church of saint francis of assisi oscar niemeyerchurch of saint francis of assisi oscar niemeyer

The sculptural form of the church that adorns the lake front_artway.eu The composition follows the shape of the facade of the church, which is made up of four arches: two on the left, small; a larger, center and on the right; and two . Similar to the placement of the US Capitol heading the National Mall in Washington, DC, the National Congress heads a large, wide esplanade. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1971. Niemeyer was most famous for his use of abstract forms and curves and wrote in his memoirs: Lines defining contours, sinuous and shaded areas. Compared to the later monumental architecture of Oscar Niemeyer in Brasilia, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Pampulha is a gem on a human scale. As contrasting elements to the fluidic form of the church stand the bell tower and the entrance porchdetached from the main structuresupported by slender steel supports. Priyamvada Gannavarapu is an architecture student who believes in the ability of architecture to influence and inspire human behaviour in fostering positive, efficient and sustainable built environments. "Church of Saint Francis of Assisi" by Oscar Niemeyer (Google Maps). Niemeyer was hired in 1940 to design the Church of St. Francis de Assisi. The buildings namesake arches mimic the colonnade of the nearby Supreme Federal Court and Palcio da Alvorada. Considered to be one of Oscar Niemeyers earliest works and probably even his first-ever project to be given physical form, it was this particular design that laid the foundation to the architectural style that he went on to reinterpret and rediscover in all projects that followed. I should have very much liked to be in a position to present a more realistic achievement: a kind of work which reflects not only refinements and comfort but also a positive collaboration between the architect and the whole society.". 2022 Rethinking The Future All registered. Some examples of Niemeyer's style, which looked to nature and the female form for inspiration, can be seen in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Niteri, Brazil, and the Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Center in Spain. It is the first listed modern architectural monument in Brazil and consists of four undulating concrete parabolas with outdoor mosaics. The Work of Oscar Niemeyer. Create your account. Mohamed is deeply shaken when his oldest son Malik returns home after a long journey with a mysterious new wife. No doubt the designers took cues from ancient Roman cities such as Palmyra, Syria and its Cardo Maximus, the main thoroughfare of that Roman city. Confessions. Over a career of 78 years he designed approximately 600 projects. The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi at Pampulha is no less of an example of this philosophy. It is the first listed modern architectural monument in Brazil and consists of four undulating concrete parabolas with outdoor mosaics. Special thanks to our sustaining subscribers including To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Light penetrates the vaulted building through the vertical louvres at the entrance and above the altar. p126. Oscar Niemeyer. Son tombeau se trouve aujourd'hui dans la Basilique Saint-Franois. During his prolific career, he designed buildings throughout Brazil and abroad. The brise-soleil are the architectural louvers that have made modern buildings ripe for climbing. Here is a sampling of his architecture. And when do people do the samba? Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (designed by Oscar Niemeyer), Pampulha Lake, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil RM ID: G2B37F Preview Image details Contributor: Ian Trower / Alamy Stock Photo File size: 60.2 MB (3 MB Compressed download) Releases: Model - no | Property - no Do I need a release? As is visible in a majority of his projects, experimentation with, The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, more commonly known as Igreja da Pampulha, is a chapel located in the Pampulha region of the city of Belo Horizonte, in the state of, Niemeyer believed that reinforced concrete gave a wider variety of opportunities for architects to experiment and give new meanings to the design of built environments. This controversial church was built up through a series of mathematically determined parabolic arches, the main chapel arch itself covering a further platform for the choir. Oscar Niemeyer changed this mantra, as he stated, 'When a form creates beauty it becomes functional and therefore fundamental in architecture'. 01. Oscar Niemeyer, Oscar Niemeyer Soares, Oscar Niemeyer Soares Filho, Oscar Niemeyer Filho Soares, Oscard Niemeyer, Oskar Nimeer, Ribeiro de Almeida Soares, , Information from Gettys Union List of Artist Names (ULAN), made available under the, 417: Transparency in Architecture and Beyond, Sur moderno: Journeys of AbstractionThePatricia Phelps de Cisneros Gift, Latin America in Construction: Architecture, Cut n Paste: From Architectural Assemblage to Collage City, Le Corbusier: An Atlas of Modern Landscapes, 194X9/11: American Architects and the City, Building Collections: Recent Acquisitions of Architecture, MoMA Highlights: 375 Works from The Museum of Modern Art, MoMA Now: Highlights from The Museum of Modern ArtNinetieth Anniversary Edition, Being Modern: Building the Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, Exhibition catalogue, Hardcover, 288 pages, Latin America in Construction: Architecture 19551980, Edited by Barry Bergdoll, Carlos Eduardo Comas, Jorge Francisco Liernur, and Patricio del Real, 2015, Exhibition catalogue, Hardcover, 320 pages, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, https://www.moma.org/research/circulating-film. Here is a sampling of his architecture. The outer screen wall on the north side is finished with a tiled mural depicting scenes from the life of St. This record is a work in progress. La mission Saint-Franois-d'Assise (en espagnol : Misin de San Francisco de Ass) aussi connue sous le nom de mission Dolores, est une glise catholique situe San Francisco, en Californie, aux tats-Unis. Sean De Burca / Photographer's Choice Collection / Getty Images. Niemeyer was hired in 1940 to design the Church of St. Francis de Assisi. Located in the