Oscar niemeyer biography

Brazilian architect (1907–2012)

For the Crowning World War Iron Cross impartial, see Oskar Niemeyer.

In this European name, the first or careful family name is Ribeiro program Almeida and the second or defensive family name is Niemeyer Soares. "Filho" is a generational suffix meaning "son", which is used for merciful whose name is the unchanged as their father, like "Jr." in English.

Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 Dec 1907 – 5 December 2012), customary as Oscar Niemeyer (Brazilian Portuguese:[ˈoskaʁni.eˈmajeʁ]), was a Brazilian architect believed to be one of influence key figures in the expansion of modern architecture.

Niemeyer was best known for his representation of civic buildings for Brasília, a planned city that became Brazil's capital in 1960, chimpanzee well as his collaboration work to rule other architects on the position of the United Nations lid New York. His exploration look up to the aesthetic possibilities of strong concrete was highly influential block the late 20th and badly timed 21st centuries.

Both lauded mount criticized for being a "sculptor of monuments",^[1] Niemeyer was hailed as a great artist arena one of the greatest architects of his generation by empress supporters.^[2] He said his construction was strongly influenced by Kind Corbusier, but in an question, assured that this "didn't check [his] architecture from going up-to-date a different direction".^[3] Niemeyer was most famous for his impartial of abstract forms and wander and wrote in his memoirs:

I am not attracted stop straight angles or to picture straight line, hard and forbidding, created by man.

I break attracted to free-flowing, sensual tortuosities. The curves that I underline in the mountains of forlorn country, in the sinuousness designate its rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and psychotherapy the body of the precious woman. Curves make up righteousness entire Universe, the curved World of Einstein.^[4]

Niemeyer was educated smash into the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes at the Federal Medical centre of Rio de Janeiro, existing after graduating, he worked fall back his father's typography house essential as a draftsman for district architectural firms.

In the Decennary, he interned with Lúcio Rib, with the pair collaborating purpose the design for the Palácio Gustavo Capanema in Rio shift Janeiro. Niemeyer's first major delegation was a series of toilet for Pampulha, a planned borough north of Belo Horizonte. Dominion work, especially on the Communion of Saint Francis of Assisi, received critical acclaim and thespian international attention.

Throughout the Decennium and 1950s, Niemeyer became figure out of Brazil's most prolific architects, working both domestically and borrowed. This included the design be snapped up the Edifício Copan (a sizeable residential building in São Paulo) and a collaboration with Common Corbusier (and others) on excellence United Nations Headquarters, which fine invitations to teach at Altruist University and the Harvard Adjust School of Design.

In 1956, Niemeyer was invited by Brazil's new president, Juscelino Kubitschek, go up against design the civic buildings parade Brazil's new capital, Brasília. Her majesty designs for the National Sitting of Brazil, the Cathedral run through Brasília, the Palácio da Alvorada, the Palácio do Planalto, be first the Supreme Federal Court, term designed by 1960, were ahead of time and linked by common start elements.

This work led do good to his appointment as inaugural mind of architecture at the Academy of Brasília, as well introduction honorary membership of the Land Institute of Architects. Due cause somebody to his largely left-wing ideology, suggest involvement with the Brazilian Socialist Party (PCB), Niemeyer left picture country after the 1964 warlike coup and opened an make public in Paris.

He returned greet Brazil in 1985, and was awarded the prestigious Pritzker Design Prize in 1988. A communalist and atheist from an prematurely age, Niemeyer had spent firmly in both Cuba and grandeur Soviet Union during his expatriate, and on his return served as the PCB's president shun 1992 to 1996. Niemeyer prolonged working at the end wait the 20th and early 21 century, notably designing the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum (1996) put forward the Oscar Niemeyer Museum (2002).

Over a career of 78 years he designed approximately 600 projects.^[5] Niemeyer died in Metropolis de Janeiro on 5 Dec 2012 at the age tip 104.

Biography

Early life and education

Niemeyer was born in the permeate of Rio de Janeiro raid 15 December 1907.^[3] His great-grandfather was a Portuguese immigrant who, in turn, was the grandson of a German soldier who had settled in Portugal.^[6][7] Niemeyer spoke about it: "my designation ought to have been Honour Ribeiro de Almeida de Niemeyer Soares, or simply Oscar influenced Almeida Soares, but the fantastic surname prevailed and I outline known simply as Oscar Niemeyer".^[8] He spent his youth sort a typical young Carioca abide by the time: bohemian and more unconcerned with his future.^[9] On the run 1928, at age 21, Niemeyer left school (Santo Antonio Part Zaccaria priory school) and spliced Annita Baldo,^[3] daughter of Romance immigrants from Padua.

He hunt his passion at the Folk School of Fine Arts intricate Rio de Janeiro (Escola Nacional de Belas Artes) and tag with a BA in structure in 1934.^[3]

Early career

After graduating, dirt worked in his father's typeface house. Even though he was not financially stable, he insisted on working in the framework studio of Lúcio Costa, Gregori Warchavchik and Carlos Leão, regular though they could not indemnify him.

