Oscar Niemeyer’s Impact on the Modernization of Brasilia It is important to note, from the onset, that Oscar Niemeyer’s professional journey begun in Belo Horizonte - way before he was involved in the transformation and modernization of Brasilia. At this point, the role he played in the formative development of some centers in Belo Horizonte as a leisure and tourism hubs was laudable, especially with his involvement in the planning of a recreation as well as tourism complex, Pampulha. His readiness and willingness to work with other experts in diverse fields was evident from the beginning. In this particular undertaking, he invited Alfredo Ceschiatti and Roberto Burle, a prominent sculptor and landscape architect respectively. Through their collaboration, the complex which comprised of three buildings (a church, a dance pavilion, and a golf and yacht club) was completed in a relatively short period of time. It was a masterpiece. Towards this end, this effectively became an innovative and elaborate recreation and tourism center, and firmly set Niemeyer on the path to even greater roles in Brasilia. Niemeyer, in his own words, points out that these were his “first completed projects and those that made a decisive mark on (his) professional orientation” (Jackson 1995, 231).

Prior to the 20th century, Brasilia’s profile as far as architecture is concerned was relatively low (Philippou 2008, 312). The city slowly transformed into the country’s modernity symbol following innovative architectural modernization efforts overseen by, amongst others, Luis Costa and Oscar Niemeyer. Indeed, as Ouroussoff (2007) points out, in Brasilia “is a city that rose out of a savanna in the span of four years.” Niemeyer was a proponent of creativity and improvisation, which effectively explains the stylish nature of works. Niemeyer’s approach is considered to be modernist (Jackson 1995, 236). As a matter of fact, his unique forms, with their signature curvatures, were instrumental towards the forging of the country’s modern identity. Together with other architects of his time, his forms offered a refreshing break from the nation’s colonial past. The central region of Brasilia, with its undeveloped and vast tracts, offered a wonderful setting for the building of a modern city. The resulting city became a representation of the transformative power of architecture. In the vast undeveloped lands, Niemeyer saw a blank canvas, and on this canvas, he demonstrated his creative nature on a scale that could only be termed monumental. Although Brasilia is a creation of many bright minds, the city’s sculptural identity arguably remains Niemeyer’s brainchild.

According to Underwood (1994, 15), Niemeyer was more of a sculptor than an architect. This is more so the case given the level and extent of his creativity. Niemeyer wanted his buildings to be not only unique, but also beautiful. As a matter of fact, the architectural orientation of the past, i.e. the colonial way of thinking and doing things that was dull and bland, did not find favor with Niemeyer. He started on a clean modernist slate. This, according to Grinceri (2016, 132), has been regarded by many as an attempt to protest a colonial mindset and curve a new architectural form for Brazil. It is important to note that at the time of the city’s rapid construction, particularly in the late 1950s, Niemeyer’s abstract forms were largely transformative as far as the modern architecture in the developing world is concerned. Some of the buildings Niemeyer constructed were monumental, and remain so to this day. His architectural profile spans government buildings, the national museum, and other notable works (Philippou 2008, 317). In addition to the Presidential residence, Niemeyer also designed the National Congress...

Some of these works have been documented in this text (see images). The interior of the Brasilia Cathedral is especially stunning. Like most of his works, this particular piece has prominent ‘sensual curves’ as he referred to some of the designs he implemented in his design and construction undertakings. A coral shape is formed by the cathedral’s sweeping columns to bring about a structure referred to as a hyperboloid. It is important to note that a significant portion of the cathedral is located underground, with its crown-ish formation having an light opening at the top. The said opening lights up the main sanctuary in a unique and visually appealing way.
Another of Niemeyer’s interesting designs is the Liberty Pantheon. The unusual and out-of-the-norm look of the structure is indicative of Niemeyer’s bold and non-conformist approach. To a large extent, glass and concrete were his choice leanings and in the Liberty Pantheon, Niemeyer impressively made windows out of asymmetric stained glass. Yet another unusual creation of Niemeyer that made extensive use of concrete and glass and incorporated curves that give it an eerie appearance at night is the Brasilia’s Supreme Court. Its image has also been included in this text. The judicial work center is glass-encased in the particular piece, and is surrounded by a colonnade designed to give an amazing appearance to the entire structure (Philippou 2008, 321). It should be noted that the design of Brasilia’s Supreme Court largely mimics or echoes that of the country’s presidential palace. This is more so the case when it comes to the surrounding colonnade. Also designed with similar colonnade is the Palace of the Arches, or Itinerary Palace. In all, most of the buildings considered important in the city of Brasilia were designed by Niemeyer – with some of the construction pieces he designed still looking or appearing futuristic.

It is important to note that in all of Niemeyer’s work as presented in this text, his style appears unique, in that in addition to his extensive use of curvature and incorporation of columns for support, significant emphasis was placed on open spaces. According to Bradbury and Powers (2009, 142), Niemeyer’s approach could be condensed in a paragraph, as captured in one of his memoirs, “I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. I am attracted to free-flowing, sensual curves. The curves that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuousness of its rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and on the body of the beloved woman. Curves make up the entire Universe, the curved Universe of Einstein”

In the final analysis, it is important to note that apart from Brasilia, Niemeyer’s influence was felt in many other jurisdictions, including but not limited to Spain, the United States, and the U.K. Even in other jurisdictions, his style did not change. He remained true to his clarion call for flexibility, and sensual, free-flowing curves. In Spain, we have the Niemeyer Center (Aviles). In the U.S., he was part of a team that was instrumental in the United Nations headquarters design in New York. In the U.K., he designed the Serpentine gallery summer pavilion (London, Hyde Park).

Within Brazil, some of his other impressive pieces outside Brasilia include the Saint Francis of Assisi Church (Belo Horizonte), the Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum (Rio de Janeiro), and the Latin American Memorial (Sao Paulo). Even his most basic and less complex works presented a unique feel that was unlike anything most of his contemporaries had completed. A good example would be a footbridge in Rio de Janeiro’s Rocinha Township.…