Niemeyer, Oscar (1907– ). Brazilian architect who joined the group working with Le Corbusier on the Ministry of Education and Health Building, Rio de Janeiro (1936–45). Although an early devotee of International Modernism, he moved away from rectilinear forms with his Casino, Yacht Club, and Restaurant, and São Francisco Chapel, in Pampúlha, Belo Horizonte (1942–7). Such departures from Modernist orthodoxy led to hostility from critics such as Max Bill, but nevertheless in 1957 Niemeyer was appointed Chief Architect to the new City of Brasília, the layout of which had been devised by Costa. The main buildings, including the centrally planned Cathedral, Palaces of the Three Powers (Presidential, Supreme Court, and Congress), and Government Buildings, were all by Niemeyer (1957–64). Among his other works may be cited the Communist Party offices, Paris (1965–75), and the Mondadori Building, Milan (1968–75), the House of Culture, Le Havre (1972–82), the FATA Building, Turin (1977–80—with Morandi), and the Latin American Parliament Building, São Paulo (1989–92). He brought out a volume on his life in Brazil (1961) as well as other works.

Bibliography

Botey (1996);
Fils (ed.) (1982, 1988);
Hornig (1981);
Lampugnani (ed.) (1988);
Niemeyer (1975, 1978, 1997, 2000);
Papadaki (1960);
Salvaing (2002);
Sodré (1978);
Spade (1971a);
Underwood (1994, 1994a);

Niemeyer, Oscar (1907– ) Brazilian architect. An early advocate of modern architecture, he worked with Le Corbusier on the Ministry of Education and Health Building in Rio (1936–45). He subsequently developed an original approach: elegant, sub-tropical luxury expressed through curving, sculptural forms. In the late 1950s Niemeyer began designing the main public buildings at Brasília.