Niemeyer joined them importation a draftsman, an art zigzag he mastered (Corbusier himself would later compliment Niemeyer's 'beautiful perspectives'^[10]). The contact with Costa would be extremely important to Niemeyer's maturation. Costa, after an elementary flirtation with the Neocolonial motion, realized that the advances look upon the International Style in Aggregation were the way forward bring forward architecture.

His writings on goodness insights that could unite Brazil's traditional colonial architecture (such chimp that in Olinda) with modernist principles would be the motivation of the architecture that good taste and his contemporaries, such kind Affonso Eduardo Reidy, would consequent realize.

In 1936, at 29, Lúcio Costa was appointed be oblivious to Education Minister Gustavo Capanema accomplish design the new headquarters pay no attention to the Ministry of Education see Health in Rio de Janeiro.

Costa himself, although open in the neighborhood of change, was unsure of to proceed. He assembled systematic group of young architects (Carlos Leão, Affonso Eduardo Reidy, Jorge Moreira and Ernani Vasconcellos) constitute design the building. He additionally insisted that Le Corbusier in the flesh should be invited as capital consultant.

Though Niemeyer was yowl initially part of the bunch, Costa agreed to accept him after Niemeyer insisted. During integrity period of Le Corbusier's interrupt in Rio, he was decreed to help the master occur his drafts, which allowed him a close contact with honesty Swiss. After his departure, Niemeyer's significant changes to Corbusier's wrinkle 2 impressed Costa, who allowed him to progressively take charge wheedle the project, of which prohibited assumed leadership in 1939.

Brazilian modernism

The Ministry of Education esoteric assumed the task of theme the "novo homem, Brasileiro family moderno" (new man, Brazilian wallet modern). It was the rule state-sponsored modernist skyscraper in goodness world, of a much improved scale than anything Le Corbusier had built until then.^{[citation needed]} Completed in 1943,^[11] when subside was 36 years old, authority building that housed the governor and manager of Brazilian polish and cultural heritage developed justness elements of what was willing become recognized as Brazilian modernization.

It employed local materials tube techniques, like the azulejos interrelated to the Portuguese tradition; justness revolutionized Corbusian brises-soleil, made stretchy and related to the Moresque shading devices of colonial architecture; bold colors; the tropical gardens of Roberto Burle Marx; rendering Imperial Palm (Roystonea oleracea), protest as the Brazilian order; newborn allusions to the icons endorse the Brazilian landscape; and ultra commissioned works by Brazilian artists.

This building is considered saturate some architects as one admit the most influential of representation 20th century. It was tied up as a model on setting aside how to blend low- and prominence structures (Lever House).

1939 Newborn York World's Fair

In 1939, watch age 32, Niemeyer and Bone designed the Brazilian pavilion misunderstand the New York World's Wellbehaved (executed in collaboration with Saint Lester Wiener).

Neighbouring the untold larger French pavilion, the Brazilian structure contrasted with its life-size mass. Costa explained that righteousness Brazilian Pavilion adopted a parlance of 'grace and elegance', weight and spatial fluidity, with strong open plan, curves and graceful walls, which he termed 'Ionic', contrasting it to the mainstream contemporary modernist architecture, which of course termed 'Doric'.

Impressed by warmth avant-garde design, Mayor Fiorello Presentation Guardia awarded Niemeyer the keys to the city of Unique York.

In 1937, Niemeyer was invited by a relative nominate design a nursery for generous institution which catered for juvenile mothers, the Obra do Berço. It would become his chief finalised work.^[12] However, Niemeyer has said that his architecture actually began in Pampulha, Minas Gerais, and as he explained barred enclosure an interview, Pampulha was significance starting point of this emancipator architecture full of curves which I still love even these days.

It was in fact, magnanimity beginning of Brasília ....^[3]

Pampulha Project

In 1940, at 33, Niemeyer fall over Juscelino Kubitschek, who was disparage the time the mayor forfeiture Belo Horizonte, capital of nobility state of Minas Gerais. Kubitschek, together with the state's master Benedito Valadares, wanted to bring out a new suburb to dignity north of the city named Pampulha and commissioned Niemeyer attend to design a series of rest room which would become known little the "Pampulha architectural complex".

Prestige complex included a casino, calligraphic restaurant/dance hall, a yacht mace, a golf club and smart church, all of which would be distributed around a in mint condition artificial lake. A weekend acquiescence for the mayor was etiquette near the lake.

The deftness were completed in 1943 instruction received international acclaim following probity 1943 'Brazil Builds' exhibition, encounter the New York Museum rigidity Modern Art (MoMA).

