DE ZON

An obsolete word, sphallolalia is defined as flirtatious talk that leads nowhere.

etymology:  Ancient Greek σφάλλω (sphallō, “to stumble”) and λαλιά (lalia, “talking”).

Zinc Mines Museum Peter Zumthor

One of the projects featured on Peter Zumthor’s tumblr ZTH. His tumblr let us see glimpses of his built and current projects, design process and features in the media.

The zinc mines at Allmannajuvet are an old mining facility in Sauda in the Ryfylke region. The mines were in operation from 1881 until 1899. The mining operations were vital to the local community, with up to 168 employees and shipments of ore to overseas destinations. The operations were a precursor of the later development of hydropower and establishment of manufacturing industries in Sauda in the Ryfylke region. This era is an important part of the history of Sauda. Zumthor faced the task of communicating this old industrial history and making the old mines more accessible to visitors.

To ensure that this historical facility preserves its unique natural and cultural qualities and its experience of a mining community, the architect has chosen a muted form of expression. The architecture includes, for example, three modest buildings: a museum facility for communicating the history of the mines, a café and a service building near the main road. The plain but spectacular buildings have been designed in the tradition of industrial architecture, and blend well into the landscape.

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