call
it. You have a main idea.. it is like in these steps, you get always
closer to a certain detail. In the small thing it is possible to
change, but the main idea remains the same.
What you said about proportions, is one thing I think which
is really a good way of keeping the main idea outside of what
material means, or all these things which can change or are part
of the ones for whom the project is, let’s say a one family house,
the owner. That maybe changes, but the proportions; it’s so
simple in a way but if you keep hanging on to this, the main
idea is safe. So you can always hold on to this.
TS: In an interview, Peter Markli mentions the importance of
proportion and states that everyone who starts working at the office
needs, at some time, learn this proportion system he invented for
himself, where everything ends up as a multiply of ‘eights’. Was this
also the case when you started to work for Peter Markli? Do you still
use it for example?
AH: Yes, I still use it, very much. But it is not like you come in
and then you have to make a sort of test and then you can start
working there. No. When he makes projects, he comes with
plans he did himself and the main dimensions are already set in
his plans. So then you just go finer, but the main proportions
are set by his numbers. And with this proportion system it is I
40
think, not at all so difficult.
The thing is, I think it is not really important which proportional
system you use; the Golden Rule, or whatever. More important
is that you realize that is a help for you in the way that is like a..
there are not so much possibilities anymore, it limits you.
For me, I always connect it with music. When you have a guitar
and the string can we touched down every millimeter, but then
the sounds are bad. So, you have divisions where the sounds are
right. That is how geometry works too. I mean, of course you
can’t compare it one to one, but it is a link you can make and
when you look at the history of architecture, like Palladio or so,
the geometry always tend to be basic and simple. And then you
take a first start with a simple […] and then you add, or make
a little shift in al way, but always in relation to the other thing.
The word ‘relation’ here is actually the most important here,
because with this ‘system’, or whatever you want to call it,
‘proportions’, ‘divisions’, this let’s you keep everything in
relation. I think that is the most important thing, and that is
something which is bigger than your project. I think that that
is the basis of architecture; that everything has to be related in a
way. It is actually what life, or a city should be. Things should be
in relation with each other. And how do you achieve this? There
are many ways, but when you have plans to make, then you
need measurements. Of course one can says that in the decimal
system everything is related to
each other but the steps are so, so small, that it would take for
every to find the right
position. So you make it easier in a way, to just pick out certain
basic […], I don’t like the word but, ‘grid’, is a way to look at
it even though it has been used sometimes in a negative way
because in the end it should not be what comes to your mind.
I mean, architecture is always related to geometry and systems
and so, that is nothing new or special. It is more that you find,
like a way to work with this, that is the important thing. It is
not a means of expressing in a technical or in an esthetical way
to show, I don’t know, this ‘rationalism’. It is not at all that.
TS: Peter Markli have often mentioned that has always searched for
the ‘grammatik’ of architecture and proportional systems are often
related to find a sort of ‘universal language’, since a circle is a circle
everywhere. So for you, is it also about finding a universal language
in some way? Or even true ‘beauty’, like the Golden Ration implies?
Do you believe in the use of proportions in this kind of way?
AH: I think so, yes. I do. There was this time where people
thought that the whole universe was based on mathematical
proportions. I mean, it is a way to look at it. It is not so bad
I think. It can explain many things in a way, or give sense to
many things. But the problem with it is, one should not look
at it as an expression of a technical or rationalized society or
whatever. It is more like a tool, a tool that you use. When you
make music, you don’t think about these things anymore, but
you should know where it comes from, what the laws behind
it are. In the best case, they actually disappear. But they are
behind it, they are like the bones which hold the thing together
in a way.
Boaz van der Wal: In the last couple decades, these universal rules or
systems are often being questioned in architecture. Internationally,
you see a lot of free form architecture for example. I don’t know Peter
Markli’s work as good as you guys do, but he makes his buildings
very orthogonal, rectangular. Also in you work, this seems the case. engineer-like it is somehow possible.
Why do you think he chooses for this form?
AH: Yes. It is the normal case, the standard […] it is the
beginning, the most basic thing. Everything what differs from
it, is special or needs explanation, a reason for it. And of course
there are many sites in the city, there are always reason why the
city looks like it is. If you look at it historically why this is, the
topography, or older structures. There is always a reason for it.
It is never a free idea of someone.
So it is the starting point, and often there is no need to go further
because it is just all it takes. Which does not mean that it is not
possible to, sometimes […]. Sometimes you need to search for
a other direction or shape, but that is not the beginning. It is
something which needs to evolve.
BW: It also seems to have to do with the signature of an architect in
some cases. On our way to this place, we stopped at the Stadelhofen
railway station, designed by Calatrava.
AH: Well, that is an interesting example for me. Because in that
case, it is harmonious and it is, it has it’s right, I think. In many
other cases you look at it and you think it is more formalistic but
in this case, the basic structure of this railway station was given.
The slight curve was given from the site and how he developed
this. Of course he is also an engineer and he likes this sort of,
organic flow. But in that case, I think it is really, I must say, well
done. It looks somehow, natural in a way, when you look at the
site. It is not a building, in a way, it is a structure which is built
into this hill side, this terrace thing. He did the same thing
with this pillar for a row house, a single family houses that was
terrible. It has no justification, except for formalistic reasons.
That is, what I think is sad. But in many cases, when it is more
41
SCALE IN THIS PARAGRAPH IS DEFINED AS THE SIZING OF
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS (E.G. A COLUMN IN A FACADE)
DEPENDENT ON THE LEVEL OF EXPOSURE TO THE CONTEXT

2.2.3 SCALE: URBAN PROPORTIONS Thus, the column is used as a visual densifier. This is the reason “This is the reason why
why Olgiati argues to use a “gender-column” in areas where the Olgiati argues to use a
The issue here is, how to react with your building on the environment has a strong influence on the building; the more
transition between the public and (semi-)private sphere. This “gender-column” in areas
open or exposed the house lies in its environment, the thicker
has to do with privacy, visual perception and the making of the column must be. To further clear the idea of scale, Peter where the environment
‘place’ as we will later understand. In this paragraph we will use has a strong influence on
Märkli himself explains it through the exmaple of the GREEK
the column, the building block and the transition between the the building; the more
TEMPLE (figure 29):
public and the private to explain the use of scale.
open or exposed the house
As mentioned in the introduction, Märkli mainly learned the “Columns are not possible when the house for the God is in the lies in its environment,
essence of the column through his conversations with Olgiati. middle of the city. The idea of the column is to orient the temple the thicker the column
According to Olgiati the shaft (dutch transl. ‘zuil’), is an optical in an enormous room”[2] must be”
tool in his architecture; something for the eye - where the whole
Greek-Classic architecture is based upon. To explain to us that 2 Johnston, 2017, p.11
in this period, the columns did not exclusively had a structural
function, Olgiati uses the example of the ERECHTHEION in
Athens:

“If the columns here only had to function as structural, then they
would not have used the figure of a women”`[1]

1 (Riederer 2004)

42
INTERMEZZO: ALEX HERTER ON SCALE

TS: When you say he made you focus on certain topics when you
talked about your project, can you give an example of such a topic
in the project you attended with Peter Markli?

AH: In that semester, the project was on the mountain top,

where you arrive at a certain station with a hotel and restaurant,
in the canton of Valais in the south of Switzerland. Therefore,
the landscape was the main theme. The building was alone
in this landscape and how do you react on this. You have
this typography of the mountain which was given, but then
you have this much bigger context and what does your little
building have to do with this whole mountain? That was quite
new for me. At that time, I was never able to look at a context
like that. And then, he encouraged you, spatially, to look at
your roject; that was one of the main topics, I remember. And
of course the volume of the building. In this project it was quit
special because you had this outside terrace with the restaurant
and it was rather difficult to place the building here since you
nearly had no horizontal plain and the volume for the station
was relatively big. Another topic was of course the proportions.
How do you make a window? The building was in the landscape,
not in an urban environment, so what is your façade? What
does it have to do with the surroundings? And the window, how Figure 26: Sketch: Explanatory sketch
does it sit in the volume? What are its dimensions? This was about the scaling principle

completely new thinking for me in a way at the time.

Figure 27: Sketch: “Gender columns”

by Olgiati and Märkli. from left to right:
Erechtheion, olgiati’s columns at casa
radulff, peter märkli’s column at im gut
housing, märkli’s column at the winary in
Cave Bec

43
INTERMEZZO:
ELLI MOSAYEBI ON PROPORTION & PETER
MÄRKLI
MZ: How was working with Peter Markli? How was it to first have
him as teacher and then work with him, how does what he teaches
at university differs from his practice?
EM: He has his separate atelier and he visits the office and when
he comes everyone puts his belief in him. So he visits the office
and you have this discussions and he always knows what is good
or what is bad in architecture so being an employee you are
exposed to that and you always work out his ideas.
TVDS: We have heard for example that when you work for him
the first thing to know is to learn the proportion system. Did you
experience this?
EM: For me he didn’t explain any proportional system, of course
I knew them before but I didn’t use them in the drawings. I
remember the moment the other employees realised then
nothing that I drew was in the proportional system and the
shock in their eyes.. I didn’t know it was mandatory because he
didn’t tell me. Valerio Olgiati, Peter Zumthor and Peter Markli
are those 3 big names who don’t let you free yourself from their
methods and you became a small copy of them. And you are
not taken seriously because you are never as good as the master.
If you look at offices like Meili Peter, which are similarly
important but maybe not that obvious, those are the offices
which bring young architects to be successful on they own
therms. Thats because they have this kind of intellectual
approach, their thinking is very broad, whereas this masters
think for themselves but intellectually they don’t discuss with
there employees and that is the reason you cannot be part of the
discourse. On the contrary the office of Meili Peter, they bring
really interesting young offices because they learn how to think. really is an own character with an own charisma and it’s great
that we have him. I really appreciate his architecture and his
MZ: Could you point out any particular thing that you learned language a lot nevertheless its not repetitive, its something that
from Peter Markli and you use in everyday work? stands for itself.
EM: The beauty of the floor plan that was something that started
with him as a teacher. I remember things like the beauty of the
floor plan and the beauty of the sketch. The way he sketched
out something. This things that stick into your head. Going
away from a strong concept into a beautiful space, that’s also
something he gave us. Or the proportions of the facade, and
how classical the facade could be with the sickle and the middle
and so on. These are very general topics, and in the end he just
mentioned them and developed in his own office.
TVDS: What do you think about his architecture?
EM: I think its extremely important. He claims that he brought
language back to the architecture and I can understand it to
a certain point, but to some point you also think that he is
just to heavy sometimes. He would never make fun of his own
project. Even Zumthor is more funny, Peter is another league.
He is not really self ironic. Even Zumthor laughs sometimes,
not Peter. Privately he is a funny guy, the funnies is Olgiati. But
he suffered in his life, he started from nothing, he only had his
ideas and his pencil and he invented himself. He really is an
artist, a true artist. He sees himself as an artist. He invented his
own figure and didn’t inherit anything. He had his two master
in persons of Rudolf Olgiati and Hans Josepsohn and they were
extremely formative on his person but he invented himself
though them. He always wanted to be out of the system, he
never was in the system. He refuses to do certain things, he
44
 2.2.4 SCALING THE COLUMN

That these discussions between Olgiati and Märkli about the

Figure 28: Excusion: Im Gut Housing by
Peter Märkli.
Figure 29: Winery Cave Bec by Peter
Märkli
scale of the columns had an large impact on the student Märkli
is an understatement. In Märkli’s first project, when he still
was a student, Märkli designed a DUPLEX HOUSE in Mels (1979)
where he used the column of his ‘role model’ Olgiati (figure
16); “they are still his columns”[1], Märkli recalls later. Six
years later, Märkli was stunned when he saw Villa Valmerana
of Palladio on a study trip, seeing that this Villa had a lot of
similarities with his design.
The setting of the temple, placed in “an enormous room”, is
similar to the setting of Märkli’s design of the WINERY in Cave
Bec (figure 30,31,32) in Switzerland. The columns are meant
to be seen from a great, great distance and are of at least a meter
wide. An interesting comparison between the dimensions of
these columns I noticed when visiting his APARTMENTS IM GUT,
Zurich (figure 29). Here, the environment has a much smaller
impact on the buildings entrance and thus the column can have
smaller dimensions.

1 About Drawings and References, 2014

45
Figure 30: Analysis 11 - Situation plan,
Winary Fin Bec by Peter Markli

46
Figure 31: Analaysis 12 - Front Facade
column width in ‘big room’, Winary Fin
Bec by Peter Markli

47
 2.2.4 SCALING THE VOLUME

Another type of scaling, apart from columns, we can detect

when we look at the building block as a whole. As with the
column, the principle works the same.

This is especially noticeable in the IM GUT apartments I visited “Like the Greek Temple,
in 2016. Here Märkli pulled of a smart little trick with the floor the block - as a whole -
plan of the apartments: the living room is given an opening operates in a large room,
in the facade from wall to wall as is the room next to it that and its rhythmic scale is
is pushed out in of the block. A similar thing happens on the
given by the push-outs,
street side, next to the kitchen. Like the GREEK TEMPLE, the block
- as a whole - operates in a large room, and its rhythmic scale the enormous columns so
is given by the push-outs, the enormous columns so to speak. to speak.”
A similar thing happens in Märkli’s headquarters for SYNTHESIS
in Solothurn.

Figure 33: Analysis 14 - Im Gut Housing.

3D scaling scheme of the volume through
Figure 32: Analaysis 13 - Im Gut floor plan design. Dark red rooms are
Housing. 3D scaling scheme of the mirrored and repeated along the length of
volume through floor plan design. the building
Figure 34: Summary - Vitruvian man (left), proportion system by Peter Märkli,
without proprtion system (right)

50
SUMMARY

• The proportion of a building might be considered as the most important tool for the architect. The idea is that measurements
of different architectural elements need to related to each other in order to maintain a certain sense of ‘wholeness’ or unity.
This can - in a sense - be any tool.
• To determine the basic module of the Markli’s proportion system, one (simply put) roughly determines the height of the
building and divide this by 8 to approximate the Golden Setion. That number will be the grid module.
• Since these proportion have a lot to do with the experienced dimensions of the building, one should start with the section of
the building and apply the proportions one determined earlier.

• Columns need to be scaled according to their context. In general: the greater the impact of the context on the building, the
thicker the columns need to be. This correlates to privacy and therefore is not only is the case for the column, but also the
size of openings.
• Columns can also serve an aesthetic purpose instead of an structural one. A column can e.g. emphasize a “place” with a special
relation between the inside and the outside.
• The transition from the public scale to the private scale needs to be a gradual experience - guiding the visitor. This has its
consequences on the design of the area where on enters the building in sense of proportion and materialization.

51

ORDER AS USED IN THIS
PARAGRAPH MEANS AN IDEAL
MATHEMATICAL FORMS IN 2D
(E.G. A LINE, A CIRCLE) AND
IDEAL RELATIONSHIPS (E.G.
SYMMETRY, PERPENDICULARITY,
RHYTHM ETC.) DISORDER IN THIS
PARAGRAPH IS THE DISRUPTION
THEREOF.
“We have already seen
that order is a important
aspect of Märkli’s projects
but the more I understood
his methods, the more I
discovered that disorder
is just as important as the
ordering principle - if not
more important.”
2.3 ORDER & DISORDER
Now this is by far the most interesting topic of the research in
my opinion that really changed my mind on the principle of
order in architecture. Through the work of Märkli, I especially
was surprised by the apparent necessity of disorder.
We have already seen that order is a important aspect of Märkli’s
projects but the more I understood his methods, the more I
discovered that disorder is just as important as the ordering
principle - if not more important.
Apart from connecting the various parts with the whole
(harmony) or ascetically connecting the wing aisle of the church
to the middle aisle of the church e.g., order was dominating in
classical architecture; as far as my knowledge goes, deliberate
disorder was hardly present.
Through Rudolf Olgiati, Märkli learned the importance of
disorder, representing something interesting for the eye of the
observer. The balance between order and disorder is perhaps
best described by Mohsen Mostafavi, the editor of his Märkli’s
first book called “Approximations”:
[...]the way in which Peter Märkli works is always,
in a sense, trying to approach some version, if you
like, of the concept of the ideal, of ideality, and
deliberately not achieving it. Not to try and do
things that essentially are perfect.”[1]
In this paragraph we will discuss three types of disorder present
in Märkli’s work. Disorder of the volume, in the facade and in
the plan.
1 Märkli, 2018
52
Disorder of the volume
A relatively easy example to understand the balance between
order and disorder is present in Märkli’s apartment building in
Brig (figure X). Because the context did not allow a rectangular
shape, Märkli chose to balance the irregular shape of the volume
with a orderly facade grid. “To offset the complexity of the
form”[1], Märkli only used one type of window except for the
balcony. Even at the entrance area of the apartments (where
one might have a good reason to choose a different shape for
the window) Märkli continued the window grid, choosing order
above disorder.
A similar example of this scale would be the PROJECT IN GRABS.
Here, Märkli designed a rectangular volume where two of the
corners are less that ninety degree, dismantling the overall square
and “correspondingly, the terrace is not a consistent width
around its two sides”. Although he does not exactly explain he
did this, I am sure it is because of the same underlying idea;
tension between the (platonic) ideal and the imperfection.
(figure X).
1 Mostafavi, 2002, p.135

Figure 35: Analysis 15 - Plan and facade
of the Brig Apartments by Peter Märkli
Figure 36: Analysis 16 - Floor plan of the
Family house Grabs by Peter wMarkli
53
Disorder in the facade
More deliberate examples of implementing disorder in Märkli’s
design is his entrance facade of the FAMILY HOUSE IN WINTERHUR
(Figure 36). Here, the artwork of good friend and tutor Hans
Josephson ‘completes’ the facade. The relief counter balances the
window on the other side of the door, and “without the relief,
the facade would work”[1]. A related example of dissymmetry
is applied in the passway of LA CONGIUNTA, the building Märkli
designed for the sculptures of Hans Josephson.
A different type of disorder one can recognize in Markli’s
NOVARTIS building where he deliberately leaves out the centre
column of the entrance facade to leave open the ‘exact middle’
(Figure 37). A similar tactic we have seen in one of Märkli’s first
PROJECT IN AZMOOS with the columns of the garden facade.
1 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p.89
Figure 37: Analysis 17 -Example of Order
& Disorder by Peter Markli. Entrance
facade of familyhouse Winterhur

Figure 38: Analysis 18 - Redraw of the

entrance facade of Markli’s Novartis
building in Basel, Switzerland to
understand the proportion system.

54
 Disorder in the plan
While I cannot discuss all examples, I do want to mention a
similar tactics Märkli uses during his interior designs process.
“..it seems Märkli realizes Studying his projects, it seems Märkli realizes that his strict
geometrical floor plans and facades, embedded in strict
that his strict geometrical proportional systems, call for a counterbalance in some sort,
floor plans and facades, certain tension between the ordered and the disordered. For the
embedded in strict interior, Märkli mostly uses three ways to accomplish this: by
proportional systems, call color, furniture or through materials.
for a counterbalance in
some sort, certain tension A good example to explain the above three methods is the
SYNTHESIS OFFICE BUILDING in Solothurn. Here, Markli organizes
between the ordered and the offices by using the service spaces as a ordering and dividing
the disordered.” element while connecting them by placing them along side a
long interior avenue. To counter balance this simple but practical
design, Märkli designed a carpet pattern that crosses the space
diagonally with several colours and geometrical shapes. On top
Figure 39: Analysis 19 - The role of
of that, he places the furniture in an slight organic manner, disorder in Synthesis Headquaters
detaching the interior from the ordering structure of the plan.

Another example I encountered in the HOTELFACHSCHULE where

Märkli used a oval, wooden bar as the balancing object in the
voyer.

55
56
Figure 40: Summary 2.3 Doorsketch in relation to formwork: door in formwork pattern
(left), doorsketch based on Peter Märkli’s Museo La Congiunta (middle), no relation to
formwork (right)

58
SUMMARY
• Start designing with an orderly approach on the largest scale. How can your building bring order in the urban environment?
• If the volume - due to circumstances - is too disordered, try to balance this disorder with ordering elements. Balance is the key.
• You can use service spaces to order the plan of the building instead of seeing them as a problem. Don’t design them in the last
stages but let them be an integral part of the plan.
• After applying the ordering systems on a building scale, see if you can balance this (often strict) ordering system with
disordering elements on other levels of the design. Of course without losing the order.
• Disorder on a building scale is usually not a good idea. Thus, proportion and construction are often the backbone of the
design.
• Disordering elements in the design thus can (and should) be ‘secondary’ (volumes) and can detached themselves from the
overall ordering grid or proportion
.
Continue this approach of disordering on the scale of materialization and ornament until the correct balance is found.

59
2.4 MATERIALS
In this paragraph I tried to create an overall image of Märkli’s
thoughts on materiality through an essay describing my project
visit of Markli’s HOTELFACHSCHULE in Zurich. Important themes
in Markli’s work regarding materials seem to be concerned with

a thematized repetition of the same material throughout the

building in different manners and the

layering; exposing the true nature of the material and how they
are attached. These are all seen in the HOTELFACHSCHULE.

spacial boundaries: the overlap of wall- and floor surface.