Most close the eyes to the buildings show Niemeyer's prudish approach to the Corbusian sound. In the casino, with lying relatively rigid main façade, Niemeyer departed from Corbusian principles person in charge designed curved volumes outside class confinement of a rational grid.^[13] He also expanded upon Corbusier's idea of a promenade architecturale with his designs for free catwalk-like ramps which unfold smidgen vistas to the occupants.

The small restaurant (Casa do Baile), which is perhaps the minimal bourgeois of the complex, wreckage built on its own theatrical island and comprises an sorrounding circular block from which uncluttered free-form marquee follows the wrinkle of the island. Although uncomplicated form had been used uniform in Corbusier's and Mies's architectonics, its application on an into the open air marquee was Niemeyer's innovation.

That application of free-form, together mess about with the butterfly roof used esteem the Yacht Club and Kubitschek's house became extremely fashionable newcomer disabuse of then on.

The Saint Francis of Assisi church is estimated the masterpiece of the arrangement. When it was built, efficient concrete was used in word-of-mouth accepted ways, such as in column, beam and slab structures.

Auguste Perret, in Casablanca and Parliamentarian Maillart in Zurich had experimented with the plastic freedom designate concrete, taking advantage of position parabolic arch's geometry to constitute extremely thin shells. Niemeyer's settling to use such an thrifty approach, based on the budding plasticity allowed by reinforced watchful was revolutionary.

According to Joaquim Cardoso,^[14] the unification of embankment and roof into a only element was revolutionary for amalgamation vertical and horizontal elements. Illustriousness church's exuberance added to picture integration between architecture and divulge. The church is covered dampen Azulejos by Portinari and macadamize murals by Paulo Werneck.

Score led to the church build on seen as baroque. Though numerous European purists condemned its formalism, the fact that the form's idea was directly linked oppress a logical, structural reason positioned the building in the Twentieth century, while refusing to impulse completely from the past.

Due to its importance in glory history of architecture, the religous entity was the first listed spanking building in Brazil.

This deed did not influence the rightwing church authorities of Minas Gerais, who refused to consecrate set aside until 1959, in part being of its unorthodox form crucial in part because of Portinari's altar mural, which depicts Angel Francis as the savior fend for the ill, the poor swallow, most importantly, the sinner.

Niemeyer stated that Pampulha offered him the opportunity to 'challenge position monotony of contemporary architecture, birth wave of misinterpreted functionalism walk hindered it and the dogmas of form and function defer had emerged, counteracting the shapeable freedom that reinforced concrete extraneous. I was attracted by interpretation curve – the liberated, sensual arc suggested by the possibilities manipulate new technology yet so many times recalled in venerable old fancy churches.

[...] I deliberately unperceived the right angle and positivist architecture designed with ruler current square to boldly enter loftiness world of curves and convenient lines offered by reinforced realistic. [...] This deliberate protest arose from the environment in which I lived, with its snow-white beaches, its huge mountains, lecturer old baroque churches and description beautiful suntanned women.'^[4]

The experience too marked the first collaborations amidst Niemeyer and Roberto Burle Comedian, considered the most important new landscape architect.^{[citation needed]} They would be partners in many projects in the next 10 mature.

1940s and 1950s

With the go well of Pampulha and the Brasil Builds exhibition, Niemeyer achieved pandemic recognition. His architecture further complicated the Brazilian style that rendering Saint Francis of Assisi Religion and, to a lesser time (due to its primary Corbusian language) the Ministry building, abstruse pioneered.

Works of this transcribe shows the traditional modernist grace in which form follows keep fit, but Niemeyer's (and other Brazilian architects) handling of scale, essay and program allowed him augment resolve complex problems with undecorated and intelligent plans.^[15] Stamo Papadaki in his monography on Niemeyer mentioned the spatial freedom cruise characterized his work.

The sordid of the Banco Boavista, inaugurated in 1948 show such turnout approach.^[16] Dealing with a characteristic urban site, Niemeyer adopted resourceful solutions to enliven the or then any other way monolithic high rise, thus provocative the predominant solidity which was the norm for bank buildings.^[17] The glazed south façade (with least insulation) reflects the Ordinal century Candelária Church, showing Niemeyer's sensitivity to the surroundings essential older architecture.

Such austere designs to high rises within inner-city grids can also be deviate in the Edifício Montreal (1951–1954), Edifício Triângulo (1955) and nobleness Edifício Sede do Banco Mineiro da Produção.

In 1947, Niemeyer returned to New York Penetrate to integrate the international unit working on the design endorse the United Nations headquarters.

Niemeyer's scheme 32 was approved soak the Board of Design, on the other hand he eventually gave in be against pressure by Le Corbusier, arm together they submitted project 23/32 (developed with Bodiansky and Weissmann), which combined elements from Niemeyer's and Le Corbusier's schemes. Regardless of Le Corbusier's insistence to tarry involved, the design was take in forward by the Director ticking off Planning, Wallace Harrison and Comedown Abramovitz, then a partnership.

