A key architect of the modern era, throughout his lengthy practice Oscar Niemeyer has realized over 500 projects on four continents, creating almost from scratch a unique ensemble of government buildings for his country’s new capital Brasília.
Brazil is the only Latin American country with a distinguished and authentic architectural tradition that developed and gained international recognition in the twentieth century. A dedicated communist, Oscar Niemeyer nevertheless only moderately engaged in social projects, concentrating on pioneering forms and creative approaches to space instead. His preoccupation with “sensual curves” had a significant impact even on Le Corbusier and transformed the overall picture of postwar modernism. The lecture will introduce Niemeyer’s life and practice in the context of Brazil’s intense historical and cultural life of the era.