I want to end this paragraph with the theme public and private
by have a closer look to the NOVARTIS building.

60
 INTERMEZZO: A SHORT ESSAY ON MARKLI’S
HOTELFACHSCHULE
PROJECT VISIT: The sober geometry of the exterior continues onwards and
HOTELFACHSCHULE ZURICH
manifests itself in the interior. Besides the form work, tiles,
plating and cladding; combinations of squares and rectangles
can be found in small details like armatures, wall-plugs and
pieces of furniture.
Spacious central hallways on the different floors give access to
various class rooms. The concrete structure with all its edges,
ridges and supporting beams is painted white. For mostly
functional and some cases aesthetic purposes this naked concrete
body is covered with materials to define space: chic Red carpet
on the floors, costly black slated hard stone for important walls
and neatly detailed wooden pieces of furniture gives the interior
meaning with a touch of durability and classiness.
61
Hard stone black cladding is not only applied on walls and
columns surrounding the hallway but also on the balusters of
the spacious stairs making them feel as one. Märkli could have
chosen for black plating, paint or stucco however he managed
to use expensive black hard stone tiles with different widths and
patterns which gives the hallway a roughness and distinctiveness
that could otherwise have not been achieved. On other places,
with less importance, the hard stone is only functioning as a
plinth. Not covering the whole wall from top to bottom.
Additionally acoustic plates are mounted on the ceiling and
have a similar roughness and speak the same language: The
language of ‘textured layeredness’ one could say. The floors are
covered with red carpet, that not only works acoustically well
but also adds a soft and comfortable colored layer which is able
to break the white and black of all that is not ‘floor’. The only
curved lines can be seen in pieces of furniture however more
prominent are their exposed layers of wood, which can also be
seen in the timber floors in the basements restaurant.
Märkli seems to be looking to expose materials and their
textures: the hard stone black tiles, de ceiling plates, the timber
floor, the lightning armatures and the pieces of furniture. All of
them expose their origins, their ‘natureness’, their imperfections,
their roughness. By ordering them in the way he does he seems
to expose the ongoing war between architecture and its pursuit
of abstraction and perfection. On the white painted naked
concrete structure he adds a layer of nakedness, of honesty, of
temporality.
Figure 41: Excusion: - Hotelfachschule,
Zurich by Peter Markli
Figure 42: Excursion: Hotelfachschule,
Zurich by Peter Markli, exterior

62
 Spacial boundaries
When it comes to color and material, Märkli does not shy away
from learning from other professions. The overlap of wall and
ceiling or floor and wall mentioned in the essay, Märkli picked
up from Frence artist Henri Matisse:
Figure 43: Painting by Henri Matisse Le
Peintre dans son atelier, 1917
“He applies the color black all over - over the walls,
over the floor, independent of the room construction
- so the colour becomes two-dimensional. This
element of black struck me as so radical. When I
sa it I understood that we are also free to do this
in our profession: we can carry the material over
“One could say that these different surfaces to make a space in which the
the traditional way of ceiling is not only ceiling, the wall is not only a wall,
applying this principle of the floor is not only a floor.”
materiality would be to
conform to the boundaries This technique is applied in the HOTELFACHSCHULE I visited, but
of the space, while the also in the SYNTHESIS building in Solothurn in a more radical
way. One could say that the traditional way of applying this
progressive attitude
principle of materiality would be to conform to the boundaries
would be to dismiss these of the space, while the progressive attitude would be to dismiss
boundaries” these boundaries.

63
Public & Private

Märkli rarely chooses a material for a specific structural reason.

Mostly, materials are chosen with a certain theme in mind;
a concept that is applied throughout the whole building as
written in the HOTELFACHSCHULE essay.

I want to briefly continue on this theme by highlighting

difference in the public and the private zone in Märkli’s NOVARTIS
building in Basel. Here, Märkli gives the office a warm, formal
appearance choosing wood as the main interior material for
the columns and ceilings, while the office floors have a black “Gradually, the visitor is Figure 46: Schemetic images of the
stylobate, the third step of the crepidoma
carpet finish. On the entrance floor however, Markli applies an
guided from the public to where the columns of a greek temple are
expensive marble on the floors and columns. placed upon.
Furthermore, it is interesting that the whole building is slightly the private.”
lifted on a one-step podium of a grey-ish stone. This material
continues underneath the colonnade and changes into the
marble finish when one enters the building. Gradually, the
visitor is guided from the public to the private.

Figure 44: Analysis 20 - Section of Figure 45: Analysis 21 - Section of

Novartis office building. Disfferences in Novartis office building. Difference in
materials applied on ceilig and columns on atrium size entrance floor and office floors
entrance level and offices. (top)

64
The Stylobate

Last, I want to mention the idea of the Greek stylobate that
interest Peter Märkli (Figure 48). Märkli translated the idea of
the Greek temple most clearly in his apartment in his family
house in ERLENBACH (1997) (Figure 47) which is a mixture of
the platform method and the regular wall-method. Thereof he
says the following:
The other application of this concept of the stylobate can be
found in his more recent NOVARTIS building. Here, the expensive
entrance floor is supposed to ‘mentally’ raise the visitor -
according to Märkli - due to its materiality, the white marble.
(Figure 46)

“When you build a house I think that the primary task is to define
a special element in relation to the environment, whether it is in
the city or the landscape. You can do this by building an enclosure
and saying, herein lies the ‘treasure’ the heart of the house. But the
other possibility, perhaps the more refined approach, is to define
the element with platforms.”[1]
1 Brändle, Märkli, Meili, & Mohsen, 2002, p.143
Figure 47: Family house, Erlenbach by Figure 48: Family house, Erlenbach by
Peter Markli (1997). 3D view Peter Markli (1997). Front view

“Märkli translated the idea of the Greek temple

most clearly in his apartment in his family house in
ERLENBACH which is a mixture of the platform method

and the regular wall-method.”

65
Figure 49: Summary 2.5 - Floor, wall, ceiling materials: tradditional (left), Peter Markli’s
synthesis building (middle, left), Peter Markli’s HotelFachschule (middle, right), modern
museum (top,right), modern stripped coffee bar (right, bottom)

66
SUMMARY
• It is important to not only determine the material depending on what is locally available, but also look at what material fits
the surroundings of the building.
• One tends to use separate materials for the floor and walls in a building. It is possible merge these two by overlapping them.
Investigate if this can be useful for your design. Again, balance is key.
• Material is something which is also important in other professions or languages such as painting or interior design. One
should learn from disciplines.
• One should try to achieve an overall unity in the materials and color of the whole building.
• This unity can be achieved by using the same material which different finishes and by making a material and color ‘palette’ so
to speak - as a concept for the whole building.
• Be ‘honest’ in applying the material. Show (to the visitor) how the material is attached to the underlaying surface. In this way
it is clearly readable for the eye and the experience.
• Special elements in the room (e.g. furniture) can stand out by giving them a different material, of course without disrupting
the overall unity.

67
2.5 COLOR
COLOUR APPLIED IN ARCHITECTURAL IS HERE MEANT AS AN
ADDITIONAL LAYER ONTO A CERTAIN BUILDING MATERIAL.

Understanding color
As we know by now, Peter Märkli learns the architectural
language from a variety of sources. With regards to color, he
learns a lot from painters who are - after all - masters when it
comes to working with colour. Märkli thinks architects can (and “Märkli thinks architects
should) learn from them by studying paintings from great artist can (and should) learn
or artist you like. At least try figure out and define why you are
from them by studying
attracted to a certain painting. Compared to these painters, we
often “speak like Barbarians”, Märkli: paintings from great artist
or artist you like. At least
“White, red, blue. That’s nothing. If one doesn’t see try figure out and define
the differences between a cold white and a warm why you are attracted to a
white then we have to talk about this - we have to certain painting.”
engage at this basic level somewhere between fine art
and architectural geometry.”[1]

In this paragraph I will solely discuss the color white and red
since they relate most to Märkli’s work. I will also make some
remarks on colours that are neutral according to Märkli.
In sum, Märkli wants us to be more precise in our use of color
by thinking in color shades and why that type of shade should
be used in a specific situations.
1 Märkli, 2012

68
 INTERMEZZO: THE COLOR WHITE
The color white in the modernist sense has a wide meaning. It
has the purpose of representing health and hygiene[1] and also
traces back to religious architecture where it relates to the idea
that the “purity and simplicity of the color […] pleased God
the most”[2]. Palladio elaborated on this by mentioning that
nothing in the temple “should distract the human spirit in the
beholding of the divine”[3]. The color white does precisely that
by it’s absence or lack of color one could say.

Our person of interest Peter Märkli touches upon the color

white in discussing artist Pierre Bonnard in his interview with
Samuel Penn:

“For instance, here in Switzerland I always need to

use red instead of ochre - ochre is always too weak
for our light. And white, if you know the paintings
of Pierre Bonnard which show these interiors with
women bathing there are infinite sum of whites, and
this is all crucial”[4]

Another example which relates to Märkli’s work is the work of

French artist Paul Cezanne. In his APPLES, he seems to merge
the fore and background by using a restricted palette. How can
architects learn from his?
1 Mostafavi 2002, p. 14
2 Wittkower, 1996, p. 15
3 Wittkower, 1996, p. 31
4 Märkli, 2012

Figure 50: Painting - ‘Nude against the Figure 51: Painting - Apples by Cezanne,
Light’, Pierre Bonnard, 1919-20 c. 1878

69

Figure 52: Analysis 22 - Artistic
impression attempting to show the
merging of foreground and background in
Märkli’s family house in Azmoos (2002)
Approximating nature
Looking at Märkli’s FAMILY HOUSE IN AZMOOS (2002) (figure 52)
or his project in HUNENBERG (1999) we can observe Märkli’s
interest in merging the architectural object with the surrounding
nature. Märkli approximates nature but certainly not copies
it[1]. Instead of a white Corbusierian object in the landscape
revealing its “objective truth in the brightness of daylight”,
Markli’s buildings “work best in a fainther light”[2], Mostafavi
1 Mostafavi, 2002, p. 11
2 Mostafavi, 2002, p. 15
70
mentions in Märkli’s first book Approximations. The building
merges with the background in the sense of color and texture,
initiated by Markli himself by emphasizing these qualities in
his own building. The greyish-green color also responds to the
specific light- and landscape conditions of Switzerland, Märkli
mentions. A similar effect I noticed during my visit to Märkli’s
HOTELFACHSCHULE in Zurich where a similar shade of green/blue
is used for the exterior facade (figure 41).
Neutrality of Gold
Last, I want to discuss Märkli’s NOVARTIS project in Basel. In
this project, Märkli had the opportunity to use more expensive
material. I especially want to elaborate on the choice Märkli
made for the facade material. Märkli faced a small challenge
how to embed his building into the square of the campus:

“On the exterior, the question was ho to build next

to our neighbours on the main square. The Diener
building has a complex multicoloured facade.
The original headquarters building , on the other
hand, is clad in travertine and has a very regular
fenestration. So what do you do? If you built in stone
then Diener is alone. If you make something with
panels the old building is alone.”[1]
?
At the previously discussed projects in HUENENBERG and AZMOOS,
Märkli had the surrounding nature to approximate, but what to
do in this an urban environment? Märkli decided in this case
to be more or less neutral and made something in gold, because
gold, he says “is not a color as such, it is more of a quality, a
metallic sheen that reflects each color in the paintings”[2].
Figure 53: Artistic situation plan of Figure 54: Analysis 23 - Artistic
1 Johnston, 2017, p.73
Novartis campus, Basel impression (collage) attempting to show
2 ibid. the thought process of Märkli’s Novartis
exterior facade in sense of color

71
Figure 55: Summary 2.5 - Summary 2.5 - Materials provide color in Villa Rotanda
by Palladio (left), Märkli’s family house Azmoos 2002 (middle), Märkli’s family
house Azmoos 1982 as a progressive attitude for color (top, right), absence of color in
Corbusier’s villa Savoye

72
SUMMARY
• One should carefully study which material fits the conditions of these surroundings. What specific type of color fits the
specific light conditions of the country?
• Exactly hat shade of red fits these light conditions for example and why?
• Which material or color makes sure the building easily blend in?

• Try to learn from various artists from different professions. Painter know a lot about color for example.
• Try looking at a painting define what you like and why? The art of seeing and describing is underestimated in universities.

• The ‘color’ gold e.g. is more a quality then it is a color. In a way it is a neutral color; in some environments, adding a neutral
material might be a good solution instead of adding color.
• In each design make a colour scheme or collage, involving materials and color you want to use and think fit the surroundings
and or interior. Often, 2 or 3 colours work fine in combination with materials.

73
 2.6 ORNAMENT & DETAIL
This paragraph is concerned with Märkli’s attention to
ornament & detail. More specific, again, to Märkli’s obsession
to continue architectural history in contemporary architecture.
Since I cannot include everything in the short time span, I
decided to focus on the most notable aspects of Märkli’s work
when it comes to ornamentation and decoration; joints and
knots, window ornamentation, ‘base-middle-top’ ornamentation
and the design of water drainage.
Joints and Knots
“Not that long ago, a Not that long ago, a lot of time went into the design of the
lot of time went into the part where the horizontal met the vertical. The outcome of this
became what is now know as the ‘capital’ and the ‘base’; the
design of the part where beginning and end of the vertical. Often these places where
the horizontal met the emphasized with sculptural elements.
vertical. The outcome of
this became what is now With this in mind, I thought it was a good idea to look at Märkli’s
know as the ‘capital’ and SYNTHES building in Solothurn (figure 56). The horizontal and
the ‘base’; the beginning vertical facade elements are cast in concrete. The elements are
designed to interlock: the vertical elements are left ‘open’ in
and end of the vertical” order for the horizontal elements to complete the knot.
The PICASSOPLATZ office building, in contrast, is heavily glazed
and detailed with a net of mullions that go down all the way to
the ground. With the PICASSOHAUS we can note that the knot is
monolithically welded. The vertical element is in front while the
horizontal elements ‘slide’ underneath the knot.
74
Windows
As for the windows (figure 57, 58), Märkli has a tendency to
search for ways in which he can apply subtile ornamentations
which do not take up to much time compared to the rich detail “Using different textures
of the renaissance architecture for example. Using different or finishes on concrete,
textures or finishes on (mostly) concrete, Märkli finds ways Märkli finds ways to
to decorate the area around the window with little effort, yet decorate the area around
resulting in a modern richness. the window with little
effort, yet resulting in a
modern richness.”
Base, Middle, Top
We can observe another attempt of Märkli to continue
architectural history in his project in the APPARTMENTS IN SARGANS
(figure 59,62,63). Here, we should pay special attention to
the materialization of the plinth, hinting at the rustica base of
earlier architectural examples. Similarily, Märkli seems even to
notice the space between the columns and the ballusters where
the base meets tje first columns. Again, Märkli tries to design
with architectural history, finding a creative way to continue
history by rethinking old principles for contemporary use.
An even more subtle variant we notice in the entrance face of
his APARTMENTS IN TRUBBACH (1988) (figure 60,61). Here, the
formwork of the concrete volume is intelligently designed to
give a similar reference to the principle of a base, middle and
top hierarchy in the facade.
Figure 56: Analysis 24 - 3D model of
Synthes facade ‘knot’ - construction detail

Figure 57: Analysis 25 - Window

ornamentation of a selection of Märkli’s
projects: Hotelfachschule (top row, right),
facade renovarion Zurich (middle row,
left), Hotelfachschule (bottom row, left).

Figure 58: Analysis 26 - Palladio’s Palazzo

Porte, Vicenza (top row, left), ancient
roman window design (middle row, left of
two), Palladio window design (middle row,
right of two), Venetian window (bottom
row, right)

75
 Figure 59: Analysis 27 - Ornaments on
facade (left). Palazzo Porte by Palladio
(left), Apartment building in Sargans by
Peter Markli, 1986 (right)

Figure 60: Analysis 27 - Ornaments on

facade: sketch on concrete formwork of
Peter Markli’s entrance facade apartments
Trubbach, 1988 (right)

Figure 62: Photo - Palazzo Porte by Figure 63: Photo - Sargans apartments by
Andrea Palladio Peter Märkli, 1986

Figure 61: Photo - Entrance volume

project Trubbach 1988 by Peter Märkli
(right)

76
 Figure 64: Excursion - Apartments
Gutstrasse, Peter Markli,

77
INTERMEZZO: ALEX HERTER ON PETER
MARKLI
Tim van der Steen (TS): [...] How did Peter Märkli made you see
architecture as an art?

AH: That is difficult to explain. Of course the work of Peter

Markli was already there, but that is his work; as a student that
is unreachable in a way. He had, and still has, a way to talk and
look about things. The first thing I did with him, was to visit
the museum of London on a study trip. You had to apply to join
his class and only a few students could register. Unfortunately
I couldn’t get in that class, but luckily I was able to go on that
trip. So I met him and we talked, and the next semester, I was
able to study in this course. That was already my last semester,
and since he didn’t made diploma’s at the time because he was a
guest lecturer, I made my diploma with another professor who
was also a great architect, but different from Peter Markli.

That is how I met him. He was the only one who was able to
talk about architecture in a much larger context and suddenly
it covered everything for me; from your personal feelings to
painting, to music. It wasn’t just about construction and how
you make things how many other architectural education works
and that was really a revelation for me.

78
INTERMEZZO: ALEX HERTER ON ORNAMENT

BW: Is it normal for you, or even in Switzerland, to make detailed
drawings? In the Netherlands you have offices who make drawings
of where every lamp, every fitting, until the last screw; everything
is detailed. They work with a contractor, you go to the building
site and you watch what the contractor makes and if it is made
according to your drawings. Is that also your working method? Do
you go all the way?
I was able to do was the biggest one and there we were lucky
that we really could make everything, all the details ourselves.
But with Peter Markli, when I worked there, that was often the
discussion, you know. Do they give the plans to […] do they
make it all by themselves. But he always was very much focused
to keep the work in the architects’ hands. And in actually was
always possible for him.

AH: If you can, yes. That is definitely also what I like to do and
what I am interested in otherwise it seems like you don’t do the
whole thing. I think architecture goes all the way. Otherwise,
a project scale 1:100, when you give that to someone, that
can turn into something completely different which you never
intended it to be. Knowing that, yes, certainly, You have to be
aware of all..[those things, details]. But it is not possible in
every project. Each project has different boundaries in a way.
But if the people who give you the assignment, if they like you;
it also has to do with the relationship with the client. How well
is the relationship and how much do they trust the architect or
whatever. But it is the best if you can do everything. And then
you need a good firm on the construction site to make it […].

BW: Ok. I asked this, because I worked at a couple of offices

in theNetherlands and it is often the case that it is hard for the
architect to have control over his work. Companies are looking for
an ‘aesthetic advisor’, instead of an architect. But since most firms
in the Netherlands are desperate for work, the architects agrees. But
they don’t have as much control as they would like to have. So I was
wondering if you have encountered that problem?

AH: Well, personally not so much for my own projects because

I haven’t done really big projects yet. This school building that

79
Figure 65: Sketches: investigative sketches of details designed by Peter Märkli and Rudolf
Olgiati

80
Figure 66: Excursion: Rudolf Olgiati’s
Casa Radulff
Figure 67: Summary 2.6 - Palazzo Porte by Andrea Palladio (left), Projects in Sargans by
Peter Marli (middle), fictional modern building with glass street facade (right)

82
• The integration of art and architecture is a lost art. One should try to incorporate art in the design by carefully place them on
places in/on the building but only if they play an integral part of the design or a part of the design such as a facade.
• The placement of these objects (art, furniture or even vegetation) should be thought of very precise and can, like furniture,
play a role in the balance between order and disorder
• Facade elements such as windows, doors, balconies or roof edges etc. can be emphasized by adding ornamentation onto them.
This ornamentation can be useful to highlight the base, middle or top of a building e.g. and in this way can help make the
building more readable.
•
• Detailing
•
• These ornamentations should not stand on itself. Make sure they are serving the overall design.
• Hoe does or should a window (or door etc.) sit in a wall and why? What are the consequences in the detailing of this window?
• Carefully think of where to place a window or other specific elements in a facade
• Detailing can have an important role on the use of a space. Think of a curtain e.g. or a sliding panel in front of a window.
• As a general rule, a detail should be clear, simple and readable.
• Installation should an integral part of the design.

