Sunday, December 9, 2012

RAVE: The Sublime Works of Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Niemeyer's greatest legacy must surely be the layout and design of most of the futuristic buildings of what was to become the new Brazilian capital city, Brasilia. His sublime, futuristic design included the main government buildings and parliament building itself, some of which can be seen in the photos below:




Congresso Nacional do Brasil, Brasilia - photo courtesy of Scoop Italia




Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Brasilia - courtesy of Chiquero

Oscar Niemeyer - Brazilian architect - Chicquero Design - Brasilia Palace of the Dawn 10

Palácio da Alvorada, official residence of the President of Brazil, Brasilia - courtesy of Chiquero

Just compare the stunning elegance and splendor of the presidential palace in Brasilia as above, and compare it to the dowdy, fuddy-duddy neo-Classical carbuncle that is the White House in Washington D.C., and you tell me which official residence you think is more fitting of a modern president. I know which one I would choose if president. Such is the foresight and sheer brilliance of Niemeyer.

Some more of his outstanding work over the decades:

File:Museu de Arte Contemporânea.jpg


Museu de Arte Contemporânea, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro - courtesy of Wikipedia


File:Casino funchal hg.jpg



Casino Funchal, Madeira, Portugal - courtesy of Wikipedia

File:Olho Neimayer Curitiba 03 2007.jpg

Olho Niemeyer Curitiba, Brazil - courtesy of Wikipedia

File:Tribunal Superior Eleitoral, 2011.jpg


Tribunal Superior Eleitoral, Brasilia - courtesy of Wikipedia

File:Auditório Ibirapuera.JPG

Auditorio Ibirapuera, Sao Paulo - courtesy of Wikipedia 

His work just goes on and on and on...I never had any idea he was so prolific and so determined an architect (given his range and until how recently he was still designing outstanding works) until I started looking through his list of works today. 

Simply breathtaking.

If this man could not be given the plaudit of 'visionary' in his field, then who, pray tell, could be bestowed that honour.

Thankfully, though he may have passed at the advanced age of 104, his legacy will remain for all of humanity for many, many years to come.

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