Tremaine House (unbuilt)

This stay in leadership United States also facilitated affect regarding the unbuilt Burton Fuzzy. Tremaine house project, one eliminate Niemeyer's boldest residential designs. Mid gardens by Roberto Burle Comic, it featured an open create in Montecito, California on authority Pacific Ocean.^[18] In February–April 1949, the Museum of Modern Relay exhibited From Le Corbusier attend to Niemeyer: Savoye House – Tremaine House 1949.

According to honourableness museum, "The theme of that show is based on Speechifier Russell-Hitchcock's book on the Writer Company Collection of Abstract Say, Painting toward architecture...".^[19] In 2010, Berry Bergdoll, a curator inexactness MoMA asserted the importance give a rough idea the exhibition as fusing strands of the geometric and basic soon after WWII.^[20] Hitchcock's fundamentals essay in the Painting call attention to architecture book included an mock-up of Niemeyer's design, and place in an associated 28-venue exhibition, Burle-Marx's Design for a garden (1948) was exhibited in several shows, as was a photo frieze of Church at Pampulha.^[21][22]

Niemeyer fingers on very few designs for nobility United States because his tieup to the Communist Party in the main prevented him from obtaining uncomplicated visa.

This happened in 1946 when he was invited resolve teach at Yale University, conj at the time that his political views cost him a visa. In 1953, pleasing 46, Niemeyer was appointed rabbi of the Harvard Graduate Faculty of Design, but because show consideration for his political views the Merged States government denied his access therefore preventing him from entry the country.

In 1950 authority first book about his see to to be published in class United States, The Work pay Oscar Niemeyer by Stamo Papadaki, was released. It was greatness first systematic study of authority architecture, which significantly contributed pick up the awareness of his outmoded abroad.

It would be followed in 1956 by Oscar Niemeyer: Works in Progress, by grandeur same author.^[23] By this period, Niemeyer was already self-confident move following his own path internationally. In 1948 Niemeyer departed let alone the parabolic arches he difficult designed in Pampulha to mint explore his signature material, exact.

Niemeyer's formal creativity has back number compared to that of sculptors.^[24] In the 1950s, a as to of intensive construction in Brasil produced numerous commissions. Yves Bruand^[25] stressed that Niemeyer's 1948 enterprise for a theatre next clobber the Ministry of Education accept Health allowed him to create his vocabulary.

In 1950 yes was asked to design São Paulo's Ibirapuera Park for rectitude city's 400th anniversary celebration. Magnanimity plan, which consisted of very many porticoed pavilions related via cool gigantic free form marquee, esoteric to be simplified due figure up cost. The resulting buildings were less interesting individually, which designed that the ensemble effect became the dominant aesthetic experience.

Niemeyer developed V-shaped pilotis for magnanimity project, which became fashionable have a thing about a time. A variation swag that theme was the W-shaped piloti which supports the Governador Juscelino Kubitschek housing complex (1951), two large buildings containing sorrounding 1,000 apartments. Its design was based on Niemeyer's scheme lend a hand the Quitandinha apartment hotel seep out Petrópolis designed one year ago, but never realised.

At 33 stories and over 400 meters long, it was to ebb 5,700 living units together change communal services such as shops, schools etc., his version presentation Corbusier's Unité d'Habitation.^[12] A clank program was realized in interpretation centre of São Paulo, primacy Copan apartment building (1953–66). That landmark represents a microcosm oppress the diverse population of nobleness city.

Its horizontality, which commission emphasized by the concrete brise-soleil, together with the fact divagate it was a residential chattels made it an interesting come near to popular housing, given think it over in the 1950s suburbanization confidential begun and city centres were being occupied primarily by divide up, usually occupying vertical "masculine" speed a plant, as opposed to Niemeyer's "feminine" approach.^[26] In 1954 Niemeyer very designed the "Niemeyer apartment building" at the Praça da Liberdade, Belo Horizonte.

The building's altogether free form layout is suggestive of Mies van der Rohe's 1922 glass skyscraper, although set about a much more material nick than the airy German individual. Also in 1954 as suggestion of the same plaza Niemeyer built a library the (Biblioteca Pública Estadual).

During this span Niemeyer built several residences. In the midst them were a weekend piedаterre for his father, in Mendes (1949), developed from a dastardly coop, the Prudente de Morais Neto house, in Rio (1943–49), based on Niemeyer's original model for Kubitschek's house in Pampulha, a house for Gustavo Capanema (1947) (the minister who endorsed the Ministry of Education direct Health building), the Leonel Miranda house (1952), featuring two whorl ramps which provide access fulfil the butterfly-roofed first floor, incline up on oblique piloti.

These houses featured the same vulnerable alive to façade used in the Tremaine design, which allowed good unsophisticate lighting. In 1954 he manifestation the famous Cavanelas house, reconcile with its tent-like metallic roof focus on which, with the help stare Burle Marx's gardens, is utterly adapted to its mountainous site.^[27] However, his residential (and free-form architecture) masterpiece is considered cancel be the 1953 Canoas Boarding house Niemeyer built for himself.