83
 CONCLUSION
Graduation Motivation There are an endless amount of things I have learned during very illuminating to discover, I think the most important message
How should architects this research, most of them included in this report. I think it of Märkli’s work should be found in the present. While history
is best to let the upcoming graduation design show how I dealt should layout the basis for architects to learn our profession,
learn from the past?
with the gained knowledge and for now to use this concluding
paragraph to focus on the overall research question.
Research Question
What is Peter Märkli’s The Language of Architecture
attitude towards History According to Peter Märkli architecture is a constant conversation
and how did it develop with the past. Märkli seems to believe that architecture can and
should be understood as a ‘language’ which has been developed
over time?
over thousands and thousands of years and that carries within
it a certain timeless element, independent of cultural change.
Märkli often refers to this element of architecture as the
grammar of the architectural language. The concept of ‘being
in conversation with the past’ seems very similar to what Elli
Mosayebi told us in our first interview as part of this research.
As a student of Märkli, Mosayebi mentioned that Aldo Rossi
brought the idea of architecture as a discipline of its own when
teaching at the ETH in Zurich. The idea was ‘autonomous
architecture’:
“[…] of course political, geographical aspect of are important but
it is also important to look at the architecture as a discipline and
how this discipline has its auto referential system so you constantly
refer yourself to older architecture. That was also important
message.”[1]
the other end of the conversation should be occupied with the
contemporary culture we live in now. Designing buildings is
after all building in a given socio-cultural context.
What makes Märkli a remarkable architect in my opinion,
is his sophisticated attempt to merge the knowledge of past
with the present (limitations). This touches the Nietzschian
notion I mentioned at the very beginning of this report, in “What makes Märkli
my graduation motivation. What the German philosopher
a remarkable architect
suggested in a nutshell is that the past should not stand in the
way of ones acting (read: designing) in the present, claiming in my opinion, is his
that we need to have a sophisticated attempt to
merge the past with the
“heartfelt aversion of knowledge that does not inspire [...] of present.”
history as expensive and perfluous knowledge of luxury”[2].
This approach Nietzsche called the creative or monumental
approach, meaning to worship the past, but without preserving
every detail. Therefore, learning from the past should by all
means be from that part of history that inspires the architect in
his creative acting.

It is important to understand that a conversation with history in

Märkli’s case by no means should be interpreted by the idea that
our minds should be fully occupied with the past. Quite the
opposite; although the historical part nested Märkli’s work was

1 Mosayebi, 2016 2 Nietzsche, 2012

84

“The execution of this
method is by far the most
inspiring lesson I learned
from Peter Märkli, a
‘tool’, a ‘way of looking’
at the past which I can
apply to any other historic
examples and therefore
a tool with endless
possibilities during endless
learning experiences.”
“Markli’s work seems to
have an emphasis on the
past at first, but I am of
the opinion that it is in
fact on the present, on the
very act of creating itself;
creating in light of the
past, in conversation with
the past.”
Dealing with History
How exactly architects should use this knowledge for the
present is the question that occupied us and the reason why
I took Peter Märkli as a case study. This balancing between
the past and present and choosing what element of the past is
worth to preserve is by no means easy and demands expertise
and experience. The key to master this process – to make the
past your master and being a good apprentice of it - means, first of
all, to carefully study these historic examples. Next, one should
extract their core principles and distil the why of these principles
with the goal to create a way to (1) incorporate the principle (not
the exact copy) in contemporary architecture or (2) let the past
inspire you to formulate a new principle, based on the historic
example.
The execution of this method is by far the most inspiring lesson
I learned from Peter Märkli; a tool, a way of looking at the past
which I can apply to any other historic examples and therefore
a tool with endless possibilities in endless learning experiences.
In a way, Märkli opened my eyes in how to ‘read’ ancient
architectural examples and gave me examples of how to let the
past inspire you as an architect and to create a personal language
out of it, based on the ‘best of the past’, the monumental. I even
would go so far by thinking that that is the most important
message Märkli tries to tell us; Markli’s work seems to have an
emphasis on the past at first, but I am of the opinion that it is
in fact on the present, on the very act of creating itself; creating in
light of the past, in conversation with the past. Märkli’s work is
the embodiment of the monumental, full of reference to other
time periods but at the same time representing the present.
Märkli showed me how to learn from the past in a creative way,
adjusting the past and extend it to the present, while similarly
85
updating it to the current state of architecture, culture and most
important of all to my own language.
Creating my own language for the design in Mendrisio
As we have seen, it took an established architect as Peter “Thus, by studying the
Märkli years to master this advanced technique of designing grammar of architecture
in collaboration with the past and Märkli certainly does not
hide the fact that he was still searching for his own personal
through the past, the
language in his first projects in Azmoos/Trubbach or his duplex architect’s goal should
house in Vels for example. Herein lays an important message always be to transform
for the upcoming second part of this report: the design of a that knowledge into
architecture university building in Mendrisio, Switzerland. something new, something
adapted to the current
Namely, I noticed that Märkli’s term language does not only
apply to the language of architecture itself but also to the
culture and its future,
development of Märkli’s own language as an architect. Thus, making that knowledge
by studying the grammar of architecture through the past, the your own”
architect’s goal should always be to transform that knowledge
into something new, something adapted to the current culture
and its future, making that knowledge your own. With this
solid historical foundation, an architect only needs a few last
ingredients in addition to create his own language.
First, Märkli mentions that in order to create a personal language “That completes the
we first of all need to maintain our individuality and embrace
our personal background, use that uniqueness to develop our
conversation: learn from
personal expression. Secondly, an architect needs an vision of the past, use it for the
the future. That completes the conversation: learn from the now, with an idea for the
past, use it for the now, with an idea for the future. What do you future”
think the future should look like as an architect? This opens the
perspective of the political and cultural aspects of the architect
and highlights the responsibility we have in society, but we leave
that aside for now.
Do architects have to refer to the past? that type of architecture would indeed vanish over time, but
I want to end this research with the question of the necessity during that time, people could certainly enjoy it, no doubt.
of the past. Do we need the past as architects or can we design The difference with fashionable clothing however, is that
without it? Do architects even have to refer to the past or can buildings don’t change every season and they can’t wear a new
they also (only) represent the time we live in now? jacket every summer. So if we agree on making architecture
If it is up to Peter Märkli, the past definitely should form the subject to fashion, let’s at least make sure the trend lasts a period
basis of contemporary design. He would also agree on the of 50 years or so. After that, another fashionable building can
position that architects should represent the time we live in walk over the architectural catwalk if you ask me.
now in their buildings. However, the point Märkli makes is
that contemporary architecture should not completely detach Last, with our contemporary concerns regarding sustainability,
itself from the past and still conform to the grammatical part of we rightfully should be critical and ask whether we can really
this visual language. We can easily represent the present Märkli afford to build fashionable buildings; to build or make things
would say, just based on our knowledge of the past. that do not last for a long time, especially buildings. In light
I tend to agree with Märkli here and the best argument for it of this view, Peter Märkli’s method - to carefully try to expand
seems to be that while time and culture changes, human nature and continue on architectural history and avoiding to build
did not. And if it did, it did so in a very marginal way over something we don’t like anymore in ten years - is a sustainable
millions of years. Therefore it seems perfectly plausible that there one. An critical attitude to learn from the past, creatively
is such a thing as a universal or shared architectural grammar converting it for the now; with an eye on the future.
exists where architects just should not defer from completely.
The rest of the architectural language (the part that does change
with culture) might change over time, but (our response or
perception to) the grammar stays the same.
Tim van der Steen,
But then, what is wrong with architecture that is not embedded may 2019
in the past? With architecture that does not incorporates past
architectural principles in its design? Let’s assume that it is even
possible to (in theory) completely detach oneself from the past
as an architect; what would be wrong with that?
Maybe there is nothing wrong with it at all as long as if you
accept that, in that case, architecture would be regarded as
fashion and we know from Märkli that “in time, nobody is
interested in that”. And he might be right. Maybe over time,

86
87
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Boret, M. (2014). Judging Architecture: On the Role of Beauty in Describing & Representing Nietzsche, F. (Friedrich W., & Historische Uitgeverij (Groningen). Vertalerscollectief. (2006).
Architecture. Gent. Over nut en nadeel van geschiedenis voor het leven : tweede traktaat tegen de keer.

Bouwhuis, R., van der Steen, T., Claus, N., Cucu, S., Cui, J., van Ginkel, R., & Gołuszka, K.
(2015). Masterly Apprenticeship. Eindhoven: University of Technology Eindhoven.
Bürkle, J. C. (2011). Peter Märkli: History, Typology, Invention. In Architecture dialogues :
positions, concepts, visions (pp. 256–275). Retrieved from http://www.niggli.ch/en_ch/
architecture-dialogues.html
Riederer, U. (2004). Rudolf Olgiati : Bauen mit den Sinnen. HTW Chur.
Schevers, J. (2012). Peter Märkli on Education Research and Practice in Architecture (H.
Herrenberg, Trans.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdcU8ZGKZkk
van der Steen, T. (2019). Interview with Alex Herter. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.

Galilee, B. (2008). Interview with Zurich-based architect Peter Märkli - Icon Magazine. ICON
Eye, 059(May). Retrieved from https://www.iconeye.com/component/k2/item/3453-peter-
maerkli
Märkli, P. (n.d.). Proportion: Vortrag von Peter Märkli, Bildmaterial (FS11).
Märkli, P. (2019). Peter Märkli, “My Profession, The Art of Building” - YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsWDjicc-K4
van der Steen, T. (2019). Interview with Elli Mosayebi. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven.
Wittkower, R. (1996). Grondslagen van de architectuur in het tijdperk van het humanisme (K.
van Dooren, Trans.). Boom Uitgevers Den Haag.
Woodman, E. (2007). Beyond Babel: the work of Swiss architect Peter Märkli. BD Online.
Retrieved from https://www.bdonline.co.uk/buildings/beyond-babel-the-work-of-swiss-
architect-peter-märkli/3092111.article

Märkli, P. (2014). BETTS PROJECT. Retrieved from https://www.bettsproject.com/peter-mrkli

Märkli, P. (2012). Biennale Architettura 2012 - Peter Märkli - Steve Roth. Retrieved from https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoBIkVKllLY

Märkli, P. (2012). Peter Märkli. Retrieved May 5, 2019, from https://aefoundation.co.uk/

architecture-and-education-peter-markli/

Märkli, P. (2007). Video Markli. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvzX8498xp8

Märkli, P. (2002). Peter Märkli - Small Houses in Concrete. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Y_75iz2BAYk&t=3s

Märkli, P., & Johnston, P. (n.d.). Everything one invents is true : the architecture of Peter Märkli.

Mosayebi, E., & Edelaar, R. (2005). Robuste Schönheit: Uber Peter Märkli’s Architektur.
Retrieved May 5, 2019, from Zürichsee-Zeitung website: http://www.emi-architekten.ch/
publikation/robuste-schoenheit/
LIST OF FIGURES

THE IMAGE BELOW CONTAIN COPYRIGHT BY THIIRD

PARTIES, ALL OTHER CONTENT IS OWNED BY THE
AUTHOR

1. Photo - Interior by Aldo van Eyck ©Strauven, ‘87 4

2. Photo - Exterior by Aldo van Eyck ©Strauven, ‘87 4
3. Sketch - Sketch by Leon Krier © Leon Krier, Choice of Fate, 2008 5

5. Photo - Portrait of Peter Märkli ©ArchiTravel 12

6. Photo - Portrait of Rudolf Olgiati ©Archiweb.cz 15

8. Photo - Portrait of Hans Josephson ©Hauser & Wirth 17

9. Sketch - Investigating sketches by Peter Märkli ©BettsProjects 18
10. Photo - Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare ©gagan chhabra via Pinterest 23
11. Photo - Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare ©aiddavtaa.it 23
12. Photo - Project in Pontresina by Alex Herter ©Alex Herter 23
13. Photo - Project in Pontresina by Alex Herter ©Alex Herter 23
29. Photo - Winery Cave Bec by Peter Märkli © Finbec.ch 45

43. Image - by Henri Matisse Le Peintre dans son atelier, 1917 © Centre Pompidou 63
50. Image - ‘Nude against the Light’, Pierre Bonnard, 1919-20 © AlPainter.com 69
51. Image - Apples by Cezanne, c. 1878 © 1st-art-gallery.com 69
59. Photo - Palazzo Porte by Andrea Palladio © chestofbooks.com 76
60. Photo - Sargans apartments by Peter Märkli, 1986 © Stefan W, architects archive 76
63. Photo - Trubbach 1988 by Peter Märkli © archipicture.eu 76
APPENDIX I
A1: GRADUATION STUDIO BRIEF
How do you learn from a role model? Why are some people
better at learning than others? How can you in fact tell that
someone has learnt something valuable? What makes a good
teacher? These are very generic questions, far too broad to deal
with within the scope of this graduation studio. However by
limiting ourselves to the phenomenon of Swiss architecture and
the peculiar educational structure it is a product of, we might
get some valuable answers to at least some of these questions
and learn something useful about architecture in the process.
This Studio investigates the idea of ‘learning from’ by learning
from Swiss Architecture and Education.
Swiss Architecture
Throughout the world, contemporary architecture in
Switzerland is held in high regard. People in the know, praise its
focus on tradition, culture and materiality. Whether this high
level of architectural achievement can be wholly attributed to
the country’s educational institutions remains to be seen, but
there seems to be something special about these prestigious
Swiss schools of architecture.
Much more than in other countries, the education of architects
in Switzerland is shaped by a small number of highly influential
teachers.1 These architects, teaching at ETH, Mendrisio and
Lausanne, have often form a school within a school, spreading
their ideologies amongst younger generations and thereby
greatly influencing Swiss architectural discourse.
Typically, these individual architects are brought into the
educational system having accomplished careers as practicing
architects. In a way reminiscent of the medieval master-
apprentice system, they have set up self-sufficient studios within
the school.
In this way coherent strands of thought can be discerned
reaching back to Aldo Rossi, Fabio Reinhart, Bruno Reichlin,
Luigi Snozzi and Miroslav Šik. The Analoge Architektur studios
of Miroslav Šik, for example, have directly formed the ideas
and theories of most well-known contemporary Swiss architects
such as Valerio Olgiati, Andrea Deplazes and Christian Kerez.
This clear genealogy of great architectural minds might be one
of the reasons why Swiss architecture has evolved into such
a coherent whole, a style perhaps, exploring ideas of realism
context and cultural history.
The Master-Apprentice system
In this studio we will explore the impact of the Master-
Apprentice system on contemporary Swiss architecture.
Researching different case studies we will trace the influence of
the individual masters of architecture in Switzerland.
Literature studies together with an architectural analysis
through scale models and in-depth interviews with the
architects involved, will result in a joint book and exhibition
at the end of the M3 phase of the project. Field research is a
vital part of this project. Therefore a two week study trip to
Switzerland will form part of this studio. During this trip you
will visit the Mendrisio Academy of Architecture and talk to
several architects and teachers familiar with the subject matter.
Franz Fallavollita, practicing architect and teacher at
Mendrisio, is involved in this studio as a visiting critic.
1 Forms of Practice, Irina Davidovici, gta Verlag, 2012
During the M4 phase of the project, you will enter into a
systematic negotiation with the teachings and ideologies of the
Swiss master-architects studied during the M3 phase. Working
91
within this newly adopted set of rules, you will each design a
new faculty building for the school of architecture at Mendrisio.
During the project research and design will be of equal
importance from the beginning to end. Both parts of the
academic process will interact and influence each other.
Design
At the Preliminary Colloquium, at the end of your M3, you will
present the design strategy as formulated by the master architect
of your choice.
At the second presentation (The mid-term Colloquium) you
will present
a finished sketch design as well as a reflection on your role as
apprentice.
At your Final Colloquium the research will be presented
together with your design. There we will look for and judge
your project on the basis of the following criteria:
• Your ability to analyze the assignment and your role as
apprentice
• The conceptual force of your response
• The spatial and contextual quality of the design
• The tectonic quality of the design
• The way you have responded to the demands of the studio and
your project
• The account you give of all this in the form of written work,
models and drawings
Research
The research part will be made up of at least three elements: Results
As a group:
• Overarching theme: Modelling the idea of a Master- A book about Masterly ApprenticeshipAn exhibition about the
Apprentice relationship: what makes a good same theme
apprentice and what makes a good teacher?
• Primary theme: Making Sense and exploring the meaning: An Individually:
analysis of the vision of your chosen Essay as part of the book and exhibition panels
master-architect. The goal will be to familiarize yourself with Detailed building design: embodying your internalized vision
the network of concepts developed and used of the master-architect
by that person and explain their meaning using both words and
images.
• Secondary theme: The formal analysis of the chosen location,
program and approach
• Synthesis: A reflective account of your own design design and
a justification of your design decisions as
well as a reflection upon the interaction of the design and the
theoretical research.

Planning
September 2015 Start project
November 2015 Studytrip to Switzerland
December 2015 BC: Strategy: what will your result be, how
will you achieve this?
March 2016 Intermediary Colloquium: Preliminary
design and finalized structure for research
June 2016 Greenlight: design is finished, drawings are
largely finished, research is finished, model
is largely finished, presentation needs still to
be done
July 2016 Final Colloquium

92
 Image
Several Swiss known architects. Image
taken from introduction presentation
by supervisor
©Jan Schevers

93
A2: LEARNING THROUGH MODEL
MAKING
Colored panels, a concrete wall, a linoleum floor and large
windows combined with 6 design lamps. But what do we see if we
let our eyes dance along these surfaces?

Then, panels start to align with the columns and their sports
colours are extending the wall and ceiling, reflecting in the floor’s
surface. There, it merges with the sunlight which penetrates
through the wooden grand stand, creating a pattern which
magically holds hands with the ceiling.

Continuing our dance, the wall is divided in vertical lanes, where

dots are orderly waltzing. Added domotica (ventilation, electricity,
detector) follow the geometric rhythm of the room. Window frames
are happily standing in the shadow of the concrete structure,
maximizing the amount of light, making sure the colours keep on
dancing with our eyes in the concrete disco.

To introduce the graduation studio to the topic of ‘learning

from’, our first graduation assignment was to learn through
photography. By carefully studying a photograph of an interior
of an architect of choice, the goal was to recreate that exact
image.

At first instance, one could say “well, isn’t that just copying the
work of others?” Yes it is. But that does not mean that one cannot
learn anything through copying, right? In order to recreate the
space, the student had to examine the room intensively, inspect
every line, every material, the sunlight, electricity. How does to
room work? What are its qualities? What makes the shadow?
How did the architect make it? and most importantly, why did
the architect detail it like this?

94
95
 A3: INTERVIEW 1  ELLI MOSAYEBI
Interview by Tim van der Steen, Michał Załuski and Katarzyna
Gołuszka

January 11th , 2016, Zurich (CH)

