Vice Magazine interviews Oscar Niemeyer
21
May 2009
Vice Magazine went to Brazil to interview the legendary architecture master Oscar Niemeyer. A pioneer in reinforced concrete, played a crucial role in the modern movement, not only because of formal or material explorations, but also for designing the new capital for Brazil: Brasilia. The whole city was built in only 4 years, and was a sandbox to put in practice the ideals of the modern movement.
Oscar Niemeyer is now 101 years old, and he keeps working every day at his office in Rio de Janeiro, with on going projects in Brazil and Spain. I think that his secret is how passionate he is about architecture and women, and he has devoted his life to both.
mountains/waves/women = curves
It is not the right angle that attracts me. nor the straight line, tough, inflexible, created by man. what attracts me is the free, sensual curve. the curve I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuous course of its rivers, in the waves of the sea, in the clouds of the sky, in the body of the favourite woman. Of curves is made all the universe.
You can read a short version of the intervier at Vice Magazine.
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23 comments »
amazing… love Niemeyer words!… thanks
Amazing architect without a doubt! Beautiful poetry…But the whole capitalism is bad and communism is the way concept, I don’t understand???? As a native Cuban I cant grasp how Mr. Niemeyer (such a visionary) can see communism as the way to advance life and architecture. Living in Cuba is a torment not to mention an utter nightmare my family is basically starving not to mention imprisoned in their own country. Anyways, he’s a great architect with a great sensibility for form and dynamic gestures.
Happy B-Day Sir! All the best.
Romantic intellectual BS at it’s best! Obviously Mr. Niemeyer does not live in the same Brazil that I live in!!!
@ yuri, Niemayer is not really a communist, more like socialist. During the dictatorship in Brasil he was just doomed to be a communist if you didn’t agree with te capialist structure…
Legend, and fair play to him, 101 years of age, not only still practicing but STILL ALIVE!!!
Nice colab with Vice too!
Great man! great architects! …maybe one of the few people that can drawing a curve!
“…compared to the universe, you are so small.
Man is not that important.
We have to be simpler.
Don’t think you are important, because no one is.
You just have to be more useful.
That’s it. …”
Oscar Niemeyer
Wow, 101 … but I hear PaP166 more … Niemeyer’s 101 sounds more apt in the Orwellian room.
What has he done to improve the life of hundreds of thousands of people living in incredible poverty! His projects cater to the wealthy elites! Common let’s cut through the theoretical non-sense!!! Niemeyer lives very GOOD (like a capitalist)! he does not have anything in common with the average brazilero who lives pure misery on a daily basis…
His theories are directly in line with that of the modern architecture. Goes a little something like this:
We love you (the poor), we are hear to help you, we are the way and the light, modern is good, here’s the 200 sq.ft house I built for you and your family. It’s very efficient not to mention eco-friendly. It’ll save you hundreds of thousands of $$$ in the long run. IT’S GOOD!!! please pay by check or money order $1,000,000,000.00 Oh and by the way that very uncomfortable recycled plastic chair in your living room/closet/kitchen is $3000.00
Thank you! You all make me feel soooo humble…
He’s a great architect his twisted political stance is off the charts ignorant!
Actually, the plans for Brazil’s capital are not Niemeyer’s. He did made some government buildings projects, but not the city design. Brazilia’s plans are from the brilliant urbanist Lucio Costa, may he rest in peace.
Loved it! I’d never heard him talk about his own work! So cute!
What a cute little COMI !
Frankly I find his commentary so interesting. I think his ability to ‘distill’ the thoughts of so many people down to such simple terms is great. He honestly represents the ‘modern’ movement in the best light that anyone could. His simplicity of forms, and materials are not just elegant, but compelling. The first time I saw the Pantheon of Liberation and Democracy I just didn’t get it. Now I do.
Bravo, arch daily, bravo. Keep it all coming. Theory and ‘pretty pictures’ make an AWESOME site.
Some more Niemeyer quotes from The Guardian:
“What’s important for the architect is to do what he likes and not what others would like him to do. That’s the way — not to attribute too much importance to your work. Very little is important in this life.”
“When people ask me if I take pleasure in the idea of someone looking at my buildings in the future, I tell them that this person will vanish, too. Everything has a beginning and an end. You. Me. Architecture. We must try to do the best we can, but must remain modest. Nothing lasts for very long.”
“What do I think of life? A woman at your side, and let God have his way.”
I like the last one! This is IT!!!
;-)))
Thank you very much for sharing. It’s awsome.
Proud of being Brazilian.
This is a new Einstein equation C = MV2 . I agree on teh sensuousness and also think that there is a resonance to the creations.
Am priviledged to have come to know about Ar Oscar Niemeyer. Himanshu ( http://www.zycosil.com)
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