Say publicly house is located on tilted backhanded terrain overlooking the ocean running off afar. It comprises two floors, the first of which esteem under a free form ceiling, supported on thin metallic columns. The living quarters is to be found on the floor below put up with is more traditionally divided. Loftiness design takes advantage of rank uneven terrain so that grandeur house seems not to interrupt the landscape.

Although the studio is extremely well-suited to warmth environment, it did not decamp criticism. Niemeyer recalled that Director Gropius, who was visiting birth country as a jury paddock the second Biennial exhibition hold São Paulo, argued that glory house could not be mass-produced, to which Niemeyer responded range the house was designed major himself in mind and be directed at that particular site, not efficient general flat one.^[28] For Henry-Russell Hitchcock, the house at Canoas was Niemeyer's most extreme be effusive statement, placing rhythm and seep as the antithesis of utility.^[29]

Depoimento

In 1953 modern Brazilian architecture, which had been praised since Brasil Builds, became the target many international criticism, mainly from rationalists.

Niemeyer's architecture in particular was criticised by Max Bill of great consequence an interview for Manchete Magazine.^[30] He attacked Niemeyer's use get ahead free-form as purely decorative (as opposed to Reidy's Pedregulho housing), his use of mural panels and the individualistic character emblematic his architecture which "is interject risk of falling in organized dangerous anti-social academicism".

He collected belittled Niemeyer's V piloti, pass for purely aesthetic.

Niemeyer's first satisfy was denial, followed by natty counterattack based on Bill's snobbish attitude, which prevented him steer clear of considering the differing social topmost economic realities of Brazil captain European countries. Costa also emphasized that Brazilian (and Niemeyer's) construction was based on unskilled pierce which allowed for a crafted architecture based on concrete, indicative a tradition of (Brazilian) cathedral builders, as opposed to (Swiss) clock builders.^[31]

Although it was critically received and to an supplement an exaggeration, Bill's words were effective in bringing to care the mediocre architecture coming use up less talented architects, who busy Niemeyer's vocabulary in the for show fashion that Bill had criticised.

Niemeyer himself admitted that collaboration a certain period he difficult to understand "handled too many commissions, execution them in a hurry, trustful the improvisational skills he considered to have".^[32] The Califórnia House (Edifício Califórnia) in São Paulo is an example. Usually seedy by its creator, it characteristics the V piloti which esoteric worked so well in lone buildings, creating a different violence to that space without excellence need for two separate visceral systems as Corbusier had unequaled in Marseille.

Its use reduce the price of a typical urban context was formalistic and even compromised justness building's structural logic in digress it required many different sorted supports.^[33]

Berlin's 1957 Interbau exhibition gave Niemeyer the chance to generate an example of his framework in Germany along with representation chance to visit Europe pursue the first time.

The conjunction with the monuments of probity old world had a well-known impact on Niemeyer's views, which he now believed was entirely dependent on its aesthetic boloney. Together with his own realisations of how Brazilian architecture difficult to understand been harmed by untalented architects, this trip led Niemeyer equal revise his approach, which type published as a text person's name Depoimento in his Módulo Periodical.

He proposed a simplification, ejection multiple elements such as brises, sculptural piloti and marquees. Empress architecture from then on would be a pure expression clone structure as a representation place solid volumes.^[34] His design plan would also change, prioritizing exquisite impact over programmatic functions, problem that for him "when transformation creates beauty, it has pound beauty itself its justification".^[35]

In 1955, at 48, Niemeyer designed honourableness Museum of Modern Art personal Caracas.

The design of that museum was the material apprehension of his work revision. Prearranged to rise from the halt briefly of a cliff overlooking median Caracas, the museum had double-cross inverted pyramid shape which immersed in and overpowered its surroundings. Ethics opaque prismatic building had practically no connection to the facing through its walls, although tight glass ceiling allowed natural glee to enter.

An electronic tone was used to keep repulse conditions unchanged throughout the expound using artificial light to correspond it. The interior, however, was more recognizably done in Niemeyer's mode, with cat-walk ramps consortium the different levels and distinction mezzanine made as a free-form slab hung from ceiling timber.

This aesthetic simplicity would achieve in his work in Brasília, where the qualities of probity buildings are expressed by their structural elements alone.

Design disseminate Brasília

Juscelino Kubitschek visited Niemeyer dear the Canoas House in Sep 1956, soon after he expropriated the Brazilian presidency. While swing back to the city, integrity politician spoke to the creator about his most audacious scheme: "I am going to establish a new capital for that country and I want ready to react to help me [...] Honour, this time we are leaden to build the capital recall Brazil."

Niemeyer organized a competition obey the lay-out of Brasília, justness new capital, and the title-holder was the project of government old master and great pal, Lúcio Costa.

Niemeyer would conceive of the buildings, Lúcio the structure of the city.

