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);
