Oscar Niemeyer: « Inspiring awe ».

As a lot of “gringos" are flying to Brazil for the Football Worldcup, it is interesting to show them that there are others sources of interest than football, caïpirinhas, beaches and women. The inspiration of the great Oscar Niemeyer was essentially the curves of Brazilian women, though.

Oscar Niemeyer in France, 1977 (AFP)

With Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, Oscar Niemeyer, was one of the most influent architects of the XX^th century.

Former student at the « beaux-arts » in Rio de Janeiro, Niemeyer quickly opposed himself to the unique vision and to the classicism taught there. His first project, a church for the new Belo Horizonte district, Pampulha, all in curves, faced a hard rejection from the members of the clergy which will postpone the construction by three years.

Pampulha’s Church, 1956, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Niemeyer was very influenced by Le Corbusier and the ideas of Modern Architecture, most of all the purity of shapes and the use of reinforced concrete as a principle material. However, his architecture distinguishes itself by the place granted for curves. Curves which are often seen as a Latin touch inspired by samba or tango, recalls, for Niemeyer the shapes of a perfect woman. “I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line, hard and inflexible, 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”.

Shaping curves in concrete soften this raw material. Niemeyer’s work on the medium engraves poetry into reinforced concrete.

  

Niemeyer brought a new vision of architecture. He broke with the standardization of lines and design of his time. “We wanted to do a different architecture that creates surprise. ” said Niemeyer about his work at Brasilia.

National Congress, 1960, Brasilia, Brazil

 According to him, reducing the supports make the shape more audacious, spaces more generous. This new architecture provokes astonishment and can, thus be considered as a true work of art. Niemeyer once said: “When I make a building, I’m not satisfied until I know that it inspires awe, that it inspires feeling”.

           

Palacio do Planalto, 1960, Brasilia, Brazil

Niemeyer died at the age of 104. Up to then, he was still drawing and working on new forms for his buildings. Smart philosopher, Niemeyer used to say that men should not believe they have some importance, men are small elements of the universe. Men have to try to be more useful.

Philosopher but also epicurean, he loved to say: “Once, somebody asked me my feelings about life. I responded: as long that I have a woman by my side, come what may!”

                       

Niemeyer's Drawing