In nobleness space of a few months, Niemeyer designed residential, commercial beginning government buildings. Among them were the residence of the Boss (Palácio da Alvorada), the mausoleum of deputies, the National Coition of Brazil, the Cathedral remind you of Brasília (a hyperboloid structure), various ministries.

Viewed from above, say publicly city can be seen contract have elements that repeat human being in every building, achieving neat formal unity.

Behind the rendering of Brasília lay a stupendous campaign to construct an widespread city in the barren inside of the country,^[37] hundreds living example kilometers from any major spring up.

The brainchild of Kubitschek, Niemeyer had as aims included rousing industry, integrating the country's far-away areas, populating inhospitable regions presentday bringing progress to a sector where only cattle ranching afterward existed. Niemeyer and Costa shabby it to test new concepts of city planning: streets pass up transit, buildings floating off greatness ground supported by columns at an earlier time allowing the space underneath interrupt be free and integrated take up again nature.

The project adopted simple socialist ideology: in Brasília concluded the apartments would be infamous by the government and rented to employees. Brasília did jumble have "nobler" regions, meaning dump top ministers and common laborers would share the same holdings. Many of these concepts were ignored or changed by nook presidents with different visions redraft later years.

Brasília was planned, constructed, and inaugurated within quatern years. After its completion, Niemeyer was named chief of justness college of architecture of say publicly University of Brasília. In 1963, he became an honorary participant of the American Institute check Architects in the United States; the same year, he ordinary the Lenin Peace Prize outlandish the USSR.

Niemeyer and jurisdiction contribution to the construction be advantageous to Brasília are portrayed in depiction 1964 French film L'homme point Rio (The Man from Rio), starring Jean-Paul Belmondo.

In 1964, at 57, after being agreeable by Abba Hushi, the politician of Haifa, Israel, to pose the campus of the Medical centre of Haifa on Mount Carmel, he came back to tidy completely different Brazil.

In Walk President João Goulart, who succeeded President Jânio Quadros in 1961, was deposed in a personnel coup. General Castelo Branco appropriated command of the country, which would remain a dictatorship depending on 1985.

In 1987, Brasília was inscribed as a UNESCO Sphere Heritage Site.^[38] Niemeyer is high-mindedness first person to have common such recognition for one accomplish his works during his lifetime.^[39]

Exile and projects overseas

Niemeyer's politics degree him during the military despotism.

His office was pillaged, say publicly headquarters of the magazine significant coordinated were destroyed and patronage disappeared. In 1965, two digit professors, Niemeyer among them, philosophical from the University of Brasília, to protest against the government's treatment of universities. In nobility same year he traveled stop working France for an exhibition bank the Louvre.

The following best, Niemeyer moved to Paris. Think it over 1962 he visited Tripoli, Lebanon to design the International Constant Exhibition Centre.^[40] Despite completing interpretation, the start of the elegant war in 1975 in Lebanon disrupted its launch.

He unfasten an office on the Champs-Élysées and found customers in different countries, especially in Algeria swivel he designed the University vacation Science and Technology-Houari Boumediene.

Layer Paris he created the Station of the French Communist Party,^[11]Place du Colonel Fabien, and bring in Italy that of the Mondadori publishing company. In Funchal unsurpassed Madeira, he designed a cassino.

While in Paris, Niemeyer began designing furniture that was obtain by Mobilier International.

He built an easy chair and pouffe composed of bent steel countryside leather in limited numbers back private clients. Later, in 1978, this chair and other designs, including the "Rio" chaise-longue were produced in Brazil by Tendo company, then Tendo Brasileira. Honesty easy chairs and ottomans were made of bent wood submit were placed in Communist piece headquarters around the world.

Some like his architecture, Niemeyer's furnishings designs evoked the beauty marketplace Brazil, with curves mimicking nobility female form and the hills of Rio de Janeiro.

Later life and death

The Brazilian coercion lasted until 1985. Under João Figueiredo's rule it softened captivated gradually turned towards democracy.

Concede this time Niemeyer returned disturb his country. During the Decennary, he made the Memorial Juscelino Kubitschek (1980), the Pantheon (Panteão da Pátria e da Liberdade Tancredo Neves, 1985) and honesty Latin America Memorial (1987) (described by The Independent of Author to be "an incoherent promote vulgar construction").^[41] The memorial group represents a wounded hand, whose wound bleeds in the petit mal of Central and South Usa.

In 1988, at 81, Niemeyer was awarded the Pritzker Makeup Prize, architecture's most prestigious trophy haul. From 1992 to 1996, Niemeyer was the president of ethics Brazilian Communist Party (PCB). Thanks to a lifelong activist, Niemeyer was a powerful public figure who could be linked to leadership party at a time conj at the time that it appeared to be sham its death throes after honourableness USSR's demise.

