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Monday, December 15, 2014

The Late Oscar Niemeyer and His Architecture




*I read an article this week in the Wall Street Journal about the late architect Oscar Niemeyer's work and the importance and effect of his architectural legacy. The WSJ goes on to say that Niemeyer was "the last living link to an era that truly believed in architecture and its capacity to embody progress and new technology for the good of all."  We are all critics of architecture and infrastructure around us.  To say that Niemeyer's death marks the end of architectural progress and a vision into the future of what architecture could be...well, I don't know about that.  There's two sides to every story and Niemeyer's work has not always been heralded as mystifying, break-through, visionary art that has transformed a nation.  Another article by Richard J. Williams boldly claims "Brasilia has become a buzzword for the impractical, utopian ideas of the past: a white marble monument to central planning surrounded by slums, " referring to the National Museum of the Republic, a symbol of '50-'60s burst of urban modern zeal in Brasil.

So what do you think of  Niemeyer's architecture?  Over the top and serving a select few?  Or does it continue to be ground-breaking and cutting-edge?

*[This post has been hanging out in the "draft" pile for 1 year.  I completely forgot about the post until today.  So what are your thoughts?]

3 comments:

  1. Ah, I remember learning about Niemeyer when I studied design in university. The first building reminds me of an upside down spaceship! Thanks for sharing :) x

    Tee | Rotten One

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  2. I'm not 100% sure what I think, I mean I know I enjoy them more than boring old regular buildings. I don't agree with it being for a select few though, that ain't right for any subject, no matter your background.

    Buckets & Spades

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  3. I love his work. would be great to see more of it in real life.

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Thanks for commenting, you rock!