Oscar Niemeyer

Brazilian architect (1907-2012)

Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho[3] (December 15, 1907[1] – December 5, 2012)[2] was a Brazilian architect who is thought to be an important name in worldwide modern architecture. He was a pioneer in the idea of using reinforced concrete for buildings.

Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer in 1977
Born
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho

(1907-12-15)December 15, 1907[1]
DiedDecember 5, 2012(2012-12-05) (aged 104)[2]
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil[2]
NationalityBrazilian

Buildings made by Niemeyer often have a lot of empty space, making odd patterns. The biggest work he made was the plan for the city of Brasília.

Politically, Niemeyer was a communist,[4] which sometimes had a bad effect for him: When the military dictatorship of Brazil happened in 1964, Niemeyer was forced into exile in Paris.[1] Fidel Castro once said "Niemeyer and I are the last Communists of this planet."

In 1988, Niemeyer won the Pritzker Prize.[5]

In 2012, he died of cardiac arrest due to a respiratory tract infection.[6]

References change

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Brazil's 102-year-old architect spends 'crap' birthday". Retrieved 2009-12-15.[permanent dead link]
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Dies on Rio the Archited Oscar Niemeyer". Retrieved 2012-12-05.
  3. "Oscar Niemeyer, Designer of UN Building, Dies at 104". Bloomberg.com. 5 December 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  4. Telegraph obituary
  5. Pritzker Architecture Prize, "Oscar Niemeyer, 1988 Laureate"[permanent dead link]; retrieved 2013-3-27.
  6. Express obituary[permanent dead link]

Other websites change