Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer ListThumbs

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

November 10, 2009

Every week we're going to post about architects that make or have made history influencing many. Nothing better to start us off than with a great Brazilian architect who has been referred to worldwide for having turned architecture into a popular subject in his country, and even today at almost 102 years of age, still continues to gift us with his work.

Dia do Arquiteto: Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida de Niemeyer Soares Filho was born in Rio de Janeiro on December 15th, 1907. As a child he was always outlining imaginary buildings in the air with his finger and at times even correcting himself, already searching for the perfection that makes his work today.

He married young at 21 years of age, and with this new responsibility he started to work and went back to school. In 1934 he received his Architecture and Engineering diploma at the School of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro.

Influences

Right after having graduated, Neimeyer, who didn't appreciate commercial architecture of the time, looked for an office where he could work with a new type of architecture, one that fit more his ideas. Without pay, he started working at the office of Lúcio Costa and Carlos Leão. In Brazil at the time, it was few who dared to reach modernism.

"Well, there were groups, three or four, I don't know, that already worked with those influences… in the line of Corbusier. We took it seriously, like a catechism. But still we hadn't "felt" the essence of his art. For me, the real influence came from talking to him… When he told me: "Architecture is invention!". That word… well… it was something very important for me."

He met Le Corbusier when he was integrated in the commission formed to define the plans of the headquarters of the Ministry of Education and Health in Rio de Janeiro where the master of modernism supervised.

Works

His first work individually executed was the building "Obra do Berço" in Rio de Janeiro. The building was designed in reinforced concrete structure, containing the fundamental elements of modern architecture: free structure, free plan, free facade, stilts and patio.

Obra do berço

Ministério da Educação e Saúde

After projects executed by the office of Lucio Costa, Niemeyer met, in 1940, the mayor of Belo Horizonte, Juscelino Kubitschek, who had an interest in developing an area north of the city. Niemeyer is responsible for designing the "Pampulha architectural complex". With a daring and controversial project at the time, show up clearly in these works, his appreciation for the arts. p>

Conjunto Pampulha

Conjunto Pampulha

Conjunto Pampulha

Conjunto Pampulha

"My concern, since the first project I did, was the integration with the arts. I think the architecture and the arts should come together" VBS TV

This project brought about an international repercussion to his name, and established an important bond with Juscelino designing his home and building the future capital of his country. But before the project of Brasilia, there were a series of outstanding works such as the headquarters of Banco Boavista, Odessa College, Copan Joint and the UN headquarters in New York, a joint project with Corbusier, among others.

Edifício Montreal

Edifício California

Conjunto Copan

Conjunto Copan

Sede das Nações Unidas

“When I make a building, I am not satisfied until I know that it inspires awe, that it inspires feeling.”

Casa das Canoas

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

The Challenge of Constructing a Capital

Building a powerful city with a short execution time, was how Niemeyer and Lucio Costa, his former boss started the project. With the modernist concepts of the city, the stage was being built with Niemeyer's artworks being implemented. Taking full advantage possible from using concrete, he created works known to the world and they transformed the city into a one of a kind experience.

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

"...who goes to Brasilia, may or may not like the palaces, but either way can not say they've seen something like that before. And architecture is this - invention." Oscar Niemeyer

Around the World

Niemeyer went around the world with his projects. Germany, Cuba, Lebanon, United States, Israel, Portugal, Congo, France, Algeria, Italy, Mexico, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Bolivia, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Nicaragua, Cape Verde, Senegal, Uruguay, Norway, Russia , Spain, Chile and Venezuela, are places where you can contemplate the works of this great master of architecture.

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

Architect Day: Oscar Niemeyer

About the author

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My name is Marcelo Seferin, I'm an architect from Porto Alegre, Brazil and I'm the chief architect at Seferin Arquitetura, an office that works with architecture, interior design and sustainability projects. You can check our work at http://www.seferinarquitetura.com.br and you can follow me at twiiter http://www.twitter.com/mseferin.

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31 Comments

Jasmin Halkic11/10/2009

Cool

thepeachdesign11/10/2009

Wow! Those are some great architectures. Very futuristic. Love it all. :D

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http://www.thepeachdesign.com

Hybrid5911/10/2009

Magnifique ! j'aimerai voir des immeubles comme ça dans ma ville !
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http://hybrid-creation.deviantart.com/

Eder11/10/2009

O Oscar é demais!