EMI Architekten

96
 Elli Masayebi (EM): My generation of architects is very particular
maybe because we are very somehow much influenced by
people like Peter Zumthor, Peter Markli and Pierre de Meuron.
“We are the kind of This previous generation was extremely important because they
architects that inherited restarted the architecture after Aldo Rossi. Secondly, they also
that what they [the criticised a lot what was taught when they were students. For
generation of Peter example, Marcel Meili is very important in this situation, as was
Miroslav Sik. We are the kind of architects that inherited that
Märkli, Miroslav Sik,
what they developed a lot; we didn’t have to kill our fathers as
Marcel Meili red.] they had to. That is somehow the big difference between their
developed a lot; we generation and ours. We had somehow the advantage that we
didn’t have to kill our could build on what they were teaching.
fathers as they had to.
That is somehow the big That was one point, another is that architects 10 years older then
I am, when they graduated it was almost impossible for them
difference between their
to find jobs. It was very hard situation. When I was starting
generation and ours. with architecture, everyone told me: don’t do that. But when I
We had somehow the graduated the situation completely changed and we were in the
advantage that we could kind of super luxury situation when we could afford starting
our office, that was very important that it happened at this
build on what they were
particular moment. I just want to give you the whole picture
teaching.”
because the situation now is a result of many different layers.
Of course we are influenced by Analoge Architecture, by Peter
Markli, nevertheless I cannot be that precise that they taught
us this and that and that was important, I can just give you
an overview. Context was always very important, what is the
context giving you as an architect, what you want to do with the
context, is it a strong one or a weak one, how have you analysed
the context. And then of course all those instruments that they
have been taught by Rossi became important. Plus, we didn’t
know that those were the instrument from Italian rationalism.
So the influence of Aldo Rossi was somehow brought to us
97
through them.
Tim van der Steen: Have you been aware of this at that time?
EM: No, no one was actually. Of course in the lectures they
mentioned Corbusier and Rossi, but as a student you just start
and you don’t know exactly, but i the retrospective I can observe
it in a different way. The generation is kind of famous, when
Aldo Rossi was brought to ETH by Fabio Reinhardt, that was
in the late 60’s, they invited him as a professor that has actually
built something. Which is in retrospective also a little bit
ridiculous because Rossi had built by then Gallaratese Quarter
and he wasn’t kind of an architect who really built a lot.
Afterwards he did much more but a this point he was also the
architect who has written very important book, The Architecture
of the City so he was this figure and he was invited to the ETH
because he lost his job in Milano because he was too political.
Its is also weird and its the irony of the history that he then got
“The story goes that Aldo
this job at ETH as a visiting professor because people expected
him to teach students how to build. An how to design and draw Rossi gave the “pencil
floorplans. The story goes that Aldo Rossi gave the “pencil back back to the architects”,
to the architects”, because before architects were only discussing because before architects
about sociological and political issues and they were writing were only discussing
instead of drawing. Aldo Rossi was the guy who brought the about sociological and
pencil back to the architect even though he was a theoretician.
political issues and they
He taught at the ETH two times as a visiting professor. Once in were writing instead of
‘69 and another time ‘72, ‘73. And what is also very important drawing. Aldo Rossi was
that Fabio Reinhardt and Bruno Reichlin brought him to the guy who brought
Switzerland with a short exhibition which took place here in the pencil back to the
Zurich. And throught that he was introduced in Switzerland. architect even though he
It is also very important that Rossi didn’t speak very well
was a theoretician.”
 German of course, he was an Italian and he could read it but
not speak it. And then there was a figure like Fabio Reinhardt
and Bruno Reichlin who studied at ETH who knew very well
German as well as Italian because they are from Ticino. They not
only worked as an inviter of the figure but also as an interpreter
which really worked great: Rossi was writing his lectures,
taking notes in Italian, then the notes were brought together by
“So if you ask former Bruno Reichlin, then the real interpreter which was Heinrich
students like Sik and Helfenstein who became afterwards a famous photographer, he
Meili they would say actually translated it into German and then he read it, or Aldo
Rossi read it for the students. The whole translation process is
that Rossi didn’t say a also important to know what actually happened there. Who
lot. There was his kind
really is the author of what Rossi says? In this circumstances
of presence which was
becomes a little bit blurry. Therefore if you know this figures
important, his charisma. as Reinhardt or Reinchlin who are really strong personalities
It was not so much themselves you can really imagine that they also contributed a
about the rationality in lot.. So if you ask former students like Sik and Meili they would
architecture but it was a
say that Rossi didn’t say a lot. There was his kind of presence
which was important, his charisma. It was not so much about
lot about atmospheres in the rationality in architecture but it was a lot about atmospheres
architecture.”
in architecture.
He had one student that he like very much, he is not very
famous now, I forgot his name but he was very well known for
his pathetic drawing of atmospheres they were not a all rational.
And then you know that Fabio Reinhardt with Miroslav Sik they
invented this Analog Architecture which was all about kind of
atmospheric architecture and bringing together different layers
of memory a kind of a new but yet also popular architecture.
Bringing those different aspects of normality into new but not
really new image. They were very much influenced by Aldo
Rossi’s approach but not so much about the architecture of the
98
city. Maybe in the second book of Rossi, his autobiography
there is more about atmosphere. I think this second book is
much more clearing for what they did and how they understood
it and transformed it to the Analog Architecture. It is something
of its own, it has relations to Rossi.
Rossi left and then 10 years later the other generations like
Andre Deplazes, Quintus Miller, Olgiati, the son of Rudolf,
then they were students of Fabio Reinhard and Miroslav Sik.
So then did this extremely important drawing with wax and
chock and what is important is that you have this perspective
on this particular hick paper and then you colour everything in
“And then of course what
black and then you see a kind of textile and take away the black
is also very important is
and then it becomes very grey and dark. And the dark and grey
is all about atmospheric architecture, heaviness of architecture. what Rossi brought is the
This was one of the important messages because they wanted idea of architecture as a
to. It was all about feeling and memory and how to develop discipline of its own. This
architecture with a language that is understood not by one Autonomous Architecture.
or two people but by many people. But of course it was very So there is a history of
analogistic. They wanted to teach as many people as possible
architecture that refers
in their rhetorics but at the end it is also very closed approach.
only to itself. Of course
And then of course what is also very important is what Rossi political, geographical
brought is the idea of architecture as a discipline of its own. This aspect of are important
Autonomous Architecture. So there is a history of architecture but it is also important
that refers only to itself. Of course political, geographical to look at the architecture
aspect of are important but it is also important to look at the
as a discipline and how
architecture as a discipline and how this discipline has its auto
referential system so you constantly refer yourself to older this discipline has its auto
architecture. That was also an important message. This attention referential system so you
to history was very important, starting with Rossi and later on constantly refer yourself to
with Analog Architecture. That is also what we have learned older architecture.”
 “That is also what
we have learned this
attention to history, and
that history is very broad
and we are able to look at
history as a kind of space
but also kind of a layout
of different possibilities
for architects. And history
from our perspective is a
horizontal.”
“And what also played a
role in our understanding
was the context. Context
and concepts are not
overlapping: concept tries
to be very formal, clear
and abstract, context is
always dirty and never
ideal. You always have
to put you concept in
this place where nothing
matches and modify it so
it becomes a project.”
this attention to history, and that history is very broad and we
are able to look at history as a kind of space but also kind of a
layout of different possibilities for architects. And history from
our perspective is a horizontal.
So when we started studying, it was actually first year of Andrea
Deplazes who was one of this famous students of Analog
Architecture movement, and of course not so clear about the
references. Andrea was very much interested in the questions
of concepts and context, but he always look much more on the
idea of concepts. As you see this is not influenced by Analog
Architecture at all I would say, but that’s maybe also the thing
which was important in 90’s when we were starting. Finding
a simple concept that solves everything. That was the case of
Swiss architecture in the nineties, for example Gigon Guyer,
Olgiati and Kerez, all they started for this and this was always
like so. Also Peter Zumthor in Vals. Somehow if you look at the
projects in 1 to 200 scale they are very simple spatial concepts
but very strong and then they get enriched by different layers
of materiality and so on. I cant track that back to Analog
Architecture, I don’t know where this comes from. But also the
materiality and construction also played a role.
And what also played a role in our understanding was the
context. Context and concepts are not overlapping: concept
tries to be very formal, clear and abstract, context is always dirty
and never ideal. You always have to put you concept in this place
where nothing matches and modify it so it becomes a project.
Going back to the question where this strong idea of concept
comes from maybe look at this idea of rational architecture, the
typology and the idea of type as a clear idea of project. Palladio
villa is a type, you have this 9 spaces in a symmetrical way. This
99
idea of concepts has something to do with that.
Next to the concept is the idea how to deal with the context,
because you are very rarely in the situation where context is
clear. Very often you are in situations where you don’t have
anything, a periphery situation with few trees and you suffer
as an architect because you don’t know where you can get you
images and your references from.
At the ETH it is still like that, you choose with whom you
would like to study. The first year it was clear, we had Andre
Deplazes and Marc Angélil, and in the second year we could
choose. A visiting proffer at that time was then Christoph
Luchsinger only for a year, who was very much kind of the
same generation as Meili, I think he also had studied Rossi.
He was interested in urban questions and he studied context. “In this semesters the
Then we had the traineeship and I was in the office of Barth studios were like you
and Deplazes and then I came back and I was studying with really follow his masters.
Herzog de Meuron, Peter Markli and Dominique Perrault. In You enter the world of
this semesters the studios were like you really follow his masters.
your master and find out
You enter the world of your master and find out how would he
how would he design his
design his things. It was very close but not so close at Kolhoff
at the same time here. It was my decision to go to teachers who things.”
have a certain kind of openness to you. And Kolhoff was very
famous at my time at least that he really want what he wants
and that is closed. It is not entirely true in retrospective but in
my perspective as a student I felt that way.
For example Peter Markli who was later not like that anymore,
it was his first year as a professor there, so it was very interesting
and opened. He didn’t know what he want so he of was curious
to see how do you develop things. And of course he is a guy who
is extremely charismatic and he puts his students in hypnosis. He
 “And of course he [Peter already had it at the beginning later on it even became stronger.
Märkli, red.] is a guy who The topics were already clear, there were topics of facade, the
floor-plan as a layer which is extremely important. What we
is extremely charismatic
do in the office with the beauty of the floor plan is influenced
and he puts his students by Peter Markli. These teaching they were really present, also
in hypnosis. He already Jacque Herzog and Pierre de Meuron they really came weekly
had it at the beginning to the studio. You wouldn’t talk to them really weekly but they
later on it even became were around so they were walking between the students and
stronger. The topics were looking at plans if you wanted to.
already clear, there were
Michał Załuski (MZ): What we have heard is that now for instance
topics of facade, the floor- Herzog and de Meuron are not so present in the studios?
plan as a layer which
is extremely important. EM: They lost their enthusiasm and they got old, that’s the
What we do in the office problem. Thats true. I’m not a professor at ETH, I’m teaching
with the beauty of the in Darmstadt south of Frankfurt since 3 years now. An of
course when I was thinking about myself as a teacher I could
floor plan is influenced
not think differently then of people like Peter Märkli who were
by Peter Markli. These really there in the studio. All of the things I remember from my
teachings they were really studies, were when teachers or professors were sitting next to me
present [...]” and showing me something. Making a sketch how they would
design for example a bathroom. Of course its very simple but
you will never forget that, that’s true. Or how would you design
on a facade, which proportions and so on. They hardly ever gave
lectures, they don’t give lectures. Peter Markli has maybe one of
two lectures and he repeats them every year, but what they do is
that they sit next to you and design with you.
TVDS: Could you remember what did you learn from those projects
from Markli?
EM: Yes it was very much about facade, about certain materials
100
he prefers. Also the beauty of the floor plan. But it was very “[With Märkli, red.]
sort of banal in a certain way. It was not about lets the view it was very much about
of architecture into your floor plan but about what solution
facade, about certain
would be good. Sometimes the answer was very pragmatic and
sometimes we came with something which was very surprising. materials he prefers. Also
But it was very open and it was a dialogue and as a student you the beauty of the floor
appreciate it very much. plan. [...] it was very open
and it was a dialogue
So as a professor I could not think differently as a teacher. Also and as a student you
to sit next to students and discuss with them their projects
appreciate it very much.”
because in this way I have to admit I see much more then when
they do this pin ups and we have to talk with a certain distance
from each other, everybody is listening. And its this kind of
master studio and I am this present professor and I really think
that I learn a lot and the students learn a lot. Of course there are
students who don’t like that and they don’t take the studio, for
me its absolutely alright. Since in Germany there is not so much
“in Germany, there is
this culture of this master apprentice system so it is strange that
the professor is so present. So for example when I realised that not so much this culture
half of the students didn’t show up I thought it cant be this way, of this master apprentice
so I introduced to them kind of workshop to make sure that system so it is strange that
they come. I was not the first swiss in Darmstadt, there were
the professor is so present”
already [no clear audio 30:25, red.] and they started with this.
The teaching is very much depended on the professor, on the
presence and on the materials you bring, I could to it differently.
Of course the students are maybe similar to employees in a
certain way, because I sometimes even develop the first idea
but then I give it to the student and then they work on their
own and come back and discuss it. Also for me it gets more
interesting. Also as a professor you are some how limited, its not
that everything interests me I have to admit that. I cannot talk
about everything and I am not willing to develop everything. I
 think that the students that want to study with me they have to
be open for a dialogue but then they really get a lot, because we
are always there and we are extremely interested in the quality
of the project.
We have 3 office partners, Ron, Christian and me. Christian is
teaching this semester in EPFL in Lausanne and he is a visiting
professor for one year, just finished his first semester and next
February he is going to start another. He was there for the final
“It is about going together reviews for the first semester and it was very interesting for me
for the project, it a kind to see him being present in the project of students as you would
of a quality you want see me an the project of my students and I enjoyed it very much.
He also had this kind of master system that he was extremely
to reach in the project
present developing project with the students. It is about going
with the student, its only
together for the project, it a kind of a quality you want to reach
possible though a kind of in the project with the student, its only possible though a kind
intimate dialogue.” of intimate dialogue.
MZ: What is the main focus of your university studio?
EM: Its a studio for housing. because in the office we started
right after the diploma. Ron and I were for 9 months in the
office of Peter Markli and Christian was in the office for the
same time of Meili Peter. Then we decided very quickly after
the diploma to have an atelier with a studio and we started with
really small projects. For 4 year we did a lot of competitions. It
is also very good in Switzerland because as a young office you
are still invited to competitions. You don’t need like in Germany
to work in an office for 3 year in order to became an architect.
There are open competitions with are opened for everyone, it’s
very hard to win one, in our case it took us 4 years, but once
you won one you are invited to invited competitions with only
101
10 other competitors competing with you. You have to push for
this first step but once you have done this its easier. We still do
a lot of competitions its about 10 a year, its producing a lot of
work which is also good but very demanding.
In Zurich particularly there is a big demand for housing because
the city has grown in last 10 year a lot and what is also very “As a part of cooperative
interesting in Zurich that there is a big number of cooperatives you are the owner of you
here. They are very much interested in high quality apartments apartments. These people
for themselves. Its not subsidised housing, its not for poor its build for themselves. Its a
for the middle class but its for the rent that only covers the very good system because
living costs. As a part of cooperative you are the owner of you
apartments. These people build for themselves. Its a very good
they are interested in
high quality architecture
system because they are interested in high quality architecture
that is for themselves and
that is for themselves and they are not going to sell it, that’s why
they are interested in a kind of sustainable architecture. Not they are not going to sell
only in the energetic way but also in the aesthetic way. it, that’s why they are
interested in a kind of
So we did competitions and we wont for cooperatives. I can
show you some projects. And then we did also competitions
sustainable architecture.
for different programs. Right after diploma we decided to have Not only in the energetic
our own office and we had to guarantee our income somehow way but also in the
and Christian became assistant in Studio Basel with Roger aesthetic way.”
Diener and Marcel Meili and I become assistant with the chair
of Ákos Moravánszky at the Institute of History and Theory of
Architecture at ETH and that’s how we supported our expenses.
And we started and I have decided to do a Phd and it took me a
while but I have finished. I can show you what we did.
**ELLI MOSEYEBI SHOWS THE PROJECT BOOK**
EM: Yes. This is a housing competition on a very early stage.
We did the competition in 2005 after the diploma in 2004. We
were dreaming about the houses in a star form, very interested
in this particular geometry and form and we won a small price
for this.
TVDS: I remember you saying before about the beauty of the floor
plan and that you office is working with it.
EM: Yes, that is the start of this investigation. The form and the
beauty and the quality of the floorplan as a image sometimes.
But of course its all about spaces. We were interested in
apartments that are not in just one angle of the star, that would
be very boring. So we had to split home differently. That was the
kind of a challenge not to heave an easy floor plan.
**ELLI MOSEYEBI SHOWS THE PROJECT HOUSE
GARDNER**
That was our first commission for a friend who is a gardener, he
had a small plot in the country side. As a gardner he also wanted
to have an office there. We like this normality. Of course it is
influenced by the case study houses with steel frames. We didn’t
want to colour the steel elements in red and black to make a
point, we like the idea of colouring everything inside in shades
of grey and white. This brings all the different materials close
together and form a kind of a plasticity. What we also liked
very much is that door go directly under the frame and they
are angled. We also like the heating in front of the window, the
heating corpus is ready made and comes and a object to the
102
house. Its very corporal and reminds you of doors.
The enfilade is very much bourgeoise, it comes from the 18th, The enfilade is very much
19th century where you can put several rooms into a series and bourgeoise, it comes from
connect them with doors. This comes from bourgeoise housing.
You have different spaces particularly designed but you can open
the 18th, 19th century
the doors and jump from one to another. And Le Corbusier is where you can put several
very much into bourgeoise but he always takes the topic and rooms into a series and
transforms it and if you look at the Petit Maison he had done connect them with doors.
at the Lake of Geneva, its very beautiful there he also comes up [...] Le Corbusier is very
with this idea of en enfilade but next to the facade. This idea much into bourgeoise but
is totally then taken over by Rogen Diener, Peter Markli, and
everybody does it and we did it too. There is also an aspect of
he always takes the topic
play in our works. Because of the pithed room the space are quite and transforms it and
high in the gardener house. And because of had a lot of space in if you look at the Petit
the height we thought it would be nice to invent something like Maison he had done at
that, which is a lamp but can be used for hanging clothes. We the Lake of Geneva, its
like this idea of what we call Anekdotischer Funktionalismus, very beautiful. There he
so Anecdotical Functionalism and its not pure functionalism
but you remember it as a kind of anecdote of usage. This kind
also comes up with this
of crossing of functions we are interested in. We did it also in idea of en enfilade but
another project, Avellana. next to the facade.”

“So you enter from a
staircase, and then the
space becomes more
narrow and then it opens
itself, again narrow and
opens itself and at the end
there is the fireplace, the
pass ends. This is a kind of
architectural promenade.”
**SHOWING THE PROJECT AVELLANA ~49:00**
In our architecture we love to play with doors. In the bourgeoise
understanding of the door you would place the doors in the
centre and there is only one direction they can open. But since
this is not about bourgeoise you can open the doors however
you want and this is this kind of play. So you can decide as
a dweller which space is more important. The seminar about
mimesis we did, it was much more about art. It was not so much
about the working with references. Ákos interestingly now did
a masters projects in architecture which tackled this subject but
I wasn’t part of it.
**SHOWING THE PROJECT IN HOTTINGEN ~56:00**
TVDS: Do you start every project with this kinds of references?
EM: Yes, very much. But as you can see its not only about
project but it can be also very abstract. So you enter from a
staircase, and then the space becomes more narrow and then it
opens itself, again narrow and opens itself and at the end there
is the fireplace, the pass ends. This is a kind of architectural
promenade. At the end of the pass there is always the fire place.
A nice thing is the loggia which is always in relation to the
kitchen and to the living room.
Katarzyna Gołuszka: Do you take pictures of your buildings after
you arrange the furniture by yourself?
EM: Yes, those are our furniture, from our apartments. You cant
take the picture after someone moves in.. Furniture helps to
give the scale, that why we use it. Its about giving the scale.
103
TVDS: You rarely can see people on the pictures. “[...]we are very much
interested in cities in a
EM: Because its about the space that you have created.
kind of a of second row,
MZ: Is the focus on housing of your studio in Darmstadt is based not the metropolis like
on your personal interest? Paris or London but
places like Brussels, Oslo,
There was a chair vacant for housing, and in Germany they have Zagreb, Porto, Athen,
particular chairs for housing design. I was asked to apply it, for Lion, because we say
me it was a lucky situation. I didn’t think to became teacher that
that they developed their
early. For me, I always go different european cities, that is how I
set up my programme by now, and we are very much interested debates in echoes of the
in cities in a kind of a of second row, not the metropolis like international debates and
Paris or London but places like Brussels, Oslo, Zagreb, Porto, therefore they are much
Athen, Lion, because we say that they developed their debates in more pragmatic and much
echoes of the international debates and therefore they are much more contextual.”
more pragmatic and much more contextual. And we think that
maybe in this contextualism you have to really find a way to
solve a program and there is much innovation in floor plans. So
this always changes, each semester we go to a different european
city. The students receive a lot of floor plans and the images of
the buildings, we always visit the city for a week and look at the
houses also from inside and then the studio chooses 3 sites in
the city, each student has to choose which site is interesting for
them and then a student has to develop a housing project on
their therms. So you have to be very mephitic and try to find
something that fits not only to the site but also the culture of
the city. I like this cities in a second row because they are not
really researched, not really known from distance.
I also do a research seminar on this cities in parallel. So we go
back second time to the city and write small histories of certain

“With my students I
always have the 3 basic
questions: one question
is what does it mean to
live in the city? [...]The
other question is what is
innovation in the housing.
[...] The third question is
the observation of limitless
individuality. [...] These 3
question repeat themselves
throughout the series.”
housing projects and we form a inventory of European housing, EM: We challenge very often the understanding of the floor “We challenge very often
we have got by not around 80 projects and the book is going to plans with our contributions, we do it on purpose and sometime the understanding of
published at one point. So this is something that i really enjoy. of course we don’t win because of that, sometimes we win thanks
the floor plans with our
to that. It happens that there is a jury member who really sees
With my students I always have the 3 basic questions: one that and we have to possibility to win it. contributions, we do it
on purpose and sometime
question is what does it mean to live in the city? People now
of course we don’t win
prefer again to live in the city and in the 80’s the went to the **SHOWING THE PROJECT WITH CORSS
countryside and now they went back and the question is what do APARTMENTS ~1:20:00** because of that, sometimes
you want you apartment to be like after having this experience we win thanks to that.”
of growing up in the country side with a garden.
The other question is what is innovation in the housing because
we observe that housing compared to other programs tends to
be a little bit conservative and if you look at floor plans from 100
years ago of course they changed, but its always about similar
questions its always about intimacy so we are trying to come
up with different kinds of living. Its really strange that even
the floor plans in Asia imitate the european bourgeois housing
from the 19th century. So we try to question and challenge this
normative in floor plans.
The third question is the observation of limitless individuality.
We as an office build a house with 200 apartments we don’t
know who is going to move in there. This is due to the fact that
now we have more pluralistic ways of live, gay couples etc. So
its surprising that the floor plans look like the always did before.
So I ask my students how can we develop a floor plan that at
one hand can inhabit different ways of lives without being to
generic. These 3 question repeat themselves throughout the
series.
TVDS: Is the conservatism of floor plans really present in the
competitions that you take part in?
104

