PREPARED BY: JOEL O.

CARAG ARCH 1205

OSCAR NIEMEYER SOARES FILHO (1907-2012)
 He was born on December 12, 1907 in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil and died on December 5, 2012 (aged 104).
 He pursued his passion at the national school of Fine Arts in
Rio de Janeiro and graduated with a B.A. In Architecture in
1934. 2
 After graduating, he worked in his father’s topography
house.
 Even though he was not financially stable, he insisted on
working in the Architecture studio of Lucio Costa, Gregori
Warchavchik, and Carlos Leao.
 He’s a Brazilian architect, considered to be one of the key
figures in the development of Modern Architecture.
 His exploration of the aesthetic possibilities of reinforced
concrete was highly influential in the late 20th and early 21st
century.
DESIGN STYLE AND IDEOLOGY
 ABSTRACT FORMS AND CURVES
 FREE FLOWING SENSUAL CURVES.
 HIS DESIGNS WERE MAINLY OF
CURVED ARCHITECTURE AND IS
FAMOUS FOR REVOLUTIONARY
USE OF CONCRETE.
 HIS BUILDINGS ARE
CHARACTERISED BY BEING
SPACIOUS AND EXPOSED, MIXING
VOLUMES AND EMPTY SPACE TO
CREATE UNCONVENTIONAL
PATTERNS.
 SIMPLE STRUCTURE WITHOUT
ORNAMENTATION, AND A
MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE
“My work is not about ‘form follows
function’, but ‘form follows beauty’ or even
better, ‘form follows feminine’.’’
“I am not attracted to straight angles or to
the straight line, hard and flexible, created
by man. I am attracted to free-flowing,
sensual curves, the curves that I find in the
mountains of my country, in the
sinuousness of its rivers, in the waves of the
ocean, and on the body of the beloved
woman. Curves make up the entire
Universe, the curved Universe of Einstein.”

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
MAJOR WORKS

UN Headquarters, New York City

-first skyscraper n New York City to use a curtain wall.
Oscar Niemeyer International
Cultural Centre, Spain.
Ibirapuera Auditorium, San Paulo
The Pampulha Project
National Congress Building, Brasilia
Ministry of External Relations,
Brazil
Cathedral of Brasilia
Oscar Niemeyer Museum
 OTHER WORKS

Niterói Contemporary
Art Museum
-One of the Brazil’s main
landmarks. It was completed in
1996.The museum has a
collection of 1,217 works.

Church of Saint Francis

of Assisi
-Chapel in Pampulha region of
Belo Horizonte, southeastern
Brazil. It was designed in the
organic modern style.
 Palácio da Alvorada
-Official residence of the
President of Brazil. It was built
between 1957 and 1958 in
modernist style.

Catetinho
-First official workplace of the
President of Brazil Juscelino
Kubitschek in Brasilia and built
in 1956.
 AWARDS

o LENIN PEACE PRIZE (1963)

o PRITZKER ARCHITECTURE
PRIZE (1988)
o ORDER OF FRIENSHIP
(1988)
o PRINCE OFASTURIAS
AWARD FOR THE ART(1989)
o ORDER OF ST. GREGORY
THE GREAT (1990)
o ROYAL GOLD MEDAL(1998)