Daniel A. Walser

---

Daniel A. Walser
Daniel Walser.jpg Daniel Walser.jpg
Born	St. Gallen, Switzerland
🏳️ Citizenship	Swiss
🎓 Alma mater	ETH Zurich
💼 Occupation	Architect, Architectural theoretician, critic
🌐 Website	http://www.danielwalser.com

Daniel A. Walser is a Swiss architectural theoretician, critic, curator, and architect. His investigative architectural work covers the field of Contemporary Alpine Architecture. His theoretical works in the architectural development and diversification of the idea of Alpine Architecture have been presented in several projects that took the form of books, essays, articles, and exhibitions. His most highly regarded architectural books are Structure and Building Materials. Orchestrating by Gravity (2018), Valerio Olgiati: Works (2012), New architecture in the Grisons (2007), and What Say Wood. In Praise of Shadows Arkitektur (2018). His educative curatorial initiatives were performed during the exclusive multiform exhibitions among them Exhibiting Architecture. The building as an exhibit, Zeughaus Teufen (2018), If Attitude Defines Form. Young Architecture from Graubünden, Architekturforum Zurich (2013) and Four evenings on space and Time / Vier Abende zu Raum und Zeit in collaboration with Dr. Katharina Ammann, Bündner Kunstmuseum Chur (2014).

Career

Walser is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons, FHGR. He studied architecture at ETH Zurich and the Sapienza University in Rome. Walser was highly influenced by architects Frank O. Gehry, Wolfgang Schett, and Luisa Anversa. After university graduation he worked as an assistant to Professor Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani at the ETH in Zurich. Together with Roger Boltshauser he was involved in the establishment of the international architecture master program at Chur Institute of Architecture. Walser leads a significant position in the field of architectural criticism in which, as a critic, he focuses on the relationship of tensions between architecture, sites, and art in the Alpine areas. He worked on the architecture of Bruno Giacometti and also completed research on the architectural interventions and buildings of the architect Rudolf Olgiati, Andres Liesch, and Pfleghard & Haefeli in Uzwil. Walser was honored with the Swiss Art Award for Architecture Education in 2009.

Architectural theory

The emphasis in Walser’s theoretical work is given to large-scale architecture, infrastructure design, and analytical methods with particular attention to the topology of the Alpine mountains’ nature and its distinctive cultural and landscape living characteristics. Architecture, based on a strong belief in innovation, happens today not anymore in the urban centers where architecture is very much controlled by large investors and institutions. Over the landscape periphery, where fewer economic resources are available, architecture solutions need to be more precise and innovative to make life possible and go a step forward. In his architectural theory, Walser is convinced that architectural possibilities have a direct influence on society and politics by spatial-material use and urban planning. The main idea of his theory is less about finding new abstract theories but more the other way around: to give architecture an impact on society and develop a new theoretical basis out of the practical results. Thus he rejects the development of idealistic theories but gives architecture a social, political, and environmental dimension with research for specific diverse solutions. With such a wide approach architecture can achieve local support and is able to solve urban problems. Therefore architecture gains economical relevance and the theoretical work creates a basis for further developments.

Published works

As writer

• World Architecture 1900-2000. A Critical Mosaic: Volume 4 The Mediterranean Basin, editors Kenneth Frampton, Zhang Qinnan, Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani, associate editor Daniel A. Walser, Springer Verlag Wien New York, 2002.
• Kunst im Un-Privaten / Roentgenraum, editors: Peter Stohler, Carole Klopfenstein, Daniel Walser, Edition Fink, Zurich, 2004.
• Recent buildings in the Grisons, in World Architecture, Daniel A. Walser, issue editor, Beijing, No. 4 / April, 2007.
• Valerio Olgiati, in World Architecture, Daniel A. Walser, issue editor, Beijing, No. 8 / August, 2012.
• What Say Wood. In Praise of Shadows Arkitektur. with an article: Specific Light and Shadow for an authentic place, Prof. Daniel A. Walser. Publisher For Architecture, Zurich 2018. ISBN 9783907143001
• Structure and Building Materials. Orchestrating by Gravity, in World Architecture, issue editor and writer: Daniel A. Walser, Beijing, No. 2 / February 2018. ISSN 1002-4832
• The unknown architecture in Veltlin. Part of the series: Contemporary Architecture in the Alps, architecture guide, FHGR, 2020.