“Valerio Olgiati, Peter
Zumthor and Peter
Markli are those 3 big
names who don’t let you
free yourself from their
methods and you became
a small copy of them. And
you are not taken seriously
because you are never as
good as the master. [...]
If you look at offices like
Meili Peter, which are
similarly important but
maybe not that obvious,
those are the offices which
bring young architects to
be successful on they own
therms.”
MZ: How was working with Peter Markli? How was it to first have
him as teacher and then work with him, how does what he teaches
at university differs from his practice?
EM: He has his separate atelier and he visits the office and when
he comes everyone puts his belief in him. So he visits the office
and you have this discussions and he always knows what is good
or what is bad in architecture so being an employee you are
exposed to that and you always work out his ideas.
TVDS: We have heard for example that when you work for him
the first thing to know is to learn the proportion system. Did you
encouraged that?
EM: For me he didn’t explain any proportional system, of course
I knew them before but I didn’t use them in the drawings. I
remember the moment the other employees realised then
nothing that I drew was in the proportional system and the
shock in their eyes.. I didn’t know it was mandatory because he
didn’t tell me. Valerio Olgiati, Peter Zumthor and Peter Markli
are those 3 big names who don’t let you free yourself from their
methods and you became a small copy of them. And you are
not taken seriously because you are never as good as the master.
If you look at offices like Meili Peter, which are similarly
important but maybe not that obvious, those are the offices
which bring young architects to be successful on they own
therms. Thats because they have this kind of intellectual
approach, their thinking is very broad, whereas this masters
think for themselves but intellectually they don’t discuss with
there employees and that is the reason you cannot be part of the
discourse. On the contrary the office of Meili Peter, they bring
105
really interesting young offices because they learn how to think. “I remember things like
the beauty of the floor
MZ: Could you point out any particular thing that you learned
plan and the beauty of
from Peter Markli and you use in everyday work?
the sketch. The way he
EM: The beauty of the floor plan that was something that started sketched out something.
with him as a teacher. I remember things like the beauty of the [...] Going away from
floor plan and the beauty of the sketch. The way he sketched a strong concept into a
out something. This things that stick into your head. Going beautiful space, that’s also
away from a strong concept into a beautiful space, that’s also
something he gave us.
something he gave us. Or the proportions of the facade, and
how classical the facade could be with the sickle and the middle Or the proportions of the
and so on. These are very general topics, and in the end he just facade..[...]”
mentioned them and developed in his own office.
TVDS: What do you think about his architecture?
“He [Markli] claims
EM: I think its extremely important. He claims that he brought that he brought language
language back to the architecture and I can understand it to back to the architecture
a certain point, but to some point you also think that he is and I can understand it
just to heavy sometimes. He would never make fun of his own
project. Even Zumthor is more funny, Peter is another league.
to a certain point, but
He is not really self ironic. Even Zumthor laughs sometimes, to some point you also
not Peter. Privately he is a funny guy, the funnies is Olgiati. But think that he is just to
he suffered in his life, he started from nothing, he only had his heavy sometimes. [...] But
ideas and his pencil and he invented himself. He really is an he suffered in his life, he
artist, a true artist. He sees himself as an artist. He invented his started from nothing, he
own figure and didn’t inherit anything. He had his two master
in persons of Rudolf Olgiati and Hans Josepsohn and they were
only had his ideas and his
extremely formative on his person but he invented himself pencil and he invented
though them. He always wanted to be out of the system, he himself. He really is an
never was in the system. He refuses to do certain things, he artist, a true artist”
 “He had his two masters really is an own character with an own charisma and it’s great
in persons of Rudolf that we have him. I really appreciate his architecture and his
language a lot nevertheless its not repetitive, its something that
Olgiati and Hans
stands for itself.
Josepsohn and they were
extremely formative on TVDS: Is there a master for yourself?
his person but he invented
himself though them.” EM: Peter Markli is for sure very important for us. But since
we didn’t work in any office for several years, we started our
office straight away there was no somebody that formed us.
We invented little bit ourselves but starting and looking
around. I started to work as an assistant at the chair of Akos
of Architectural Theory which was then somehow opening up
the word because then it was about theories and positions and
so on, it was not so much about figures and masters. I enjoyed
it very much because it was also free intellectually. You could
find yourself and position yourself within the range of different
positions. And I would say that is also true for Christian and
for Ron. Maybe that is also the problem of distance, I cannot
tell you now.
In the end of course the ground in which you are raised also
play a role, I admit that. My teachers, Andreas and so on. There
is not one that is you master.
TVDS: You were born in Teheran, is there anything that you
brought from there?
EM: Of course my background also plays a role and I think it
makes everything even more relative. The perspectives are even
more layered. But I am not going to use tiles because there ale a
lot of tiles in Iran. There is a book on Aldo Rossi in Switzerland
based on seminar with Akos.
106
KG: Why do you think there is not so many female architects in the
business?
I think ten years ago, all the big offices were convinced that
once once you are a mother it is difficult to work 100 percent,
and if you only can do 60 percent its impossible to do really
good job. So there was a kind of a split which was really bad.
But then there was this few architects who imitated a kind of
a male career and they became heroes. They decided once not
to have any kids and have a career. That was how feminism was
understood.
Now I think is has changed, I am not the only one who has
an office. Of course you know its few, not a lot, but I think
younger generations are changing. Now you have almost 50 per
cent females studying at ETH and the question is what does
those women do after studies. Many of them decide not to
work because they can afford it. That is the other thing about
Switzerland, because it was affordable that only one works. It
was affordable that man worked and woman stayed at home, so
you had to really want it. For instance if you have to put your
kid to daycare it also costs a lot, so sometimes you have the
weird situation that the salary you get you spend on the daycare.
KG: Do you feel that during your work are you treated equally?
EM: Yes I am, and if not I tell it. And there is also this strange
high attention to female architects. So if someone is asked from
the office its always me.
107
 A4: INTERVIEW 2  ALEX HERTER
Interview by Tim van der Steen, Michał Załuski, Katarzyna
Gołuszka and Boaz van der Wal

January 12th , 2016, Erlenbach (CH)

108
Tim van der Steen: How was your time studying architecture at
the ETH?
Alex Herter (AH): In the beginning, it was a normal study for
me; you were young, you didn’t really know all the difficulties.
Background is relevant here, because my father is an architect
and so was my grandfather, so in a way I was already ‘loaded’
with certain things. You get in touch and you see things, not
on a theoretical or artistic way, but more on an everyday base,
family wise. You see what the life of an architect could be in a
way. That was normal for me. The artistic side was more of a
personal investigation for me. At first, I was more interested
in the artistic side of architecture and wanted to be become
an artist. Unfortunately, in Switzerland that is very difficult
since there are no academies for this; there was no education
if you want to become an artist. Therefore, combined with my
family background, studying architecture was a more realistic
focus at that time. When I started to do the study, many things
happened. I wasn’t really able to focus. And then, Peter Markli
started to teach there and through him, I found a way to look at
architecture as art, I found how I can combine these two things
together.
Tim van der Steen (TS): Can you elaborate on this more? How did
Peter Märkli made you see architecture as an art?
AH: That is difficult to explain. Of course the work of Peter
Markli was already there, but that is his work; as a student that
is unreachable in a way. He had, and still has, a way to talk and
look about things. The first thing I did with him, was to visit
the museum of London on a study trip. You had to apply to join
his class and only a few students could register. Unfortunately
109
I couldn’t get in that class, but luckily I was able to go on that “He [Peter Märkli] was
trip. So I met him and we talked, and the next semester, I was the only one who was able
able to study in this course. That was already my last semester,
to talk about architecture
and since he didn’t made diploma’s at the time because he was
a guest lecturer, I made my diploma with another professor in a much larger context
who was also a great architect, but different from Peter Markli. and suddenly it covered
That is how I met him. He was the only one who was able to everything for me..”
talk about architecture in a much larger context and suddenly
it covered everything for me; from your personal feelings to
painting, to music. It wasn’t just about construction and how
you make things how many other architectural education works
and that was really a revelation for me.
Michal Zaluski (MZ): You said Peter Markli covered many other “The topics which came
topics in his courses such as music and art. In the semester when up when you talked
you attended the atelier of Peter Markli, how did this different about your projects,
approach expressed itself in the courses? Where the lectures different, ‘the analogies when you
or perhaps the discussions? compare things’, ‘what
AH: Yes, the discussions, but in a certain way there was also
is your inspiration’, all
more freedom but combined with a focus on certain topics. these things. And what
He was able to encourage you to go in a certain direction and impressed me, I was
ten focus on those topics more, to dive deeper into them. The young, was that he knew
topics which came up when you talked about your projects, ‘the exactly how it should be.
analogies when you compare things’, ‘what is your inspiration’, That is very impressive,
all these things. And what impressed me, I was young, was
that he knew exactly how it should be. That is very impressive,
because other professors
because other professors let you do things and then comment let you do things and then
“yes, it could be like this” and “try this, and try that”, “yes, that’s comment “yes, it could be
fine”. I guess for some people this was a shock or they couldn’t like this” and “try this,
handle this, but when you find a way except what his critic was, and try that”, “yes, that’s
and when you are able to make a creative output of that, then it fine”.”
 “..when you find a way is like a liberation in a way because it is so… strong. You then
except what his critic know, this is how it should be, and it cannot be different. Just
for that position in the design, in that moment.
was, and when you are
And it is almost like a contradiction, but it was always very
able to make a creative brought in the stylistic way, and open. Compared to his critic
output of that, then it is could be, it is quite open in the sense that he always looked
like a liberation in a way very closely to what that student wanted, what does he want to
because it is so… strong. express, what is his motivation? And then, as a teacher, he gave
You then know, this is the best advice for that specific student.
how it should be, and it
TS: When you say he made you focus on certain topics when you
cannot be different. Just talked about your project, can you give an example of such a topic
for that position in the
in the project you attended with Peter Markli?
design, in that moment.”
AH: In that semester, the project was on the mountain top,
where you arrive at a certain station with a hotel and restaurant,
in the canton of Valais in the south of Switzerland. Therefore,
the landscape was the main theme. The building was alone
“The building was in in this landscape and how do you react on this. You have
this typography of the mountain which was given, but then
the landscape, not in an
you have this much bigger context and what does your little
urban environment, so building have to do with this whole mountain? That was quite
what is your façade? What new for me. At that time, I was never able to look at a context
does it have to do with like that. And then, he encouraged you, spatially, to look at
the surroundings? And the your roject; that was one of the main topics, I remember. And
window, how does it sit of course the volume of the building. In this project it was quit
special because you had this outside terrace with the restaurant
in the volume? What are
and it was rather difficult to place the building here since you
its dimensions? This was nearly had no horizontal plain and the volume for the station
completely new thinking was relatively big. Another topic was of course the proportions.
for me in a way at the How do you make a window? The building was in the landscape,
time.” not in an urban environment, so what is your façade? What
110
does it have to do with the surroundings? And the window, how
does it sit in the volume? What are its dimensions? This was
completely new thinking for me in a way at the time.
MZ: Did you work with scale models in this project? If yes, was
there anything Peter Markli really focused on? Do you still use any
of these techniques or approaches towards models?
AH: I can remember, indeed, that working with models was “[...]working with
important but only for the volumetric situation, a small model. models was important but
He was never much interested in interior models or fragments only for the volumetric
of a building where you can see the inside. And I can relate to
situation, a small model.
that, because that takes a lot of work for something which is
quite small compared to the whole project. And as a student,
He was never much
when you are in a semester, you have to make sure that you have interested in interior
the focus on the important things. To lose time, though it can models or fragments of a
be good for someone of course, I also felt that you had to focus building where you can
on that what is important. see the inside. And I can
relate to that, because that
The benefit of small scale models is, that it does not take too
takes a lot of work for
much time and you can reduce to the important things. It is like
an abstraction, not go into the details but make a disposition something which is quite
of the most important parts and then you plus minus had it, small compared to the
in a way. But later, I was an assistant of him, and I remember whole project.”
we had a similar topic on the mountain, again with this ski
lift and we made this huge plaster models. Three of them. We
made a large base, this socket, and then the mountain on top
of this. And then the students worked on this model, not just
with cardboard, but with a sort of clay or plastiline which does
not dry out, so you could come back a few days later and adjust
it. That was quite a good way to sculpture their design. You
have to imagine that the base model they made was very large
 but their model was only 3 centimeters or so, and they could
place it anywhere they wanted so you could see what all these
different settings meant in a spatial way; you saw your model
in a sculptural way. We did also made big models in the studio.
Peter Markli always said that he did not do this for himself, but
since we are with a lot of students now, we have a lot of man
power to do this. They then made big situation models, which
was nice to have when you talk about the designs; it is better
visible.
MZ: So later, in your own office, and in his, you did not work on
these large models?
AH: Yes, we do make them. The bigger ones you see here, are
for presentations or for competitions instead of renderings. But
to work with, in the process quite seldom. Mostly the efficiency
is the problem, it just takes too long; I therefore work with
the small models only. For competitions here in Switzerland,
we always have these white plaster models. When you enter a
competition, first thing you get is the program and you get the
model. And always, you have to turn one in. When you get it,
the building site in the center is empty. When something stood
“Having this model is there, it is already taken out. And in the end, you have to turn
a good way to develop one it. Then the jury has these posters with the plans hanging
the project for the urban and the model is right below. And each contestant turns in a
model so they can compare. The model is very important in
spatial dimensions. So I
these projects because it is part of what they see. You cannot
always work with these just make the project and plans, and then in the end think, now
models and I try to make I have to make a model. That’s too late. Having this model is
everything I put in there a good way to develop the project for the urban spatial
in such a state that I can dimensions. So I always work with these models and I try to
turn them in, in the end.” make everything I put in there in such a state that I can turn
111
them in, in the end. I bring my version to the model maker, and
he makes the same in plaster, since in the end, everything in this
model needs to be made with this material. Apart from these
competitions, I can’t remember that I ever made a big model
where I changed the structure on it, or the windows. That is not
possible, you need a lot of employees if you want to do that, and
I do not have that.
Boaz van der Wal (BW): Does this mean that here in Switzerland
you have standard regulations for the material you can hand-in in
these competitions? In the Netherlands, it often becomes some sort “This rendering is also
of Photoshop competition of who makes the nicest renders, so this
something which is
seems a good way of focusing on what you are actually designing
instead of how beautiful you can make your images. Would you happening here. There is
agree on that? too much focus on this.
It always depends on
AH:Yes, exactly. It is also regulated that the model has to be the jury, whether they
cubic and white. Not with nice materials, or something which go for it or know how
represents a sort of symbolic statement. So not a piece of coper
to interpret things. In
or something, that’s not allowed. In this regulated way, it is
neutral and only about spatial relations. This rendering is also the competitions there is
something which is happening here. There is too much focus never explicitly asked for
on this. It always depends on the jury, whether they go for it renderings but everybody
or know how to interpret things. In the competitions there is does it. If you do not do it,
never explicitly asked for renderings but everybody does it. If it is almost like something
you do not do it, it is almost like something went wrong with
went wrong with your
your project. Therefore, I make renderings as well but more like
postcards, never big images. Hand drawings is very difficult, project. Therefore, I make
that’s very strange in a way that this is the case. I don’t know how renderings as well but
it is in the Netherlands, but here no one puts hand drawings more like postcards, never
on competition posters or plans. As a student, and also when big images”
I was assistant with Peter Markli this was different. There, we
“I was assistant with Peter encouraged the students by actually asking for hand drawings.
Märkli this was different. This is because drawing by hand is a studying method, to find
out certain design options. Nevertheless, if the students did
There, we encouraged the
not wanted to, they didn’t have to. n a way, it also personal to
students by actually asking send in hand drawings. I actually did it a few times, but small
for hand drawings. This is drawings and on the side of the plans. It may also have to do
because drawing by hand with the fact that it can be too
is a studying method, to personal in a way.
find out certain design
TS: When I observe your atelier, I clearly recognize this artistic
options.”
way of working as an architect, more as an artist like you said
earlier. We also recognized this way of working in the atelier of
Peter Markli. In your portfolio, I read that you for example use
these artistic drawings to study models or free architectonic and
geometric themes. Can you give us an example how you use these
drawings during your design process?
AH: As I have said, I always wanted to become an artist and
for me drawing and painting was always something what I did.
As a young kid, I started doing this, parallel to architecture.
And again through Peter Markli, I found a way to bring these
things together. I have to add here that after my study I did
another study for art, a part-time education. As I have said, in
Switserland you don’t have these academies and so. In Zurich you
now have the Hochschule der Kunsten, where I studied in from
1999 to 2003. I did this, because I wanted to dig deeper into
this art side of architecture, because somehow I was not satisfied
by what was taught at the ETH in an artistic way. Therefore, I
worked part-time at Peter Markli, and at the same time did this
artist study. Peter Markli supported this very much. I was able
to work on smaller project for him at the office, like the organ
in Basel and because it was a small project, I had time to do
112
my own study in a parallel way. That way really good for me “[...] I didn’t want to
to actually find what I wanted to do in an artistic way. I always go into a big office yet,
knew I wanted to do something in this area, but I didn’t want
because I thought that I
to go into a big office yet, because I thought that I wasn’t ready
for that; I had not find my own way of expressing things. That is wasn’t ready for that; I
what interested me. Obviously, Peter Markli has this ability, to had not find my own way
express his feelings through his work and especially also through of expressing things. That
his drawings. That was very inspiring for me and has had a big is what interested me.
influence on me but especially in painting, there are also many Obviously, Peter Markli
other people who also influenced me. That is normal, to have
has this ability, to express
many different influences.
his feelings through his
AH: The drawings here on the wall for example is a façade work and especially also
study. I wanted to have this quality of the pastel, instead of the through his drawings.
printing colours. By using these pastel pencils, you don’t have That was very inspiring
this hard edges, for example, even though it is a geometrical for me [...]”
pattern. It has a little bit of a imperfection. The elements I drew
here, could for example be painted plaster. This one is quite
large, but I often make smaller sketches which do not take a “You try out proportions.
lot of time, so that I can tryout things more. In a way, they
What does it mean when
are abstract. You try out proportions. What does it mean when
you have a rectangle which is standing upright and you add a you have a rectangle
pillar next to it, how far a way should it stand, there a endless which is standing upright
combinations to try and every time it means something else and you add a pillar
This step you can do with a pencil and then have color as an next to it, how far a way
additional meaning. Often, it is not should it stand, there
so clear what it is meant to be, it it not necessarily a façade. I
a endless combinations
often also think of them as sketches for paintings. It inspires
to do things. Now for example I am thinking of these boxes, to try and every time it
just simple boxes; how do you treat the sides, with just simple means something else [...]
divisions. It than is very different if you put color here, or if you and then have color as an
put it here. Furthermore, you can think about buildings, but is additional meaning.”
 “Some sketches of not necessarily one as I have said. Just the principle of painting
paintings take quite boxes like this. Some sketches of paintings take quite long to
evolve but it is interesting to see that some of these drawings
long to evolve but it is
suddenly find their way into a project, though it may be in a
interesting to see that different way as you thought of in the beginning. Each project
some of these drawings has colors and proportions, so these productions you will in the
suddenly find their way end always use in one way or another. I just moved in here into
into a project, though a larger atelier and if find it pleasing when they just sit, or hang
it may be in a different next to each other.
way as you thought of
TS: This environment, this atelier where we are in now, was this
in the beginning. Each also the environment in the office of Peter Markli?
project has colours and
proportions, so these AH: In a way it was, but at the office we were mostly working on
projects which were in development already, in a further state,
productions you will in
so that it always a little bit different. Peter Markli has his own
the end always use in one
office and that place is very special. The place always inspired
way or another”
me very much, but the office is not so much like that. He does
not work there, he comes there, and he talks with people, and
he works on the projects but when he does his own work, he is
at his own place.
TS : And did you liked this way of collaboration at the office, where
Peter Markli only now and then visits the office to talk to you and
your colleagues?
AH: Yes, that was good. I actually think it is better. In this way,
you had time to work on it and you know that there is another
time to discuss the project. It is not this constant dialogue. I
guess that is personal as well. Some people like to have constant
feedback possibilities and others like to work more on their
own. But for me this was good in this way.
113
MZ: And how often did he came to the office? Ones a week, ones
a day?
AH: No every day. Yes. Of course there are days that he has to go
somewhere else, but on a regular day, always in the afternoon.
TS: When he came to the office, did he talk to everyone individually
or was there a group meeting as well?
AH: Both. Yes.
MZ: I notice that with this way of working, you need a lot of space. “I like to leave things
sitting. So you can go and
AH: Yes, I know. It is terrible. I mean, I like it. Actually, I
just moved here but this is the biggest atelier that I had so far. move from one thing to
It was because places like this are really hard to find in this the other that is how I
environment and then I saw this and I thought, “You have to work. I never work too
take the opportunity”. Probably I won’t need this much space long on one thing, I like
right now, but it is quite nice to have. I like to leave things to go to another thing
sitting. So you can go and move from one thing to the other
and then go back and so
that is how I work. I never work too long on one thing, I like
to go to another thing and then go back and so forth. It helps forth. It helps actually to
actually to be more efficient in a way because if you have to put be more efficient in a way
everything in a drawer and then take the next project out, that because if you have to put
makes you crazy after a while. But of course, it is a luxury to everything in a drawer
have this place. and then take the next
project out, that makes
TS: In light of our research, we have visited a lot of architects and you crazy after a while.”
offices by now and most of the time you enter such a place and it is
has the office environment, with a lot of desks and computer screens.
This is the first time I enter a real atelier with a lot of models,
drawings and materials etcetera, when visiting an architect here in
Switzerland.
BW: Where I work at the moment as an architect in the Netherlands,
at the end of the day, your desks has to be completely clean because
every morning a cleaning team will enter at will put it away to
clean the place but this here seems healthier, I can imagine.
AH: Of course there a many ways to work, but for me, I like it
this way.
TS: How many people are working in your office at the moment?
AH: At the moment, there are only two but they are not here
right now. When I had this bigger project in Austria which is
finished now, we at one time were with four people but now it
is less. This place also gives me a certain flexibility which is also
what I want. So if you need more people that I don’t have to go
and find or look for a place. It is difficult to find something. In
this way, I have more flexibility. Another thing is, as an architect,
you never do a project all by yourself. There are many people
who work with you on a project; people from the electricity,
planning or whatever. I also work with other architects on
certain projects depending on the project. Each project
has a different setup and sometimes you share certain work. But
at the moment I use the place mostly myself.
BW: Is it normal for you, or even in Switzerland, to make detailed
drawings? In the Netherlands you have offices who make drawings
of where every lamp, every fitting, until the last screw; everything
is detailed. They work with a contractor, you go to the building
114
site and you watch what the contractor makes and if it is made
according to your drawings. Is that also your working method? Do
you go all the way?
AH: If you can, yes. That is definitely also what I like to do and
what I am interested in otherwise it seems like you don’t do the “I think architecture goes
whole thing. I think architecture goes all the way. Otherwise, all the way. Otherwise,
a project scale 1:100, when you give that to someone, that a project scale 1:100,
can turn into something completely different which you never when you give that to
intended it to be. Knowing that, yes, certainly, You have to be someone, that can turn
aware of all..[those things, details]. But it is not possible in
every project. Each project has different boundaries in a way.
into something completely
But if the people who give you the assignment, if they like you; different which you never
it also has to do with the relationship with the client. How well intended it to be.”
is the relationship and how much do they trust the architect or
whatever. But it is the best if you can do everything. And then
you need a good firm on the construction site to make it […].
BW: Ok. I asked this, because I worked at a couple of offices in
the Netherlands and it is often the case that it is hard for the
“But with Peter Märkli,
architect to have control over his work. Companies are looking for when I worked there, that
an ‘aesthetic advisor’, instead of an architect. But since most firms was often the discussion,
in the Netherlands are desperate for work, the architects agrees. But you know. Do they give
they don’t have as much control as they would like to have. So I was the plans to X, do they
wondering if you have encountered that problem? make it all by themselves.
AH: Well, personally not so much for my own projects because
But he always was very
I haven’t done really big projects yet. This school building that much focused to keep the
I was able to do was the biggest one and there we were lucky work in the architects’
that we really could make everything, all the details ourselves. hands. And it actually
But with Peter Markli, when I worked there, that was often the was always possible for
discussion, you know. Do they give the plans to […] do they him.”