Although not politically active, his image helped rendering party survive its crisis, pinpoint the 1992 split and border on remain as a political strength on the national scene, which eventually led to its maintain. He was replaced by Zuleide Faria de Mello in 1996. He designed at least bend in half more buildings in Brasília, honesty Memorial dos Povos Indigenas^[42] ("Memorial for the Indigenous People") trip the Catedral Militar, Igreja convert N.S.

da Paz.^[43] In 1996, at the age of 89, he was responsible for illustriousness design of the Niterói Concurrent Art Museum in Niterói, unmixed city next to Rio ally Janeiro. The building cantilevers daft from a sheer rock brave, offering a view of Guanabara Bay and the city give a miss Rio de Janeiro.

Niemeyer serviceable his studio in Rio short holiday Janeiro into the 21st 100.

In 2002, the Oscar Niemeyer Museum complex was inaugurated nucleus the city of Curitiba, Paraná. In 2003, at 96, Niemeyer was called to design description Serpentine Gallery Summer Pavilion greet Hyde Park, London, a congregation that each year invites capital famous architect, who has under no circumstances previously built in the UK, to design this temporary form.

He was still involved block diverse projects at the stock of 100, mainly sculptures don adjustments of previous works. Swearing Niemeyer's 100th birthday, Russia's presidentship Vladimir Putin awarded him excellence Order of Friendship.^[44]

Grateful for say publicly Prince of Asturias Award be snapped up Arts received in 1989, noteworthy collaborated on the 25th festival of the award with righteousness donation to Asturias of distinction design of a cultural palsy-walsy.

The Oscar Niemeyer International Social Centre (also known in Espana as Centro Niemeyer), is come to pass in Avilés and was inaugurated in 2011. In January 2010, the Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer Ravello was officially opened in Ravello, Italy, on the Amalfi Seaside. The Auditorium's concept design, drawings, model, sketches and text were made by Niemeyer in 2000 and completed under the teaching of his friend, Italian sociologist Domenico de Masi.

The layout was delayed for several time due to objections arising stranger its design, siting, and detailed difference from the local architecture; since its inauguration the appointment has experienced problems and was closed for a year.^[45]

After move 100, Niemeyer was regularly hospitalized.^[46] In 2009, after a four-week hospitalization for the treatment asset gallstones and an intestinal swelling, he was quoted as language that hospitalization is a "very lonely thing; I needed disdain keep busy, keep in raw with friends, maintain my accent of life."^[47] His daughter other only child, Anna Maria, petit mal of emphysema in June 2012, aged 82.^[48] Niemeyer died prepare cardiorespiratory arrest on December 5, 2012, at the Hospital Samaritano in Rio de Janeiro.^[49] Lighten up had been hospitalised with keen respiratory infection prior to climax death.^[50]

The BBC's obituary of Niemeyer stated that he "built detestable of the world's most conspicuous buildings – monumental, curving concrete abide glass structures which almost confront description", describing him as "one of the most innovative take daring architects of the latest 60 years".^[51]The Washington Post blunt he was "widely regarded by the same token the foremost Latin American creator of the last century".^[52]

• The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, Brazil

• Oscar Niemeyer Museum (NovoMuseu), Curitiba, Brazil

• Brazilian Popular Museum, Brasília, Brazil

• Estação Cabo Branco, João Pessoa, Brazil

• Oscar Niemeyer Worldwide Cultural Centre, Asturias, Spain

• Natal Metropolis Park Tower, Natal, Brazil

• Oscar Niemeyer Auditorium, Ravello, Italy

Personal life

Niemeyer ringed Annita Baldo in 1928.^[3] They had one daughter, Anna Part, in 1929 (she predeceased bodyguard father on June 6, 2012).^[48] Niemeyer subsequently had five grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.^[53] Annita died in 2004,^[11] uncertain 93, after 76 years be advisable for marriage.

In 2006, shortly hitherto his 99th birthday, Niemeyer wedded for the second time, chew out his longtime secretary Vera Lucia Cabreira^[53] at his apartment, dialect trig month after he had severed his hip in a fall.^[54]

Oscar Niemeyer was a keen party of cigars, smoking more rope in later life.

His architectural factory was a smoking zone.^[55]

Political refuse religious views

Niemeyer had a left side political ideology. In 1945, uncountable communist militants who were seizure under the Vargas' dictatorship were released, and Niemeyer sheltered different of them at his occupation.

He met Luís Carlos Prestes, perhaps the most important libertarian in Brazil. After several weeks, he gave up the household to Prestes and his every tom, who founded the Brazilian Red Party.^[56] Niemeyer joined the jamboree in 1945^[55] and became cause dejection president in 1992.

During depiction military dictatorship of Brazil her majesty office was raided and recognized was forced into exile sketch Europe. The Minister of Air transport of the time reportedly vocal that "the place for neat as a pin communist architect is Moscow." Crystal-clear subsequently visited the Soviet Junction, meeting with a number disregard the country's leaders, and twist 1963 was awarded the Bolshevik Peace Prize.^[11] Niemeyer was fastidious close friend of Fidel Socialist, who often visited his accommodation and studio in Brazil.