Articles

• Ignazio Gardella, in: Werk, Bauen + Wohnen, Nekrolog, June 1999, P.60-61.
• Ich zeichne, weil ich sehen will. Ausstellung über Carlo Scarpa in Verona und Vicenza, in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Feuilleton, 14. November 2000, p.65.
• Vom Tod am Bildschirm und dem Respekt gegenüber dem Menschen, in: Trans. Transfer. Die Architektur und ihre Medien, Nr. 8, December 2001, p.118-123.
• Wir sind die letzten noch lebenden Funktionalisten, Interview mit Denise Scott Brown und Robert Venturi über ihre Arbeitsweise und über das Architekturgeschäft mit dem «11. September», in: tech 21, Nr. 1-2, 10. January 2003, p.13-15.
• Ludovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso, 1909-2004. Die Revolution der Kontinuität, in: Werk, Bauen und Wohnen, Nachruf, No. 7/8, 2004, p.68.
• Wohnen und Arbeiten an einem Ort der Sinne. Das neue Atelier- und Wohngebäude von Peter Zumthor in Haldenstein, in: Bündner Monatsblatt. Zeitschrift für Bündner Geschichte, Landeskunde und Baukultur, Nr. 4/2005, p.394-402.
• The Power of Building Tradition, cd-rom, in Book of Abstracts and cd of papers, 1st International Meeting EAHN. European Architecture History Network, Guimarães, Portugal, June 17-20, 2010.
• Modelierte Bauten. Eine Álvaro-Siza-Schau in Innsbruck, in: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Nr. 191, Saturday 18. August 2012, p.57.
• Haptisches Fabrikgebäude als eratischer Block - Das Ricola-Kreuterzentrum in Laufen, in: Detail, Nr. 9, September 2014, P.852-854.
• Turmbau zu Babel. Giovanni Netzer und Walter Bieler: Theaterturm für das Origen Festival auf dem Julierpass, in: Archithese, No. 1, 2018, p.84-93.

Exhibitions

• Exhibition, Sanaa. Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, FHGR Chur 11. – 29. April 2006, curator.
• Between the forms. Young architecture Stadtgalerie Chur. 8th March – 4. April 2012.
• If Attitude Defines Form. Young Architecture from Graubünden, Architekturforum Zurich 30. April – 18th May 2013, curator.
• Four evenings on space and Time / Vier Abende zu Raum und Zeit, in collaboration with Dr. Katharina Ammann (Bündner Art Museum Chur) lecture series and additional exhibition in the foyer of FHGR Chur with works of the artists: Zilla Leutenegger and Anina Schenker 27th October – 4th December 2014, curator.
• Der Bauer und das liebe Vieh. Ein Terretorium im Wandel, exhibition for Langer Samstag (12 hours of culture in Chur, 2017) 11. November exhibition space: FHGR Chur curator in collaboration with Chantal Störmer Fundaziun Capaulliana.
• Exhibiting Architecture. The building as exhibit, curated by Daniel A. Walser. Exhibition at Zeughaus Teufen 25. February – 25. March 2008.
• The digital architecture competition, exhibition of the architecture competition projects for a new addition to the existing complex of the University of Applied Sciences FHGR in Chur 25. October bis 5. November 2021 exhibition at FHGR Chur curator: Daniel A. Walser.

External links

FHGR Architektur Bauingenieurwesen

In Praise of Shadows, essay by Daniel A. Walser for IPOS exhibition KTH-A LÄSTIPS: Till skuggornas lov / Junichiro Tanizaki / 1998

Architektur als spezifischer Denk-, Handlungs- und Aktionsraum : rege Präsenz der Bündner Architekten an der Architekturbiennale in Venedig, ETH- Bibliothek.

Der Architekturwettbewerb als Gewinn für alle Seiten

This article "Daniel A. Walser" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Daniel A. Walser. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

---