“I work anywhere between three and 10 years on a project, depending on ...” — Peter Zumthor Quote

I work anywhere between three and 10 years on a project, depending on the size. My lifetime is finite. Therefore, I have to look carefully at how many projects I want to put into my lifetime.

My buildings should have an emotional core - a space which, in itself, has an emotional nice feeling.

When I concentrate on a specific site or place for which I am going to design a building, I try to plumb its depths, its form, its history and its sensuous qualities.

My relationship to plants becomes closer and closer. They make me quiet; I like to be in their company.

I've built two wooden houses near Vals. I built them for my wife. Those were private projects.

I took to saying, 'Look, tell you what: Pick it up; open it anywhere. Read three pages. If you can put it down again, I'll pay you a dollar. So I never lost any money on that bet, but I sold a lot of books.

I flirted with Rihanna once. It didn't work - but it didn't not work. It didn't go anywhere, but it was a great conversation.

People can now get to see anything they want, in any shape or form, anywhere, on laptop, iPad or 'phone. What's not controllable, though, is the live element. So there's still a real thrill for TV viewers in watching actors pulling it all together and performing live, and a real challenge for the actors.

I think smart, disciplined, tough - that environment can exist anywhere.