Oscar Niemeyer

I am not a fan of Oscar Niemeyer, nor am I fan of his politics. My idea of hell would find it designed by him and Richard Meier. I find it ironic, however that the two buildings I find most interesting designed by this presumably atheist communist are the National Cathedral in Brasília and the church of São Francisco de Assis in Belo Horizonte.

So imagine my surprise in this article in the New York Times Magazine to see Niemeyer less than enthusiastic about Brasília:

For his part, Niemeyer now deflects criticism of Brasília by stressing that Costa did the master plan. But he says: ''You may not like Brasília, but you can't say you have seen anything like it -- you maybe saw something better, but not the same. I prefer Rio, even with the robberies. What can you do? It's the capitalist world. But people who live in Brasília, to my surprise, don't want to leave it. Brasília works. There are problems. But it works. And from my perspective, the ultimate task of the architect is to dream. Otherwise nothing happens.''

The irony here is that Niemeyer's work strikes me as incredibly impersonal, which is why he seemed so perfect to design the buildings in Brasília, a city that still strikes me as a place where monuments and not people live.

Comments

[The Heretik]

. . . a place where monuments and not people live. . .

Randy, that is poetry. And an indictment of what becomes of architects and all professionals who build not for the good of people but the glory of themselves.

[Brian Miller]

I still like Richard Meier, I'm ashamed to admit. :)

Something about the cold, chilly whiteness is very appealing in small doses.

[Marcelo Seguins]

E aê oscar é uma honra poder saber que existe um arquiteto como vc.
Sou seu fã, é sério!
Estou me aperfeiçoando o quanto posso, nessa área, que é tudo!!!!!!!!!!
Adoro arquitetura>>>>é brilhante!!!!!

Um abraço,
Marcelo Seguins..