Isso é porque você ainda esqueceu de inserir a imagem do Hotel Nacional do Rio de Janeiro, que infelizmente está desativado.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3114456470_55bd092506_o.jpg

fred carlos11/10/2009

indescritível... grande artista

Alle11/10/2009

ORGULHO DE SER BRASILEIRO!

Anonymous11/10/2009

LOve him! Brasilia As soon as i can*

Samuel Larsson11/10/2009

Beautiful indeed... I have yet another photo of that F*A*N*T*A*S*T*I*C stair here; http://www.hyperislandinternship.se/?p=1031.

Marcelo, If you would like to use it sometime I can send you a link with a higher resolution. I was in Brasilia 2005. Thanks for a great post!

late_cow11/10/2009

cool architecture
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http://lateant.deviantart.com/

Web Trindade11/10/2009

Esta semana eu recebi uma cópia da edição especial da revista veja falando sobre os 50 anos de Brasília. E realmente... o Oscar Niemeyer é o cara!

Silas Chosen11/10/2009

Interesting to notice how he managed to adapt his convictions in form of art. He has always been a communist sympathizer, and you can notice in many of his work symbols like the Hammer, the Scythe.

I'm not at all judging his patriotism or his ideals, i'm just praising his arts and expressionism. To be able to express whatever is your ideals in such remarkable way is awesome, even though i personally condemn communism.

He is one of the greatest architects of all time.

Laércio11/10/2009

Obras que influenciam o comportamento de toda uma sociedade.

aragorn7811/10/2009

Great article - 2 remarks:

1- Corbusier´s family name is "Le Corbusier" and should be refered as such.

2 - The communist party building in Paris, place du colonel Fabien, with its wonderful modern coupole and wavy shape, can actually be fully visited once a year for free, during "Journées du Patrimoine" (monuments´day), usually around the 20th of september. Stop at metro station "Colonel Fabien" (blue line). So do not miss it if you are there...

A picture from inside the coupole
http://imgjam.com/Barbara/coupole.jpg

Have a good day !

peeps11/10/2009

Oscar Niemeyer é o maior ícone da arquitetura brasileira. No país não existe ninguém igual a ele. Ele é o melhor de todos os tempos.
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Oscar Niemeyer greatest icon of Brazilian architecture. He is the best of all time.

Mark11/10/2009

I study exactly besides the Latin America Memorial, I see it everyday. That's really beautiful. :)

Miguel Sá11/10/2009

Faltou a obra mais recente. A Cidade Administrativa de MG =]

InfinityDesign11/10/2009

Amazing!

Lekefa11/10/2009

Ótimo post! Adorei.
Só acho q faltou o nome e onde fica cada obra que aparece nas fotos.

Carstyler1111/10/2009

very cool style, his work is awesome :)

http://carstyler11.deviantart.com/

ejm39911/10/2009

Very nice! The spiral staircase is beautiful!

http://emeyers399.deviantart.com/

Gemn200011/10/2009

Amazing and inspiring architecture. Such creative use of organic shaped buildings.

Pablo Mexico Rock's11/10/2009

Él si que es un arquitecto en toda la extensión de la palabra. Veo sus obras de los 60's y son completamente actuales en términos visuales. Niemeyer + Brazil = rock's!!! ;)

crunkeee11/10/2009

I really love your architectural posts. You always select beautiful and inspiring images. Love this site!

Douglas Mendes11/10/2009

Pertinho de mim a igreja da pampulha, meus pais se casaram lá! Muito bom o trabalho dele, muito inspirador!

Darkitecht11/10/2009

Great post, Great architect, great stuff

vinicius_chaves11/11/2009

I leave in Brasilia and what I can say is that a single walk can be really inspiring here. Thanks to one of the most incredible architects of all time, Oscar Niemeyer.

Fábio oliveira11/11/2009

Niemayer realmente é o cara quando se fala de arquitetura e urbanismo no brasil.
No "fim" da vida e ainda nos encanta com suas criações!

José Coelho11/11/2009

Marcelo, por favor, bote legenda nessas fotos.

nx60411/13/2009

nice article and such a great architect!

Guilherme :D11/13/2009

made in brazil ;)

shim11/16/2009

veeeeeeeeery good
thanks for my dear teacher

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