“I think that is really
a good way of keeping
the main idea outside of
what material means,
or all these things which
can change or are part
of the ones for whom the
project is, let’s say a one
family house, the owner.
That changes, but the
proportions; it’s so simple
in a way but if you keep
hanging on to this, the
main idea is safe”
make it all by themselves. But he always was very much focused
to keep the work in the architects’ hands. And in actually was
always possible for him.
MZ: About that, I read that he said that, if you have something, for
instance a proportion system, something strong, where you base your
project on; when you give that to a contractor, to build this projects,
something always goes wrong, someone will always do something
wrong. But because of the proportion system Peter Markli uses, this
building will still be his project, the idea still stands.
Yes that’s true. I think it is important to have ‘hierarchy’, I call
it. You have a main idea.. it is like in these steps, you get always
closer to a certain detail. In the small thing it is possible to
change, but the main idea remains the same.
What you said about proportions, is one thing I think that is
really a good way of keeping the main idea outside of what
material means, or all these things which can change or are part
of the ones for whom the project is, let’s say a one family house,
the owner. That changes, but the proportions; it’s so simple in a
way but if you keep hanging on to this, the main idea is safe. So
you can always hold on to this.
TS: In an interview, Peter Markli mentions the importance of
proportion and states that everyone who starts working at the office
needs, at some time, learn this proportion system he invented for
himself, where everything ends up as a multiply of ‘eights’. Was this
also the case when you started to work for Peter Markli? Do you still
use it for example?
AH: Yes, I still use it, very much. But it is not like you come in
and then you have to make a sort of test and then you can start
115
working there. No. When he makes projects, he comes with
plans he did himself and the main dimensions are already set in
his plans. So then you just go finer, but the main proportions
are set by his numbers. And with this proportion system it is I “The thing is, I think it
think, not at all so difficult. is not really important
which proportional system
The thing is, I think it is not really important which proportional you use; the Golden
system you use; the Golden Rule, or whatever. More important Rule, or whatever. More
is that you realize that is a help for you in the way that is like a..
important is that you
there are not so much possibilities anymore, it limits you.
For me, I always connect it with music. When you have a guitar realize that is a help for
and the string can we touched down every millimetre, but then you in the way that is like
the sounds are bad. So, you have divisions where the sounds are a.. there are not so much
right. That is how geometry works too. I mean, of course you possibilities anymore, it
can’t compare it one to one, but it is a link you can make and limits you.”
when you look at the history of architecture, like Palladio or so,
the geometry always tend to be basic and simple. And then you
take a first start with a simple […] and then you add, or make
a little shift in al way, but always in relation to the other thing.
The word ‘relation’ here is actually the most important here,
because with this ‘system’, or whatever you want to call it,
‘proportions’, ‘divisions’, this let’s you keep everything in
relation. I think that is the most important thing, and that is
something which is bigger than your project. I think that that
is the basis of architecture; that everything has to be related in a
way. It is actually what life, or a city should be. Things should be
in relation with each other. And how do you achieve this? There
are many ways, but when you have plans to make, then you
need measurements. Of course one can says that in the decimal
system everything is related to
each other but the steps are so, so small, that it would take for
 “The word ‘relation’ every to find the right
here is actually the most position. So you make it easier in a way, to just pick out certain
basic […], I don’t like the word but, ‘grid’, is a way to look at
important here, because
it even though it has been used sometimes in a negative way
with this ‘system’, or because in the end it should not be what comes to your mind.
whatever you want to
call it, ‘proportions’, I mean, architecture is always related to geometry and systems
‘divisions’, this let’s and so, that is nothing new or special. It is more that you find,
you keep everything in like a way to work with this, that is the important thing. It is
not a means of expressing in a technical or in an esthetical way
relation. I think that is
to show, I don’t know, this ‘rationalism’. It is not at all that.
the most important thing,
and that is something TS: Peter Markli have often mentioned that has always searched for
which is bigger than your the ‘grammatik’ of architecture and proportional systems are often
project.” related to find a sort of ‘universal language’, since a circle is a circle
everywhere. So for you, is it also about finding a universal language
in some way? Or even true ‘beauty’, like the Golden Ration implies?
Do you believe in the use of proportions in this kind of way?
AH: I think so, yes. I do. There was this time where people
thought that the whole universe was based on mathematical
“It is more like a tool, a proportions. I mean, it is a way to look at it. It is not so bad
tool that you use. When I think. It can explain many things in a way, or give sense to
you make music, you many things. But the problem with it is, one should not look
don’t think about these at it as an expression of a technical or rationalized society or
whatever. It is more like a tool, a tool that you use. When you
things anymore, but you make music, you don’t think about these things anymore, but
should know where it you should know where it comes from, what the laws behind
comes from, what the it are. In the best case, they actually disappear. But they are
laws behind it are. In the behind it, they are like the bones which hold the thing together
best case, they actually in a way.
disappear.”
116
Boaz van der Wal: In the last couple decades, these universal rules or
systems are often being questioned in architecture. Internationally,
you see a lot of free form architecture for example. I don’t know Peter
“[...]it [the rectangle,
Markli’s work as good as you guys do, but he makes his buildings
very orthogonal, rectangular. Also in you work, this seems the case. red.] is the starting point,
Why do you think he chooses for this form? and often there is no need
to go further because it
AH: Yes. It is the normal case, the standard […] it is the is just all it takes. Which
beginning, the most basic thing. Everything what differs from
does not mean that it is
it, is special or needs explanation, a reason for it. And of course
not possible to, sometimes
there are many sites in the city, there are always reason why the
city looks like it is. If you look at it historically why this is, the […]. Sometimes you
topography, or older structures. There is always a reason for it. need to search for a other
It is never a free idea of someone. So it is the starting point, and direction or shape, but
often there is no need to go further because it is just all it takes. that is not the beginning.
Which does not mean that it is not possible to, sometimes […].
It is something which
Sometimes you need to search for a other direction or shape,
but that is not the beginning. It is something which needs to needs to evolve.”
evolve.
BW: It also seems to have to do with the signature of an architect in
some cases. On our way to this place, we stopped at the Stadelhofen
railway station, designed by Calatrava.
AH: Well, that is an interesting example for me. Because in that
case, it is harmonious and it is, it has it’s right, I think. In many
other cases you look at it and you think it is more formalistic but
in this case, the basic structure of this railway station was given.
The slight curve was given from the site and how he developed
this. Of course he is also an engineer and he likes this sort of,
organic flow. But in that case, I think it is really, I must say, well
done. It looks somehow, natural in a way, when you look at the
site. It is not a building, in a way, it is a structure which is built
into this hill side, this terrace thing. He did the same thing
with this pillar for a row house, a single family houses that was
terrible. It has no justification, except for formalistic reasons.
That is, what I think is sad. But in many cases, when it is more
engineer-like it is somehow possible.

117
 PROJECTS ALEX HERTER
AH: Right now, I am working on my website. So I took
everything off so I can’t really show you something online.
AH: This was a project in the Engadine, in the mountains,
which is a valley which is the closest to Italy. It is quite on a high
level, meter wise. It is like a plane in a way, but still in a valley.
This was a really old house. I don’t know if you are familiar
with this really typical architecture of this valley. It are Engadine
houses. The classical Engadine house is white. Le Corbusier,
he was also interested in these. It is still Graubunden. Rudolf
Olgiati is very much influenced by Engadine, but the Engadine
is only one valley. And you have St. Moritz, with the lake,
Pontresina, Silvaplana.
The site was for a family, who came from this town. I am looking
“Peter Märkli was asked for a situation plan. This is a view of the town, the old center of
to do a project, and he the town and this yellow part is the old house of the family. The
said that he couldn’t valley goes like this, and the river goes like this. And when you
design several buildings. cross the mountains, you go towards Italy in this way. The site
I mean, he didn’t which belongs to them is bigger; there is a small barn here, and
wanted to design several there was one older building which had to be torn down which
was standing here. And there was empty area here, and another
buildings on his own,
buildings here.
but he wanted to give it Peter Markli was asked to do a project, and he said that he
to different architects, couldn’t design several buildings. I mean, he didn’t wanted to
so that in the end it design several buildings on his own, but he wanted to give it to
would be a conglomerate different architects, so that in the end it would be a conglomerate
of individual houses, of individual houses, but all with, maybe, a familiarity. So he
asked two, three architects, one of them a women, to do a
but all with, maybe, a
project. The other two names were Christof Ansorge and Ingrid
familiarity.”
118
Burgdorf. They were both also assistant of Peter Markli.
There was a master plan, but of a small area, so it was more
like, how you developed the volume in this area. The site for
the extension I designed was quite given. Also for the upper
buildings, which are situated here, and this building also. This
masterplan was done by Peter Markli. The urban planning in a
way.
We were able to this project, which adds to this main building,
this wing if you want to call it that way. With two small
apartments here, which is only in the new part, and one big
apartment in the top story, which has this floor, and this floor,
which is quite high. And then here, you have a low area which
is quite nice contrast in a way. And then, this double story here,
remained in the family for their own apartment. And this is the
cellar already, which is visible from the street. In the beginning
it was actually the idea to have three apartments, all connected
old and new, which everybody liked in the beginning. But the it
turned out to be too difficult to make the new stair here, in the
old building, because than you had to take out too much of the
structure to put in an elevator. So then we developed it so that
the elevator and the stair are in the new part, and then there is “What interested me, was
an entrance to a garage which actually is quite big, and how to make this addition
also connect the other two buildings. That is the top, that is on to the house, and not use
the hill side, and that is the other one. They are like a little town
this cliché of contrasting
in the town. And there is a little square which they all share.
old and new but somehow
What interested me, was how to make this addition to the try to make one whole of
house, and not use this cliché of contrasting old and new but it all. But still in certain
somehow try to make one whole of it all. But still in certain areas, maybe use some
areas, maybe use some abilities we have today to have more light abilities we have today
and so on. This let me to this decision to treat these facades
to have more light and so
here, all in same way as the existing building, except for this
on.”
side, which opens to the light.
[Pointing to the model] Here you have the corner of the old
building. That is the old part, and here the new part. That is
from the rear angle. That is look from above to the existing
building and it is in the same color and the same material.
Michal Załuski: So the old building was also restored?
Yes, it has the original looks but it was not looking fresh before
the restoration. And inside little alterations; especially in the top
floor because this was sold as a unit to somebody who bought
this apartment, and this was all newly done inside.
Boaz van der Wal: So you used some characteristics of the existing
building, like the proportions?
That is a good question, because I talked about this Engadine
houses but that is not at all what this old building is. That
was really surprising. When I first heard about the project and
the said that it was this 200-years-old building in Engadine, I
thought one of those typical houses. But it wasn’t. This is like
a classical palazzo type of Italy or so, so yes, this was a surprise
but it turned out to be a quite good starting point, to add the
new volume, to take up these principles of the quite rigid façade
and also the interior. When you look at the interior, it has quite
similarities.
BW: Also the façade I see, the proportions of the windows, although
the details of the window frame are different. And these arches
search for a relation with the old, and the chimneys..
119
AH: Yes, that’s true. And it is all painted. There are no raw
materials on the existing house. Or, almost none. All the main
parts are painted which was also nice thing to work with. I
added this red, at the south façades, to give it a new aspect but
still stay in this idea of having everything […]
TS: And why is there this explicit wall, between the new and the
old? It is higher than the other parts.
AH: Yes, that is something that I saw in a building by Palladio. “Yes, that is something
He did this in a palazzo in Vinceza and it absolutely amazed that I saw in a building
me when I first saw it. It is a main square, and you see this
big, volumetric building, very heavy cubic building. And then
by Palladio. He did this
you walk around, and then you come to the rear corner, and in a palazzo in Vinceza
you turn around and then it is completely opened up. And and it absolutely amazed
this theme, it is like a double image or something. The volume me when I first saw it. It
is reduced to just a wall, just a wall. And then, further, you is a main square, and you
have the structure. So when you look at it from this way, it see this big, volumetric
is a structural building and on the other side, we call it “loch
façade”, a cubic façade. And that’s what helped me to have this
building, very heavy
classical façade, go together with the old building. On all these cubic building. And
sides. And only this side façade is different. It is interesting how then you walk around,
do you make this shift from this side to this side. And how do and then you come to
you use the elements. From here, it is a wall, and from the other the rear corner, and you
side, the wall is a pillar. I took these pictures myself. It was a turn around and then
sunny day, which was not good for the pictures. It are not good
pictures and the residents were gone. So always when I went
it is completely opened
up there, always the windows were closed, it is terrible. I asked up. And this theme, it is
someone who lives up there to go by and then I like a double image or
took the picture. When you look at it from here it is closed, cubic something. The volume is
and traditional in that sense, with this end. And still, I tried reduced to just a wall, just
somehow to have it in the same language, not like something a wall.”

“What I said with these
drawings, you just have a
cube and it can also turn
out to be furniture in a
way. I mean, like, a long
time ago, furniture looked
like architecture. [...]not
just a minimalistic cube
but it was almost like
architecture, so that’s also..
Sometimes small projects
can also be in that sense
the same, also interesting.”
completely added. So try to use for the pillars the same color
and the same material, so that it is still in one piece, altogether.
BW: In Holland, we are not often working with plaster because
it gets dirty real soon. They make practically everything in bricks.
That is not the case here in Switzerland?
The old building was not painted for 60 years. This [showing a
picture], was how it looked at the beginning. You see the dirty
part here a little bit, but it is also nice, you know, patina. But
in the end, we did some work on the windows and in the end
they said, after 60 years you can just paint it anyway. For me,
you didn’t necessarily had to paint it, but they did it anyway.
Here you see some detailed of the old part. It is over 200 years
old. This is after the renovation. We took out the carpet and
the floor was still underneath it so, all we had to do was a little
bit sanding on floor. The rest was already given, we added some
paint but basically not much at all. What you see here is the
original paint, it is blueish, in the inside. Here, this is on the
second floor and there is a new owner above, we took out the
stairs and there was a wall there that we took out so now there
is a more open space on the second floor. So the third floor is
separated from the others.
Then, which was also quite nice to do, was the furniture for that
project which was something what I found quite interesting and
which is something what is also [..]. What I said with these
drawings [artistic drawings on the walls, red.], you just have a
cube and it can also turn out to be furniture in a way. I mean,
like, a long time ago, furniture looked like architecture. These
interior of 200 or so years ago, they had facades, you know, a
structure. Not just a minimalistic cube but it was almost like
120
architecture, so that’s also.. Sometimes small projects can also
be in that sense the same, also interesting.
Last year I did two projects for a bar, a restaurant. I can show
you this. This is bar, it is in Zurich. The building is quite […].
It had this sign already, I knew this for a long time already,
because you could see the sign from quite far away. And the
new owners, they asked me, and I said “but it’s not the one with
the sign right?” and they said “Yes, yes, it is!”. And I thought,
wow this is cool, because this is like a local bar from Zurich,
you know. This street here, it is in the city but it is all residential
houses and they have a specialty that they have little gardens in
front, which is not so common in Switzerland. It is more like
this English style. And these houses are protected by history,
historical protection, so they wanted, when we do this outside
space for the bar, they wanted some kind of reference, some
kind idea to cope with these gardens. The idea was to make
these very low pillars, in a way, which have these rhythms that
comes from these other gardens, which goes around the corner.
You have this horizontal plane for the terrace of course, because
it has to be on on level with the inside obviously. Here you have
always these little walls, and you have pillars and little gardens. “This [restaurant in
This is what it looked like before, just a parking lot. Zurich, red.] project was
really nice, or interesting
This project was really nice, or interesting because they wanted because they wanted to
to have also furniture and also lighting. And so, we tried to do
have also furniture and
this, sort of bistro style, in a way traditional, but still with a
fresh approach. We reduced everything to this wood, and then also lighting. And so,
the plaster without paint. Which is actually really cheap, but we tried to do this, sort
has this almost stucco-like look. Usually this is used to paint of bistro style, in a way
afterwards right, or maybe you need to have this tapestries, this traditional, but still with
flat plaster. But then, if you add just a transparent liquor, then a fresh approach.”

“So here, it was really
important to have a good
firm that did these works.
The bar, and a lot of the
furniture and also these
lamps, are all made by the
same firm. That was really
a perfect team, sort of,
because you didn’t have a
too many people.”
it really comes out more and this gives really this nice quality, it
add this texture to it. This was mainly interior design, but that
doesn’t matter. It is also architecture.
BW: And how did you came up with the floor pattern here?
That is from a collection actually. We selected this and we added
parts with wood. So it is like a combination of […]. Here you
see, parts of it are wood, like a carpet in certain areas. It sort of
make […], it gives areas inside the room for the furniture also.
Then we thought it would be nice to take this pattern and make
the lights with this. So these are two layers, and behind it is the
light because the owners said they didn’t want direct light. So
this was a way of making, like a, decoration, and still have light.
TS: So these drawings you make, where we talked about earlier,
you use them for architecture, furniture but also for these kind of
interior design elements?
Yes, exactly. So here, it was really important to have a good firm
that did these works. The bar, and a lot of the furniture and also
these lamps, are all made by the same firm. That was really a
perfect team, sort of, because you didn’t have a too many people.
They were able to make metal work, they had wood, and they
were able to [...] they made the kitchen, the cooling system, all
in one. They were a special firm for bars and restaurants so that
was perfect. You had only one person you talked to and he could
tell his workers; that was quite nice.
And maybe I can show you this other bar. Also by the same
owners. This one had to be done really quickly. We were doing
this bar, and during that time, they had the opportunity to
121
rent another place and they said, “Hey!, we have to do this, it’s
perfect. It is right in the middle of the town near the railway
station”. I didn’t think I could do it, but they were really
supportive and open to the ideas. So we managed to do this
in four or five months. This one was only interior, not like the
other one with the outside.The structure was given, and also
the ceiling was given. But the holes were empty, just nothing
in it, just white. And some strange spotlights hanging down
from there. And the cost needed to be kept low, and we said
“we have to keep this ceiling”. But what do you do with this?
Then I thought of this, baroque, the paintings on the ceilings. “Then I thought of this,
You should look at it as paintings. But you can’t make it really baroque, the paintings on
big, because time is short. So, you can’t make a real painting. the ceilings. You should
So I found these tapestries, which are really cool. It is a really look at it as paintings.
cool firm from London, Timorous Beasties it is called. They But you can’t make it
make really great designs. So we decided to do this. It is actually,
really big, because time
there is light from below which gives this space above more
importance. And then we did the furniture, and just the inside. is short. So, you can’t
The firm often uses animals, or plants and so on. So I think it make a real painting. So
is really nice. I found these tapestries,
which are really cool.”
BW: And do you also pick the chairs yourself?
No, not in this project. These are all used chairs which we found
on Ebay or something and we brought them to the carpenter
and we said to give them a little refreshment but the tables, they
are drawn, and the benches are drawn also. And of course the
bar. Maybe you know them, the chairs. They are Swiss actually,
and quite famous chair. They are called Horgenglarus. They
have been doing it for a long time, it is traditional but they
still exist and they still make chairs. So these are projects that I
worked on. Do you like to see more?

