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Posted On: September 15th 2026, 09:02 am
The custom grey Danish bricks measure precisely five hundred millimetres long.
📍 Cologne, Germany — 2007
Peter Zumthor encases the Gothic remnants of St. Kolumba within a permeable masonry shell. The facade, composed of elongated Petersen Tegl units, uses deliberate perforations to filter air and light through the ruins of the bombed church. This grey-brown skin establishes a tectonic weight while remaining porous enough to reveal the historical layers beneath.
Inside, the transition between eras is marked by a crisp seam where new floors meet the original foundations. Board-formed concrete soffits and precisely cut stone lintels introduce a shift in density and texture against the brickwork. The light remains soft and indirect, directed by skylights and cavity openings to prioritize the haptic quality of the space.
How does the omission of a reconstructed roof change the thermal and acoustic memory of a sacred site?
Credit: Peter Zumthor; Petersen Tegl.
We reran this facade in ARCHITECTT to see how the light would fall in July.
· · ·
Does the perforated brick facade successfully filter light into the ruin
Full piece in our Journal — https://architectt.com/journal/kolumba-museum-tactility-light
#concretearchitecture #brickarchitecture #doorsofinstagram #futurearchitecture #housingdesign #architecturaldetails #architecturephotography #craftsmanship #timberframe #vernaculararchitecture #design #architecturelovers
📍 Cologne, Germany — 2007
Peter Zumthor encases the Gothic remnants of St. Kolumba within a permeable masonry shell. The facade, composed of elongated Petersen Tegl units, uses deliberate perforations to filter air and light through the ruins of the bombed church. This grey-brown skin establishes a tectonic weight while remaining porous enough to reveal the historical layers beneath.
Inside, the transition between eras is marked by a crisp seam where new floors meet the original foundations. Board-formed concrete soffits and precisely cut stone lintels introduce a shift in density and texture against the brickwork. The light remains soft and indirect, directed by skylights and cavity openings to prioritize the haptic quality of the space.
How does the omission of a reconstructed roof change the thermal and acoustic memory of a sacred site?
Credit: Peter Zumthor; Petersen Tegl.
We reran this facade in ARCHITECTT to see how the light would fall in July.
· · ·
Does the perforated brick facade successfully filter light into the ruin
Full piece in our Journal — https://architectt.com/journal/kolumba-museum-tactility-light
#concretearchitecture #brickarchitecture #doorsofinstagram #futurearchitecture #housingdesign #architecturaldetails #architecturephotography #craftsmanship #timberframe #vernaculararchitecture #design #architecturelovers
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