10 iconic works by Oscar Niemeyer, genius of modern architecture

Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer was one of the most influential figures in modern world architecture. Born on December 15, 1907, Oscar Niemeyer from Rio de Janeiro had a brilliant professional career, creating architectural works of great symbolic value in Brazil and abroad. Niemeyer's style is marked by his preference for curves, as most of his signature buildings carve curvilinear shapes in concrete. About to turn 105 years old, Niemeyer passed away on the night of December 5, 2012, but his legacy will continue to live on through the more than 600 buildings he designed that are spread across the world. His greatest masterpiece is considered to be the design of the city of Brasília, designed by him in the 1950s at the request of then president Juscelino Kubitschek. Find out which are the ten most emblematic works signed by the late architect

summary

     National Congress
     Niterói's flying saucer
     Pampulha Architectural Complex
     UN Headquarters
     Mondadori publishing house headquarters
     Brasília Metropolitan Cathedral
     Latin America Memorial
     Oscar Niemeyer museum
     Copan Building
     Catwalk Professor Darcy Ribeiro

National Congress

For us Brazilians, it is difficult to choose “the” most important work by Niemeyer, after all his buildings are spread across several states and are postcards of some of the most important cities in the country. However, due to its symbolic value, the building of National Congress, designed by the architect during the construction of Brasília and inaugurated in 1960, may occupy first place in this ranking. We are used to seeing this very familiar image whenever the subject is Brazilian politics. The building formed by two twin towers and two domes (one of them inverted) in the shape of a semi-circle is an icon of Brazil in the world, due to the originality of its shapes and, above all, because it is the symbol of the country's capital. Along with the buildings of the Planalto Palace and the Federal Supreme Court (also created by Niemeyer), the National Congress makes up the complex called Praça dos Três Poderes. The three monumental constructions represent the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislative.

Niterói's flying saucer

Nicknamed the “flying saucer of Niterói”, the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum (also known as MAC) was inaugurated in 1996. Its imposing presence, like a futuristic sentinel over the Boa Viagem Mirante, is enough to leave anyone in awe. fallen. Its design allows visitors to enjoy the panoramic view of Niterói's waterfront from different angles, through the ring of windows that surround the gigantic building — also seen in the shape of a cup by many people. It goes without saying that MAC is one of the city's postcards and a source of pride for all Niteroi residents.

Pampulha Architectural Complex

Lagoa da Pampulha, in Belo Horizonte, is home to the most famous architectural complex in the capital of Minas Gerais. It is made up of three works designed by Oscar Niemeyer in the 40s. They are: the Pampulha Art Museum, the Casa do Baile, the Iate Tênis Clube and the Church of São Francisco de Assis, which is the main postcard of the city. The “little church of Pampulha”, as it is affectionately called by the people of Minas Gerais, is a work of art sculpted in concrete: the 14 panels inside are signed by Cândido Portinari and depict the Via Sacra. The complex is still surrounded by the gardens of the famous artist

UN Headquarters

Oscar Niemeyer was one of 12 architects selected to create the design for the headquarters of the United Nations, located in New York City. The final project chosen was that of Niemeyer, who worked together with the French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier to carry out the work. Both had some disagreements about the volume of the general assembly, but managed to complete the project in 1952, adopting an intermediate solution.

Mondadori publishing house headquarters

The headquarters of the Mondadori publishing house (1968), in Milan, Italy, is one of the famous buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Suspended by a structure of irregularly spaced columns, the monumental glass box that makes up the building surprises with the incredible apparent lightness of its forms.

Brasília Metropolitan Cathedral

Cornerstone of Brasilia, the Metropolitan Cathedral was designed by Oscar Niemeyer in 1958, but its inauguration did not take place until 1970, due to legal obstacles. The ship was designed so that it could look the same from all angles. At the entrance, four imposing bronze sculptures symbolize the evangelists Saint John, Saint Matthew, Saint Mark and Saint Luke. The church is supported by 16 hyperboloid columns and its interior is adorned with sculptures of three angels, suspended by steel cables. The ceiling of the nave has a stained glass window made up of 16 pieces of fiberglass.

Memorial da América Latina

Inaugurated in 1989 in the Barra Funda neighborhood of São Paulo, the architectural complex of the Memorial da América Latina celebrates the links between Latin American peoples and is another of architect Niemeyer's famous projects. Its cultural proposal was designed by anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro at the request of Niemeyer. It houses buildings such as an exhibition hall, a library, a gallery and an amphitheater. The sculpture A Mão, by Niemeyer, which presents a graphic record of the map of Latin America (in the part with the red spot) is the symbol of the complex, in addition to being one of the main icons of the urban landscape of São Paulo.

Oscar Niemeyer Museum

On November 22, 2002, the Oscar Niemeyer Museum was inaugurated in Curitiba. Dedicated to exhibitions of Visual Arts, Architecture, Urban Planning and Design, the space has around 35 thousand square meters of built area and more than 17 thousand square meters of exhibition area, making it considered the largest museum in Latin America. Due to its unusual shape, which resembles a large concrete and glass eye erected on a quadrangular base, the museum is popularly called the Eye Museum or Niemeyer Eye. Its enigmatic architecture attracts Brazilian and foreign tourists. In 2012, MON was chosen one of the 20 most beautiful museums in the world by the North American guide Flavorwire, in addition to being the most visited tourist attraction in Curitiba, according to the travel website TripAdvisor.

Copan Building

Designed in the 1950s by architect Oscar Niemeyer with the collaboration of Carlos Alberto Cerqueira Lemos, the Copán building was completed in 1966. Located in the center of São Paulo, it is the largest reinforced concrete structure in the country, in addition to being considered the largest residential building in Latin America. The sinuous building of Copán, with its 1,160 apartments spread over six blocks, is a concrete representation of the diversity of the metropolis, where families, companies, small businesses and even a church (a space initially created to house a cinema) coexist. Copán's numbers are curious: the building is 115 meters high, 35 floors (in addition to two basements with 221 car parking spaces), 20 elevators in total and around two thousand inhabitants.

Catwalk Teacher Darcy Ribeiro

The Professor Darcy Ribeiro Passarela, better known as Passarela do Samba, Marquês de Sapucaí or Sambódromo do Rio de Janeiro, was designed by Niemeyer in 1983 with the aim of offering the city a permanent space for the traditional parade of samba schools. It has become one of the most popular tourist spots in Rio, attracting thousands of visitors during Carnival time. The immense concrete sculpture called Praça da Apoteose is an emblem of the Rio Carnival and marks the entrance where the samba schools begin to parade. The Sambódromo complex is also used throughout the year to house a school, which operates in the box galleries. It is also a space for musical performances. The Hollywood Rock festival was held there, as well as shows by Kiss, The Rolling Stones, Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), Avril Lavigne, Pearl Jam, Santana, Jack Johnson and Nirvana, among other artists.