“I decided to treat these
sides like the urban
facades and then this side
is more of a [..]. Well, this
one is more vertical, and
the other one is horizontal
and looks to this
courtyard. On the other
side it is connected to this
building. So they form
like a pair, in a way”
TS: Well, some of us are staying in Zurich for another day. We
are going to visit some of Peter Markli’s buildings, but if there are
more projects of your office in the neighborhood, we will definitely
visit them. Since you website was offline, which project would you
recommend us?
Well, I have one for you. This apartment block in Zurich.
I was able to do this. No so far from this railway station by
Calatrava. It was done in 2010. It are all apartments. There is
like a courtyard, sort of, an area. There is a path leading through
it. I decided to treat these sides like the urban facades and then
this side is more of a [..]. Well, this one is more vertical, and
the other one is horizontal and looks to this courtyard. On the
other side it is connected to this building. So they form like a
pair, in a way.
TS: Thank you. We will definitely visit it.
Boaz van der Wal: Would you like to do an international project?
You already said you worked in Austria.
Well, it is not a question of wanting or not. It is a matter of
interesting project. Whatever the possibilities are. There is
nothing I would say no to at the moment.
TS: Before we leave, I see a fragment of the staircase you designed
for the Novartis project you did with Peter Märkli. We’ve studied
a lot of Peter Markli’s projects but this one really stood out. There
also was a lot of money involved we read, since it was made for
the pharmaceutical company. Can you tell us something about this
project?
122
Well, for me, this was before I was able to do bigger projects
on my own. This was during, I think, when I was assistant at
the ETH working. No, that’s not true. I was already doing […]
First I was doing a design for this house in Regensdorf and at
the time, Peter Markli had this idea that he wanted other people “This [the Novartis
to do certain things. There is also this banner by Jenny Holzer projects. red.] certainly
on the front façade. And he asked me if I was interested to was a very special project.
do a project inside the project. And of course this was a great
opportunity. This certainly was a very special project. Of course
Of course because of the
because of the big company, but also because the Novartis big company, but also
area is like a closed area. It used to be a industrial area and the because the Novartis area
regulations are different from normal housing projects. So were is like a closed area. It
had less restrictions on how to […] make banisters for example. used to be a industrial
So were able to do a quite free interpretation. It turned out, we area and the regulations
used this [staircase] in more areas of the building. It was a really
fascinating process. First you had this shape, this volume, with a
are different from normal
sculptural quality or so. And then you start to think about how housing projects. So
to make it, how to realize it. It turned out that […], it is just were had less restrictions
one piece, which was this long. It is melted aluminum. It was on how to […] make
done in a factory where they made aluminum parts for motors banisters for example. So
or whatever. You make a three dimensional model in were able to do a quite
the original scale, a mold. Then you put this into sand, and then
you have the negative. Then they put it together and they poor
free interpretation.”
the aluminum inside. That was really an interesting process.
First it didn’t work and we had to change the model. And this
was done somewhere in northern Germany and I had to visit
that factory. It was really a new process in a way.
TS: Lastly, to come back at the whole ‘learning as an architect’; do
you have any advice for us, as students. Our graduation project in
the end, will be a campus building at the architecture University
of Mendrisio, the AAM. And in sum, we are asked to dive into
 the work of Peter Markli and use the knowledge we gain into the
project. In a way we behave as the apprentice of Peter Markli. What
would be your advice to start such a project?

AH: What is the use of the building?

MZ: It is another part of the campus where there a planning to

make ateliers. It will probably host the master projects, to have
them all together in this new building. There is also a space to have
a workshop for the students, and offices for the professors.

“Well, the site is very AH: So you do this project together? Or separate?
important. So study
TS: Well, first we have this joined research, where this interview
the local traditions I is part of. And in the second part, we use this knowledge for our
would say. That is one individual design.
thing that is unique
about architecture. [...] AH: Ok. A more theoretical part, and a design part. Well, the
And then, you have the site is very important. So study the local traditions I would say.
That is one thing that is unique about architecture. It is always
program of what will be
located somewhere. Compared to a painting maybe, which is
inside. The program is located in your mind, or you locate it somewhere, you place it
like the…. When I do somewhere. But architecture has always something to do with
a competition, you have the site. That’s one thing.
to, really, internalize the And then, you have the program of what will be inside. The
program. What spaces program is like the […]. When I do a competition, you have
to, really, internalize the program. What spaces are need, so that
are need, so that you can
you can find a way to put this all together.
find a way to put this all Tim van der Steen: Ok, well thank you for your time and the fact
together” that we could visit your office.

AH: It was a pleasure. I don’t get many visitors [laughing], so it

was nice, yes.

123
DESIGN AIM RECAP
In PART II of this report, I will describe to you the design of
a school building for architecture students on the campus of
the Accademia di Architettura in Mendrisio (see §Graduation
Studio and §Methodology).
The goal during this design process was to master being an
apprentice of the Swiss architect Peter Märkli. As I discovered
during the research in PART I, being a good apprentice of Peter
Märkli is closely related to how an architect (or an architecture
student in my case) should learn form history.

In PART I, we defined a good attitude towards history to be a

creative attitude. After understanding Märkli’s attitude regarding
each of the six parts of the architectural language (§2.1-§2.6), it
is now my turn design the school in Mendrisio, aiming for the
same creative attitude towards history (and, in a way, towards
the things I learned Peter Märkli).
I’ll be tracking my attitude, again, for each of these six elements
of the language (§3.1-§3.6). In the end, I will be able to judge
whether my attitude during the design process aimed in the
right creative direction. In other words, if I mastered being an
apprentice.

124
 @QA PODIUM
FOR ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
by learning from Swiss architect Peter
Märkli

TIM VAN DER STEEN

UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
EINDHOVEN, 2019

125
126
 PART III
DESIGN
CAN I MASTER BEING AN
APPRENTICE OF
PETER MÄRKLI?

INTRO
DESIGN LOCATION
CONCEPT

§3.1 PLAN & FACADE

§3.2 PROPORTION & SCALE
§3.3 ORDER & DISORDER
§3.4 MATERIAL
§3.5 COLOR
§3.6 ORNAMENT & DETAIL

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 Monte Generose

Monte San Giogio

SWITZERLAND

Poncione
d’Arzo Mendrisio

1128
8

Figure 70: Drawing 1 - Map - location of
Mendrisio (opposite page)
I. LOCATION
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
The plot for the design is located in Mendrisio (Switzerland)
on the Architecture Academy (AAM). Mendrisio is part of the
Swiss canton Ticino, the Italian part of Switzerland in the south.
What characterizes the landscape of Mendrisio is that is is
surrounded by three mountains, Monte Generoso, Monte San
Giorgio and Poncione d’Arzo (figure 65,66). As a result of
this geographical character, the location for the design is to be
placed inside a hill (figure 67), on the edge of the Mendrisio
Campus. As you will see in the upcoming chapter, this will have
a large impact on the design.
Figure 71: Drawing 2 - Concept Map -
location of Mendrisio (red dot), urban area
(yellow), mountain area (green)
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CAMPUS IDENTITY
The AAM is deeply rooted in the Ticino and serves as a bridge
between the cultures of north and south, located at the edge of
Switzerland’s border. It is said that the canton greatly benefits
from this unique linguistic and cultural condition. For the
architecture academy, this advantage is noticeable through its
international character[1].
1 AAM. (n.d.). The Academy.
Figure 72: Drawing 3 - Concept section
of the design area and the context. In
yellow the campus buildings, our design
ought to be in front of the church (red)
CAMPUS BUILDINGS
Similar to American or English campuses, the AAM is located
in the middle of its village across several administrative,
educational, services, research and study buildings (figure
68,72). The various buildings, Villa Argentina (with the
faculty board and offices), Palazzo Canavée and Palazzo Turconi
(teaching facilities) are laid out around an urban park.
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Three buildings (no.1 - no.3) are directly surrounding our plot
and are briefly discussed on the next page. A short description
of the other campus buildings (no.4 - no.7) is included in the
appendix.
Figure 73: Drawing 4 - Architecture
Academy Campus Mendrisio (AAM) with
the design area in red.
Figure 74: Excursion Photo - Palazzo
Turconi (no.1, top left) - Patio

Designed in the mid-

nineteenth century by Luigi
Fontana, this was originally
the location of the Hospital
formerly named the ‘Blessed
Virgin’. Today the ground
floor houses the design
studios for the first year of
the Bachelor course, while
the upper floor contains the
studios for Diploma projects.
Figure 75: Rendered image - Theatre of
Architecture by Mario Botta (no. 2, top
right)
The Theater of Architecture
was still under construction
at the start of this graduation
project (november 2015).
Nowadays it relatews more
to the Palazzo Turconi due
to its surprising change of
color compared to the earlier
design render. See §3.5 Color
for the consequences of this.

The building, design by

Figure 76: Excursion Photo - Local
Church (no.3, bottom
The Church next to the
Palazzo Turconi is one of the
oldest churches in Mendrisio
and still frequently used by
its local citizens. It used to
be part of the old Hospital
of the Turconi building. Its
diagonal placement makes
Swiss architect Mario Botta
host the new museum of
architecture, a workshop of
ideas, experimentation and
events.
Figure 77: Completed design Theatre of
Architecture by Mario Botta (no. 2, top
right)

it stand out from the other

campus buildings.

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 II. URBAN ANALYSIS & CONCEPT
AN IDEA OF HOW A WORKSHOP FOR ARCHITECTURE
STUDENTS SHOULD BE

We can’t design a building without having an idea of how a

workshop for architecture students should function and look
like. In my opinion, a workshop for architecture students
should be centred around one idea: the carpenter workshop
itself. For me, the workshop symbolizes what architectural
design is like: making things, buildings, trying things out, fail,
re-design and so forth. The workshop represents the designing
aspect of their education.

To illustrate this, it can best be seen as an scheme with all

the other mandatory spaces around the ‘workshop center’. I
therefore start off with the simple idea that the workshop should
be the center of the design.
Figure 78: Excursion Photos - Bird view
of the design area

Figure 79: Drawing 5 - Concept scheme

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III. PLAN CONCEPT
URBAN ANALYSIS

Campus Structure Campus Fragmentation

When we examines the campus area, one can observe a shift
in orientation and morphology on the border of the campus.
(Figure 72). Were the volumes of the housing area are oriented
facing the street - gradually moving with the curve of the road
‘Via Bolzani’ and ‘Via Franseco Borella (pink) - the campus
buildings detach themselves from the housing typology by
orienting themselves to the central road of the campus ‘Via
Alfonso Turconi’ in a perpendicular manner (red).
This perpendicular grid is what ties the campus together as a
whole, despite its fragmentation. The fragmented organization
of a campus is one of the problems addressed in the design brief.
As a designer, we ought to create a vision to cope with this
urban problem.

Figure 80: Drawing 6 - Morphology &

Orientation of the Campus buildings and
the local housing

Figure 81: Drawings 7 - Fragmentation

of the campus. Seperated by the road ‘Via
Turconi’. In grey, all the campus buildings.
In yellow, the area the AAM campus wants
to buy in the future to expand.

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Design plot - two anomalies

Other characteristics of the design plot are given by the

morphological characteristics of the surrounding buildings.
When we have a closer look to the design area, we see two
‘anomalies’ to the campus grid. Figure 82: Drawings 8 - Plot anomaly I:
Church
The first is the ‘Chiesa dei Cappuccini Church’. The church’s
volume infiltrates our local grid with its different, diagonal
orientation.

The second anomaly, is the relatively new Theatre of Architecture Figure 83: Drawings 9 - Plot anomaly II:
Theater of Architecture
designed by Mario Botta. The building has a distinct circular
form, hinting at the collective or social function it hosts as a
theatre and a museum. The building is put on a large concrete
block which does confirm to campus grid.

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 PROCESS SKETCHES &
IMAGES

Figure 84: Sketch - The Argument for

start the design with a Square

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 Placing the Square

With the square in mind, we only need to place it within

our design plot. To place it as far as possible from the Palazzo
Turconi, creating a ‘place’ in between the buildings seemed the
best option in my opinion.

In this way, a pleasant square would arise in between the four

two buildings from which all buildings could profit.

Figure 86: Drawing 10 - Final position of

volume in the context

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FLOOR PLAN: THE ARGUMENT FOR A PODIUM

From Concept to Podium a Podium against Fragmentation

With the rectangle and the building concept in mind, came the
idea of a podium. This artificial platform[1], not only centralizing
the architecture student as mentioned in the §BUILDING CONCEPT,
but literally raising them, emphasizing the most important
room of the building. A gesture so to speak to define a certain
place. The idea of the podium relates to the Greek stylobate
mentioned in §2.4 MATERIALS.
Secondly, the idea of a podium could partly solve the problem of
fragmentation of the campus. When designing with a concept,
I think one should always try to solve given problems with the
least amount of interventions, or even better - one intervention.
Our building cannot solve all the problems of the campus’
fragmented structure, that would be a miracle.
What we can do however, is to make the structure a little
bit better by improving it with our building. A solution to
fragmentation is in my opinion “doing the opposite”, that means
connecting the campus buildings better.

1 Markli, 2002, p.52
Figure 87: Drawing 11 - Section: the
podium (dark red) as an antidote to
fragmentation, connecting buildings
Figure 88: Drawing 12 - Morphological
relation of our design with Palazzo
Turconi. Sequence of patio’s and atria’s
In line with our urban analysis, I should make a connection
with Palazzo Turconi, improving the connection to it, so that
Figure 89: Drawing 13 - Podium
visitors can easily access both building. I decided to use the continues underneath the space inbetween
same podium to solve this problem, to use it as an intermediate our design and Palazzo Turconi
between the Palazzo Turconi and our building, the workshop.

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PROCESS SKETCHES & Figure 90: Sketches: Process sketches of
the podium concept.
IMAGES

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 IV. FACADE CONCEPT
west side should therefore be considered the front. This is the
side facing ‘Via Bolzani’ and should have a more prominent
or representative appearance. Our building is the first campus
building a visitor of the campus would encounter when
approaching the campus area from the station.

Back Facade
The back side of the building is the side facing the backside

Figure 91: Sketches: Representative Figure 92: Drawing 14 - Representative

front facade for the workshop (right) front side of both Palazzo Turconi and our
with a podium plinth relating to the new student workshop (left).
representative front side of Turconi

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 Palazzo Turconi. This Palazzo facade has a very calm, rhythmic
and orderly facade at this side. Since we morphologically try
to relate to this building, I chose to also relate to this facade
aestheticly as well.

Side facades (west) - Serivce side & Goods delivary

Figure 94: Sketches: Calm rhytmic back

Figure 93: Drawing 15 - Back facades facade to respond to the facade of Palazzo
facing each other. Our new workshop Turconi
should respond in a similar calm facade.

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Figure 95: Sketches - Searching for a
facade system and unity

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 PROCESS SKETCHES &
IMAGES

Figure 96: Sketches - Searching for a

facade system and unity

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 interior routing. These both routes are laid out parallel to each
other on the side where the church is located. Campus visitors
who enter the campus but do not enter our workshop, will rise
up via the exterior stair. The experience of entering this square
with the presence of the old church is a good reason to place the
routing on the east side.

Figure 97: Drawing 16 Service & routing

sides of volume

The west facade, facing the hospital, is the service side in the
design. This decision is partly made to relate to the service
entrance of the hospital, which is opposite of our west facade.
Since our workshop for architecture students needs an service
entrance to deliver and enter with large models, machines and
materials, it seems logical to make this entrance here.
Side facades (east) - routing
The east facade of the design, is used to create the exterior and

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 PLAN & FACADE

PROCESS SKETCHES &

IMAGES
Figure 98: Sketch - Starting point of the Figure 99: Drawing 17 Location of the
floor plan within the rectangle building in the design plot

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114
4
PODIUM

The podium is to be seen as one solid mass. In and on this

podium, the students can find all their needs:

The wood-working area (carpentry) for simple wood-working,

the toilets, the workshop-desk where they can buy materials and
of course the vertical routing in the shape of (emergency) stairs
and one elevator.

Below (or inside) the podium, students are allowed to do heavy

wood-working on supervision. Here, the bigger machines are
located. This area can be reached via the ‘ hole’ inside the podium
in the center of the podium and via an elevating platform next
to to workshop desk oin the corner of the west face.

Although this podium was carefully thought of in a conceptual

manner with the students having a central role, inspiration for
this ‘ raised floor’ was definitely Peter Markli’s notion of the
Greek stylobate used in his design in Erlenbach or in a more
conceptual manner in the marble Novartis entrance floor.

Note: On the opposite page, the 3D model of the podium mass. This
image is considered to be the most important image of the design.

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Figure 100: Drawing 18 Location of the
building in the design plot

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MATERIALS
Learning from Peter Markli

I think I understood Märkli’s thoughts on materials relatively

well. I used his notion on continuing the floor material on the
walls, but not literally copied it. No, instead, I used it with good
reasons, in order for my concept to improve.
By doing this, the mass of the podium is clearly visible en
continues throughout the whole building with the vertical
shafts.

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Figure 102: Drawing 19 The podium
explained in schemes

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Figure 103: Drawing 20: Floorplan P0
Podium, scale 1:300

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Figure 104: Drawing 21 - 3D
visualization of the podium (dark red) for
architecture students

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Figure 105: Drawing 29: Length section
Podium, scale 1:300

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 Figure 106: Drawing 28: Routing of
entrance floor, scale 1:200

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FACADES Figure 107: Sketches - Starting point for
the facades of the volume. Emphasizing
the central space
We’ve learned from Märkli to carefully take notice in what are
the front-, side, and back facades of the design depending on
the context (see §2.1). Since we are designing a semi-public
building, the treatments of the facade can be different but the
main rule should be that they need to be tied by the fame system PROCESS SKETCHES &
for the building to maintain it’s unity. IMAGES
Front Facade
Our building is located on the edge of the campus. The north-

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Figure 108: Drawing 22: North facade in
context, scale 1:200

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Figure 109: Drawing 23 - Scheme of the
facade system of the building

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Figure 110: Sketch: Detaile scheme of the THE FACADES
facade columns on the corners

The main concept behind the facades is the column grid which
detaches on the east and south facade. On these sides are the
exterior route, leading to the rest of the campus and a collonade
to sit under alngside our building, facing the square and Turconi.

The south facade facing the back-side of Turconi is a calm

rhytmic facade, while the north (main) facade have more
grandeur.

The facade facing the hospital is the service side of our building
and is used for the delivery of goods and hosting the toilet units
on each floor.

Figure 111: Sketch: Study of facade

composition regarding the main facade
and entrance

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 Figure 112: Drawing 26: North facade in
relation to its openings.

Figure 113: Impression of the north facade

view

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 Figure 114: Impression of the south
facade view

166
Figure 115: Drawing 27: South facade in
relation to its openings, scale 1:200

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 Figure 116: Drawing 36: West facade in
relation to its openings, sclae 1:200

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 Figure 117: Drawing 40 - West facade in
relation to its openings, scale 1:200

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 Figure 118: Impression podium to North
(entrance) facade

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 Figure 119: Impression main entrace P=0
towards the upper workshop floor P=1

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PLAN&FACADE
Learning from Peter Markli
While this topic seems relatively simple, I learned more about
morphology than ever before. The idea of the rectangle really
helped me to keep things as simple as possible, especially when
combining it with a relatively complex idea of a podium, a lifted
central floor.
On a building level I played with the tension between ‘perfect
rectangular volume’ and deliberately not achieved it by taking
out two volume to create balconies.
Secondly, the very basic and ordered shape of the design allowed
for a little playfulness in the arrangement of the windows and a
relatively clear plan structure.
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I think the process around hierarchy of the facades was one on
the most interesting parts of the design. Where I started with
the very clear distinction between the front and back facades,
the design slowly obtained a more and more unifying character.
It became a united whole, bound by the same system on all sides
while still reacting differently to each part of the context.
The system of columns and beams merges a representative front
with a service and routing side-façades and a back façade facing
a public square; each façade reacting differently without losing
the whole.
 PROPORTION & SCALE
For the proportion, I mainly focused on the dimension of all the
facades and its elements. Moreover I carefully emphasized the
strong grid of the building via the ceiling beams and column.
I let go of a proportion system and preferred to carefully make
sure everything is in ‘ relation’ with each other in sense of
dimension.
The workshop (our building) is designed using a measurement
system based on the method Märkli used in his Novartis
building. Our building is 16 meter high and divided by 8, this
gives a module of 2 meter. The structural grid of the building is
set on twice that size, 4 meters.
All the other elements of the building are designed as a multiple
of 800 mm.

Figure 120: Drawing 24: Proportion

scheme

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Scale I therefore decided through testing (and proportion) that
As explained by Märkli, the width of the openings (or the the columns had to be 800 mm. I investigated a smaller size,
reverse; the thickness of the columns), is dependent on the 600mm, but that was too small as one can see in process
impact of the environment on the building. The context of our drawings.
building is fairly dualistic in this sense. of nature. It is not as
nearly similar to Märkli’s winery in Quebec, where the context
demands temple-like columns, but is not an urban context
either.

