What do you think?
Rate this book
Oscar Niemeyer: Curves of Irreverence
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1907, Oscar Niemeyer is recognized as one of the world’s most fiercely original architects and the central figure of Brazilian architectural Modernism. The prolific designer of more than 600 buildings, Niemeyer has been in practice for seven decades. Architecture, he declares must be “functional, beautiful, and shocking.” Transgressing orthodox Modernist aesthetic doctrine and subverting hegemonic cultural models, his work privileged invention and affirmed spectacle and luxury, pleasure, beauty, and sensuality as legitimate architectural pursuits.
This gorgeously illustrated book explores the development of Niemeyer’s extraordinary body of ideas and forms as well as his role in the construction of Brazil’s modern image and cultural tradition. Through a detailed discussion of his intoxicating experiments in reinforced concrete, the book offers the opportunity to relish the stream of pleasures afforded by Niemeyer’s important buildings, including his mid-century projects as chief architect for the new capital of Brasília, and the spectacular Niterói Museum of Contemporary Art, completed in 1996. Providing the first comprehensive analysis of Niemeyer’s radical work and dissident perspective, Oscar Niemeyer: Curves of Irreverence sheds new light on the route the architect has followed as well as on Brazilian Modernism as a non-conformist project informed by a nationalist and anti-colonialist stance.
This gorgeously illustrated book explores the development of Niemeyer’s extraordinary body of ideas and forms as well as his role in the construction of Brazil’s modern image and cultural tradition. Through a detailed discussion of his intoxicating experiments in reinforced concrete, the book offers the opportunity to relish the stream of pleasures afforded by Niemeyer’s important buildings, including his mid-century projects as chief architect for the new capital of Brasília, and the spectacular Niterói Museum of Contemporary Art, completed in 1996. Providing the first comprehensive analysis of Niemeyer’s radical work and dissident perspective, Oscar Niemeyer: Curves of Irreverence sheds new light on the route the architect has followed as well as on Brazilian Modernism as a non-conformist project informed by a nationalist and anti-colonialist stance.
- GenresArchitecture
414 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2008
60 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 14, 2014
Now that I'm back in the saddle again, I've finally read two books that I got more than a year ago when I began seriously planning my next book project, Road through Time, which prompted my recent trip to Brazil and Peru.
The gorgeous biography and appreciation of the long-lived Brazilian architect: Oscar Niemeyer: Curves of Irreverence by Styliane Phillippou was a gift a year ago. I picked up Building Brasilia by Marcel Gautherot some time ago, but had never sat down to look at it carefully.
Both are the kind of books that weigh a ton because of the excellent coated paper they're printed on. The reproduction of photos is very good too. And both give a lot of information about the mythic construction of the Brazilian capital. The Niemeyer book goes farther, of course, because it also talks about his many projects both before and after Brasilia.
The heart of the matter, though, is the dream of creating a modernist city in the middle of nowhere in an impossibly short time. The idea was to make a new sort of city, somewhat inspired by Le Corbusier's idea, that would house 250,000 people governing Brazil.
The reality, as I found out on my recent trip, is not what was hoped for. Sure, 250,000 people now live in the heart of the capital, but an order of magnitude more live in satellite cities just beyond a green belt. The Superquadras, elegantly landscaped six story apartment blocks place artfully around courtyards and served by nearby shopping streets, are probably great places to live. But to live elsewhere means being dependent on chaotic public transport and/or a private automobile that will spend most of its time stuck in traffic. And should you want to cross a street--well, good luck! I almost got hit four times.
The gorgeous biography and appreciation of the long-lived Brazilian architect: Oscar Niemeyer: Curves of Irreverence by Styliane Phillippou was a gift a year ago. I picked up Building Brasilia by Marcel Gautherot some time ago, but had never sat down to look at it carefully.
Both are the kind of books that weigh a ton because of the excellent coated paper they're printed on. The reproduction of photos is very good too. And both give a lot of information about the mythic construction of the Brazilian capital. The Niemeyer book goes farther, of course, because it also talks about his many projects both before and after Brasilia.
The heart of the matter, though, is the dream of creating a modernist city in the middle of nowhere in an impossibly short time. The idea was to make a new sort of city, somewhat inspired by Le Corbusier's idea, that would house 250,000 people governing Brazil.
The reality, as I found out on my recent trip, is not what was hoped for. Sure, 250,000 people now live in the heart of the capital, but an order of magnitude more live in satellite cities just beyond a green belt. The Superquadras, elegantly landscaped six story apartment blocks place artfully around courtyards and served by nearby shopping streets, are probably great places to live. But to live elsewhere means being dependent on chaotic public transport and/or a private automobile that will spend most of its time stuck in traffic. And should you want to cross a street--well, good luck! I almost got hit four times.
Displaying 1 of 1 review