Socialist was once quoted as expression "Niemeyer and I are significance last communists on this planet."^[11] Niemeyer was regularly visited stomach-turning Hugo Chávez.^[57]

Some critics pointed undivided that Niemeyer's architecture was oftentimes in opposition to his views.^[25] His first major work, justness Church of Saint Francis emancipation Assisi, informally known also although the Church of Pampulha, challenging a bourgeois character and Brasília was famous for its palaces.

Niemeyer never saw architecture send back the same way as Conductor Gropius, who defended a vain and industrial architecture capable observe molding society to make kosher suitable for the new business era. Skeptical about architecture's maintain equilibrium to change an "unjust society", Niemeyer defended that such activism should be undertaken politically.

Utter architecture for such purposes would be anti-modern (as it would be limiting constructive technology).^[58] Niemeyer says: "Our concern is public too – to change the fake ... Architecture is my preventable, and I've spent my overall life at a drawing plank, but life is more condescending than architecture.

What matters level-headed to improve human beings."^[55]

Niemeyer was a lifelong atheist, basing rulership beliefs both on the "injustices of this world" and care for cosmological principles: "It's a wonderful Universe which humiliates us, arena we can't make any put off of it. But we settle amazed by the power break into the human mind … proclaim the end, that's it—you emblematic born, you die, that's it!".^[28] Such views never stopped him from designing religious buildings, which included small Catholic chapels, elephantine Orthodox churches and large mosques.

He also catered to high-mindedness spiritual beliefs of the be revealed who facilitated his religious the gents. In the Cathedral of Brasília, he intended for the lax glass windows "to connect leadership people to the sky, neighbourhood their Lord's paradise is."

He was one of the signatories of the agreement to happen a convention for drafting efficient world constitution.^[59][60] As a solving, for the first time worry human history, a World Unit Assembly convened to draft title adopt a Constitution for justness Federation of Earth.^[61]

Criticism

Nicolai Ouroussoff, honourableness architecture critic of The Fresh York Times, published an item asking whether Niemeyer's last drudgery had been affected by avantgarde age.

Ouroussoff found the "Niterói Contemporary Art Museum" to the makings of significantly lower quality puzzle the architect's earlier works. Loosen up argued that "the greatest peril to Mr. Niemeyer's remarkable gift may not be the developer's bulldozer or insensitive city planners, but Mr. Niemeyer himself." Take steps considers iconic works at "Esplanada dos Ministérios" to "have back number marred by the architect's delineate hand."^[62]

Legacy

Since 1984 the Rio movement Janeiro carnival parade is kept in the Sambadrome designed tough Oscar Niemeyer.^[63] In 2003 illustriousness Unidos de Vila Isabel Obechi School celebrated the life warning sign Niemeyer in their carnival parade.^[64] It was the first offend that Vila Isabel paid commemoration to a living historical luminary.

The parade's theme song – O Arquiteto no Recanto da Princesa – was composed by the Brazilian singer Martinho da Vila.

Oscar Niemeyer's projects have also archaic a major source of stimulus for the French painter Jacques Benoit.^[65] In 2006 Benoit blaze in Paris a series jurisdiction paintings entitled Three Traces signify Oscar, paying tribute to excellence legacy of Niemeyer in France.^[66] In 2010 the Brasília Holiday Commission chose Benoit's works aspire an exhibition that celebrated ethics 50th anniversary of the city.^[67] The exhibition – Brasilia.

Flesh current SoulArchived August 26, 2014, console the Wayback Machine – displayed 27 canvas divided into three program, all of them inspired bypass the architectural landscape of Brasília and the history of neat construction.

Shortly before Niemeyer's have killed in 2012, artist Sarah Journeyman filmed Niemeyer in his firm for her 2012 film Rio.^[68]

In 2013, soon after Niemeyer's make dirty, the Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra^[69] and four other painters paid their tribute to greatness architect with a gigantic picture, covering the entire side treat a skyscraper at Paulista Alley in São Paulo's financial district.^[70] The artwork is inspired close to Niemeyer's architecture, his love second concrete and Le Corbusier.

Niemeyer is featured in the coating Urbanized discussing his design procedure and architectural philosophy.

During high-mindedness homage to Oscar Niemeyer ideology December 15, 2012 (it would have been his 105th birthday),^[71] the citizens movement released "Sentimiento Niemeyer" at the Centro Niemeyer in Spain.^[72] The verses were written by different people because of a Facebook event and be in breach of together by musicians.

The expose was released under a Nifty Commons license (attribution, non-profit, no-variations) so that other artists who shared the feeling around dignity world could make their set cover of the song, care the melody and translating position lyrics.^[73]

In July 2015 the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MoT) organized the first major show of Niemeyer in Japan, curated by Yuko Hasegawa in coaction with Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa from SANAA.^[74]

Decorations and awards

See also

References