Figure 121: Drawing 25: Proportions of

facade elements

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PROCESS SKETCHES &
IMAGES

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 PROCESS SKETCHES &
IMAGES

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 Conclusions
SCALE
Learning from Peter Markli
The scale principles I learned through Markli were completely
new for me but felt quit natural and easy to understand. The
idea of the ‘big room’ really made sense in historical context.
I started with several different sizes of pilasters for my design
and ended up to go from 500 mm width to 800 mm for the
ground floor façade columns to get the right scale. Every other
facade element is in turn base on this column size.
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Conclusions
PROPORTION
Learning from Peter Markli
The proportion aspect of the architectural language was quite
difficult. It took me quite a while to understand and I ended
up simplifying the proportions. Similar to Markli’s façade
dimensions for the Novartis building, I divided the height by
8, resulting in 4 meters for the building grid which turned out
really well for the student’s working area.
Other than that, I used all dimensions as a multiple of 400
mm, ranging from window and door sizes to stairs and façade
elements. Doing all this, the façade basically has resulted fine
proportions. In the end, the conversation with Markli’s student
and collegue Alex Herter really helped me to get a deeper
understanding of the why behind proportion systems and
provide me a more modern view of these systems.
Figure 122: Drawing 30: Material plan, Figure 123: Drawing 31: Section width,
P=0 Entrance floor sclae 1:300

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 Figure 124: Drawing 32: Machinary level,
P=-1, 3D model

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Figure 125: Drawing 33: Machinary
level, P=-1

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Figure 126: Drawing 35: Material floor
plan P=-1 Machinary

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MATERIAL & COLOR
STARTING POINT MATERIALS

The material scheme is simple: for the outside I have chosen an

absence of color. The idea is, that our building is neutral within
the the colorfull context. Therefore the color of the building is
chosen to be inside the building.

To contrast the cold concrete of the exterior, wood is used on

the inside: from the tables to ceilings and, most importantly in
the windows.

Te windows represent the sharp contrast between inside and

outside: a black metal window frame on the outside, a wooden
frame on the inside.

Figure 127: Drawing 34: Starting point Figure 128: (Next page) Impression patio Figure 129: (Next page) Impression patio
materials interior underneath the square area class rooms

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Figure 130: Drawing 39: Material
floorplan P=1 workshop, sclae 1:300

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 Figure 131: Drawing 37: 3D model P=1
workshop

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Figure 132: Drawing 38: Floor plan P=1
workshop

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Learning from Peter Markli

The colour scheme for the building is made as clear as possible.

I have stated from the beginning that the colour is on the inside
of the building, a choice made due to the over-present color in
the context. The choice to distance myself from these colours
instead of going along with it, might be a subjective choice but
in my opinion a good one, made in light of the research.

For the inside, I used red, gold, black and added yellowish-
white paint and light-grey to the concrete.

The inspiration for the simplicity of the colour scheme I got

from Markli’s Hotel Fachschule which I visited in a second
excursion to Zurich. Markli definitely raised my awareness
when it comes to colour for the outside as well as the inside
of the building. I could have done more experiments with the
colouring on the concrete to figure out exactly which shade of
red would be appropriate (like Märkli does) but I ended up
doing this live, at the time of making the final model.

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 Figure 133: Impression of workshop
floor P=1

196
Figure 134: Impression of workshop floor
P=1, entrance from south square

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 Figure 135: Drawing 41 - Lunch and
office floorplan P=2

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Figure 136: Drawing 42 - 3D model of
Plaza, P=2

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ORDER & DISORDER
EXTERIOR
The theme of order and disorder is all over the building. For one
thing, it is in subtle manner to be found in the facades.
On the south facade, I used the colonnade to contain a slight
shift in the interior column grid. I learned this partly from
Markli’s apartment building in Sargans. A similar ‘extra’ column
in used on the north facade on one of the balconies.
In the other facades, the disoder is to be found more easily in
the window ordering.
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INTERIOR
On the interior the contrast of order and disorder can first of
all be found in the relation of the functions (or rooms) and the
grid.
On one side of the podium, the ‘rooms’ are placed withing the
grid of the columns, and on the other side (the service side) the
volumes are placed ‘ outside’ of the column grid, as furniture
elements. I learned this partly from Markli’s office building
in Solothurn. Other disordering elements are e.g. in the floor
patterns of the office area.
 Figure 137: Drawing 43,44 - Order &
disorder in North and East facade, scale
1:200

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 Figure 138: Drawing 45 Order and
disorder in South and West facade, scale
1:200

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Figure 139: Drawing 46: Material plan
P=2 and disorder in materialization, scale
1:300

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 Figure 140: Impression offices floor P=2

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Figure 141: Impression Office and lunch
area, P=2

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SUMMARY 2.3
Learning from Peter Markli

As said before, this might have been the most interesting and
important part of the research. Since I designed a relatively
simple, rhythmic and ordered building, the counter balancing
element of disorder became even more important. I applied this
tension on a few occasions and even removed some the disorder
because it disrupted the balance.

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208

Figure 142: Drawing 47: Facade detail

section, scale 1:100
DETAILLING

Figure 143: Drawing 48: Detail V.1

Podium floor, scale 1:10

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 Figure 144: Drawing 49: Detail V.2,
scale 1:10

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Figure 145: Drawing 50: Detail V.3,
scale 1:10

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SUMMARY 2.6
Learning from Peter Märkli

I have to admit that I did very little time on analysing the

detailing of Märkli’s work on a small scale. I did rarely go beyond
the scale of the facade system. I was interested in his heating
system in front of windows, the why behind the curtains he
often uses, the coloring of the frames and how deep the window
sits into the facade for example. For the smaller scale, I only
relied on my visits to his buildings and photos. Therefore, I have
to conclude that there is probably a lot still to learn there.

213
CONCLUSION
After a long, hard but fulfilling graduation project, the question
remains if I have become masterly in being an apprentice? Did
I master the process of learning from, instead of simply copying
the solutions of my so called role model Peter Märkli? Does the
project represent me?
The design process had a very confused beginning. I found
it quite hard to concentrate solely on Peter Märkli without
expressing myself. Therefore, in the beginning - when I did
not fully understood Märkli yet - I started the design just by
expressing my own ideas on the plot.
It took me a while to understand Märkli, which probably has to
do with my character which tends to be a little bit stubborn. I
did not know where and how to look. I mean this in the sense
that I first had to research Märkli a little more before I could
integrate his thoughts into my work.
However, from the moment I got a grip on Märkli, it really
paid off. With the interior concept of the podium in mind, I
started to combine the works of Märkli with my own. I began
to understand his urban concepts and applied Märkli’s other
thoughtful principals in the building.
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Since I already explained myself on the six research topics during
the report I want to end with answering the questions below:
Did the final design become an original “Tim van der Steen” ?
Did I master being an apprentice?
Well, I think it did. I think I have been a decent apprentice of
Peter Märkli in trying to understand what he meant in the six
‘elements of the architectural language’ I chose to research. I
detached myself from my master in at least 4 of the 6 topics
and accomplished a creative attitude towards my role model in
those areas.
There is still some a lot to learn from this Swiss architect, but
that it something I can study on the side during the next period
of my life: I am proud of and happy with the final design
and excited to enter the beautiful architecture profession to,
hopefully, become a master of architecture myself.
Thank you for reading,
Sincerely yours,
TIM VAN DER STEEN
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY EINDHOVEN
JULY 2019
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Interior by Aldo van Eyck: gathering place with a column at its center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Figure 2: Exterior by Aldo van Eyck: exterior gathering place and pool with column at its center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Figure 3: Provocative hand sketch by Leon Krier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Figure 4: Overview of Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 5: Portrait of Peter Märkli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Figure 6: Portrait of Rudolf Olgiati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Figure 7: Excursion: Interior space of Casa Radulff by Rudolf Olgiati. Plasticity of the ceilings. . . . . . . . 16
Figure 8: Portrait of Hans Josephson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Figure 9: Investigating sketches by Peter Märkli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Figure 10: Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare by Andrea Palladio, 1572, Sqaure facade (left) . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Figure 11: Palazzo Thiene Bonin Longare by Andrea Palladio, 1572, entrance facade (right) . . . . . . . . . . 23
Figure 12: Project in Pontresina by Alex Herter (side facade, left) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Figure 13: Project in Pontresina by Alex Herter (main facade, right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Figure 14: Analysis 1 - Schematic diagram of Palladian Floor plans by project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Figure 15: Analysis 2 - Schematic plan and facade of Markli’s project in Mels, 1979 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Figure 16: Analysis 3 - Schematic plan and facade of Märkli’s project in Azmoos, 1982. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Figure 17: Analysis 4 - Muralization and Hierarchy of facades, Peter Märkli in Azmoos (1987) . . . . . . . . 27
Figure 18: Analysis 5 - Muralization and Hierarchy of facades, project Haus Dr. Allemann by Rudolf Olgiati, 1968-69
28
Figure 19: Analysis 6 - Hierarchy of facades with uniting overlay-system, Azmoos (2000) . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Figure 20: Analysis 7 - Beams of Im Birch Schule, Oerlikon, Zurich by Peter Märkli (2000) . . . . . . . . . 31
Figure 21: Analysis 8 - Different fill-in of Im Birch Schule, Oerlikon, Zurich by Peter Märkli (2000) . . 32
Figure 22: Excursion - Project visitation: Im Birch Schule by Peter Märkli, Zurich (CH) . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Figure 23: Summary sketch: Azmoos 1982 (left), Sargans 1986 (middle), Trubbach 1988 (right) . . . . . . 36
Figure 24: Analysis 9 - Self study to understand Markli’s proportion system. Left: the system. Right: Markli’s Azmoos
project 1982 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Figure 25: Analysis 10 - Study of Märkli’s proportion system on his facade in Azmoos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Figure 26: Sketch: Explanatory sketch about the scaling principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Figure 27: Sketch: “Gender columns” by Olgiati and Märkli. from left to right: Erechtheion, olgiati’s columns at casa
radulff, peter märkli’s column at im gut housing, märkli’s column at the winary in Cave Bec . . . . . . . . . . 43
Figure 28: Excusion: Im Gut Housing by Peter Märkli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
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Figure 29: Winery Cave Bec by Peter Märkli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Figure 30: Analysis 11 - Situation plan, Winary Fin Bec by Peter Markli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Figure 31: Analaysis 12 - Front Facade column width in ‘big room’, Winary Fin Bec by Peter Markli . . . 47
Figure 32: Analaysis 13 - Im Gut Housing. 3D scaling scheme of the volume through floor plan design. 48
Figure 33: Analysis 14 - Im Gut Housing. 3D scaling scheme of the volume through floor plan design. Dark red
rooms are mirrored and repeated along the length of the building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Figure 34: Summary - Vitruvian man (left), proportion system by Peter Märkli, without proprtion system (right)
50
Figure 35: Analysis 15 - Plan and facade of the Brig Apartments by Peter Märkli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Figure 36: Analysis 16 - Floor plan of the Family house Grabs by Peter wMarkli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Figure 37: Analysis 17 -Example of Order & Disorder by Peter Markli. Entrance facade of familyhouse Winterhur
54
Figure 38: Analysis 18 - Redraw of the entrance facade of Markli’s Novartis building in Basel, Switzerland to
understand the proportion system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Figure 39: Analysis 19 - The role of disorder in Synthesis Headquaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Figure 40: Summary 2.3 Doorsketch in relation to formwork: door in formwork pattern (left), doorsketch based on
Peter Märkli’s Museo La Congiunta (middle), no relation to formwork (right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Figure 41: Excusion: - Hotelfachschule, Zurich by Peter Markli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Figure 42: Excursion: Hotelfachschule, Zurich by Peter Markli, exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Figure 43: Painting by Henri Matisse Le Peintre dans son atelier, 1917 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Figure 44: Analysis 20 - Section of Novartis office building. Disfferences in materials applied on ceilig and columns on
entrance level and offices. (top) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Figure 45: Schemetic images of the stylobate, the third step of the crepidoma where the columns of a greek temple are
placed upon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Figure 46: Analysis 21 - Section of Novartis office building. Difference in atrium size entrance floor and office floors
64
Figure 47: Family house, Erlenbach by Peter Markli (1997). 3D view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Figure 48: Family house, Erlenbach by Peter Markli (1997). Front view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Figure 49: Summary 2.5 - Floor, wall, ceiling materials: tradditional (left), Peter Markli’s synthesis building (middle,
left), Peter Markli’s HotelFachschule (middle, right), modern museum (top,right), modern stripped coffee bar (right,
bottom) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Figure 50: Painting - ‘Nude against the Light’, Pierre Bonnard, 1919-20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Figure 51: Painting - Apples by Cezanne, c. 1878 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Figure 52: Analysis 22 - Artistic impression attempting to show the merging of foreground and background in Märkli’s
Figure 74: Rendered image - Theatre of Architecture by Mario Botta (no. 2, top right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
family house in Azmoos (2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Figure 75: Completed design Theatre of Architecture by Mario Botta (no. 2, top right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Figure 53: Artistic situation plan of Novartis campus, Basel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Figure 76: Excursion Photos - Bird view of the design area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Figure 54: Analysis 23 - Artistic impression (collage) attempting to show the thought process of Märkli’s Novartis
Figure 77: Drawing 5 - Concept scheme. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
exterior facade in sense of color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Figure 78: Drawing 6 - Morphology & Orientation of the Campus buildings and the local housing . . . 135
Figure 55: Summary 2.5 - Summary 2.5 - Materials provide color in Villa Rotanda by Palladio (left), Märkli’s family
Figure 79: Drawings 7 - Fragmentation of the campus. Seperated by the road ‘Via Turconi’. In grey, all the campus
house Azmoos 2002 (middle), Märkli’s family house Azmoos 1982 as a progressive attitude for color (top, right),
buildings. In yellow, the area the AAM campus wants to buy in the future to expand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
absence of color in Corbusier’s villa Savoye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Figure 80: Drawings 8 - Plot anomaly I: Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Figure 56: Analysis 24 - 3D model of Synthes facade ‘knot’ - construction detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Figure 81: Drawings 9 - Plot anomaly II: Theater of Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Figure 57: Analysis 25 - Window ornamentation of a selection of Märkli’s projects: Hotelfachschule (top row, right),
Figure 82: Sketch - The Argument for start the design with a Square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
facade renovarion Zurich (middle row, left), Hotelfachschule (bottom row, left). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Figure 83: Drawing 10 - Final position of volume in the context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Figure 58: Analysis 26 - Palladio’s Palazzo Porte, Vicenza (top row, left), ancient roman window design (middle row,
Figure 84: Drawing 11 - Section: the podium (dark red) as an antidote to fragmentation, connecting buildings 140
left of two), Palladio window design (middle row, right of two), Venetian window (bottom row, right) . . 75
Figure 85: Drawing 12 - Morphological relation of our design with Palazzo Turconi. Sequence of patio’s and atria’s
Figure 59: Photo - Palazzo Porte by Andrea Palladio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
140
Figure 60: Photo - Sargans apartments by Peter Märkli, 1986 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Figure 86: Drawing 13 - Podium continues underneath the space inbetween our design and Palazzo Turconi 140
Figure 61: Analysis 27 - Ornaments on facade (left). Palazzo Porte by Palladio (left), Apartment building in Sargans by
Figure 87: Sketches: Process sketches of the podium concept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Peter Markli, 1986 (right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Figure 88: Sketches: Representative front facade for the workshop (right) with a podium plinth relating to the
Figure 62: Analysis 27 - Ornaments on facade: sketch on concrete formwork of Peter Markli’s entrance facade
representative front side of Turconi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
apartments Trubbach, 1988 (right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Figure 89: Drawing 14 - Representative front side of both Palazzo Turconi and our new student workshop (left). 142
Figure 63: Photo - Entrance volume project Trubbach 1988 by Peter Märkli (right) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Figure 90: Drawing 15 - Back facades facing each other. Our new workshop should respond in a similar calm facade.
Figure 64: Excursion - Apartments Gutstrasse, Peter Markli, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
143
Figure 65: Sketches: investigative sketches of details designed by Peter Märkli and Rudolf Olgiati . . . . . . 80
Figure 91: Sketches: Calm rhytmic back facade to respond to the facade of Palazzo Turconi . . . . . . . . . . 143
Figure 66: Excursion: Rudolf Olgiati’s Casa Radulff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Figure 92: Sketches - Searching for a facade system and unity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Figure 67: Summary 2.6 - Palazzo Porte by Andrea Palladio (left), Projects in Sargans by Peter Marli (middle), fictional
Figure 93: Sketches - Searching for a facade system and unity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
modern building with glass street facade (right). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Figure 94: Drawing 16 Service & routing sides of volume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Figure 68: Drawing 1 - Map - location of Mendrisio (opposite page) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Figure 95: Sketch - Starting point of the floor plan within the rectangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Figure 69: Drawing 2 - Concept Map - location of Mendrisio (red dot), urban area (yellow), mountain area (green)
Figure 96: Drawing 17 Location of the building in the design plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
129
Figure 97: Drawing 18 Location of the building in the design plot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Figure 70: Drawing 3 - Concept section of the design area and the context. In yellow the campus buildings, our design
Figure 98: Drawing 19 The podium explained in schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
ought to be in front of the church (red). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Figure 99: Drawing 20: Floorplan P0 Podium, scale 1:300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Figure 71: Drawing 4 - Architecture Academy Campus Mendrisio (AAM) with the design area in red. . . 130
Figure 100: Drawing 21 - 3D visualization of the podium (dark red) for architecture students . . . . . . . . 157
Figure 72: Excursion Photo - Palazzo Turconi (no.1, top left) - Patio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Figure 101: Drawing 29: Length section Podium, scale 1:300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Figure 73: Excursion Photo - Local Church (no.3, bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

217
Figure 102: Drawing 28: Routing of entrance floor, scale 1:200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Figure 139: Drawing 48: Detail V.1 Podium floor, scale 1:10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Figure 103: Sketches - Starting point for the facades of the volume. Emphasizing the central space . . . . . 160 Figure 140: Drawing 49: Detail V.2, scale 1:10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Figure 104: Drawing 22: North facade in context, scale 1:200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 Figure 141: Drawing 50: Detail V.3, scale 1:10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Figure 105: Drawing 23 - Scheme of the facade system of the building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Figure 106: Sketch: Detaile scheme of the facade columns on the corners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Figure 107: Sketch: Study of facade composition regarding the main facade and entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Figure 108: Drawing 26: North facade in relation to its openings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Figure 109: Impression of the north facade view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Figure 110: Impression of the south facade view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Figure 111: Drawing 27: South facade in relation to its openings, scale 1:200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Figure 112: Drawing 36: West facade in relation to its openings, sclae 1:200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Figure 113: Drawing 40 - West facade in relation to its openings, scale 1:200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Figure 114: Impression podium to North (entrance) facade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Figure 115: Impression main entrace P=0 towards the upper workshop floor P=1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Figure 116: Drawing 24: Proportion scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Figure 117: Drawing 25: Proportions of facade elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Figure 118: Drawing 30: Material plan, P=0 Entrance floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Figure 119: Drawing 31: Section width, sclae 1:300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Figure 120: Drawing 32: Machinary level, P=-1, 3D model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Figure 121: Drawing 33: Machinary level, P=-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Figure 122: Drawing 35: Material floor plan P=-1 Machinary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Figure 123: Drawing 34: Starting point materials interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Figure 124: (Next page) Impression patio underneath the square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Figure 125: (Next page) Impression patio area class rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Figure 126: Drawing 39: Material floorplan P=1 workshop, sclae 1:300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Figure 127: Drawing 37: 3D model P=1 workshop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Figure 128: Drawing 38: Floor plan P=1 workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Figure 129: Impression of workshop floor P=1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Figure 130: Impression of workshop floor P=1, entrance from south square . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Figure 131: Drawing 41 - Lunch and office floorplan P=2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Figure 132: Drawing 42 - 3D model of Plaza, P=2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Figure 133: Drawing 43,44 - Order & disorder in North and East facade, scale 1:200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Figure 134: Drawing 45 Order and disorder in South and West facade, scale 1:200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Figure 135: Drawing 46: Material plan P=2 and disorder in materialization, scale 1:300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Figure 136: Impression offices floor P=2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Figure 137: Impression Office and lunch area, P=2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Figure 138: Drawing 47: Facade detail section, scale 1:100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

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A Podium for Architecture students
by learning from Swiss architect Peter Märkli

This graduation report is part of the design studio ‘Masterly

Apprenticeship’ which focuses on ‘how to master the art of being
an apprentice’. How should students learn of a role model? In
this report, this role model is well known Swiss architect Peter
Märkli.

After an Introduction in Part I, Peter Märkli functions as a

Case Study in Part II in order to investigate what attitude the
Swiss architect has towards the past. How does Märkli learn
from history? This is done by researching six topics: plan &
facade, proportion & scale, order & disorder, material, color
and ornament & detail. This knowledge is then used in Part III
Design to design a school for architecture students in Mendrisio,
Switzerland.

7XX37 Graduation Project Under supervision of:

T.J.J.(Tim) van der Steen ir. J.P.A. (Jan) Schevers
Studentnr. 0726484 dr. J.C.T. (Jacob) Voorthuis
J.J.P.M. (Sjef ) van Hoof

Department of the Built July 12th 2019,

Environment University of Technology
Architecture, Building and Eindhoven
Planning