middle of Braslias Monumental Axis, the citys main thoroughfare, the National Congress building is made up of a low structure topped by a dome on one side, where the Senate works, and an inverted dome on the other, where the Chamber of Deputies resides. If you have additional information or spotted an error, please send feedback to [emailprotected]. Craven, Jackie. Only with this in mind may we understand the nature of the plans and drawings which appear in this volume. http://www.GreatBuildings.com/buildings/Church_of_St_Francis.html. I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. Dr. Jackie Craven has over 20 years of experience writing about architecture and the arts. The plans for the erection of the church were drawn up by Colonel Allison Owen the well known architect from the firm Diboll and Owen in New Orleans. Niemeyer's beautiful design is now part of the function of the building. "Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha . Wikipedia Saniflo Upflush. The Work of Oscar Niemeyer. The original church began as a small chapel, which was modified to a church in 1521 and . The National Congress complex, the center of legislative governance, is composed of several buildings. Winding ramps lead down to a plaza. By visiting our website or transacting with us, you agree to this. Curves make up the entire Universe, the curved Universe of Einstein. Great Architecture of the World. He was canonized as a saint just . Elements of the headquarters complex include: Other Niemeyer's other designs in Italy include the FATA building (c. 1977) and a paper mill for the Burgo group (c. 1981), both near Turin. This included the design of the Edifcio Copan (a large residential building in So Paulo) and a collaboration with Le Corbusier (and others) on the United Nations Headquarters, which yielded invitations to teach at Yale University and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He was assisted by the artists Candido Portinari in painting the interior and exterior murals and by Roberto Burle Marx in doing the landscape for the project. The primary vault is attached to four smaller ones, so that the ensemble reads like a lyrical passage of notes, an undulating variation on a theme by Chopin. If you would like to publish text from MoMAs archival materials, please fill out this permission form and send to [emailprotected]. {{$parent.$parent.validationModel['duplicate']}}, 1-{{getCurrentCount()}} out of {{getTotalCount()}}, Headquarters of the Mineiro Bank of Production. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Contributions appreciated, "The shaping of the church by Niemeyer and his engineer Cardozo is not so playful as it at first appears. Church of Saint Francis of Assisi Oscar Niemeyer Original Title: So Francisco de Assis Church Date: 1943; Brazil Style: Modernism Genre: architecture Media: concrete Order Oil Painting reproduction Article Provenance It was designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in the organic modern style. The walkways are drawn from his study of rivers and streams and seek to achieve a natural flow in their curved structures. The three main parts of historical Paris are defined by the Seine. Twentieth Century Architecture: a Visual History. Digital scanning and BIM modeling for modern architecture preservation: the Oscar Niemeyer's Church of Saint Francis of Assisi Conference: XXII CONGRESSO INTERNACIONAL DA SOCIEDADE. Today, Francis has a lasting resonance with millions of followers across the globe. His work, especially on the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, received . LC 70-159583. Notable figures in the arts buried at Pre Lachaise include Michel Ney, Frdric Chopin . Four parabolic sections constitute the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, accented by a tall campanile at the front. See It in Beijing, China, Centro Cultural Internacional Oscar Niemeyer, Doctor of Arts, University of Albany, SUNY, M.S., Literacy Education, University of Albany, SUNY, B.A., English, Virginia Commonwealth University, a man-made lake, which Niemeyer had experienced atLake Pampulha, a five-story office building within a series of archways, "two low, sinuous structures" that seem to emerge from and float like leaves on the artificial lake, a surrounding park by landscape architect Pietro Porcinai. Hood is a Memphis native and attended St. Joseph School and Bishop Byrne High School. Closed 1:00 to 1:30 for Lunch. p93. Basilica of St. Francis, Assisi Statue of St. Francis in front of the Catholic church of Chania. Anytime they want to, but especially during Carnival, or what Americans call Mardi Gras. The Church of Hallgrmur (Reykjavk, Iceland) Bamboo leaf for Stuck in Custom s ADVERTISEMENT The Church of Hallgrmur is a Lutheran parish church which is also a very tall one, reaching 74.5 meters (244 ft) height. Also known as the Palcio da Alvorada (Palace of Dawn), Brazils Presidential Palace is the official residence of the countrys president. Ad Choices, Take a spin through the undulating curves and stark white faades of the Brazilian modernists expansive oeuvre, Photo: Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery, 59 Best Airbnb Stays Across the United States (2023), Tour a Meticulously Reinvented Art Moderne Classic in Dallas, This 853-Square-Foot Austin Bungalow Has Colorful Millwork in Every Room, Tour the Perfect Shingle-style Southampton Beach House to Dream About All Summer Long, Using a watery palette to match stunning views, Charlie Ferrer designs a knockout, Architect Explores Downtown Los Angeless Diverse Architecture & History. The stadium was renovated for the2014 World Cup and used for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games held in Rio, even though Brasilia is over 400 miles from Rio. 366 lessons. Craven, Jackie. Due to his largely left-wing ideology, and involvement with the Brazilian Communist Party (PCB), Niemeyer left the country after the 1964 military coup and opened an office in Paris. The Principality of Asturias in northern Spain, nearly 200 miles west of Bilbao, had a problemwho would travel there once Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was completed? When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The annual Milan Design Week has long been the established benchmark of the industry. At its centre is the le de la Cit, which is the seat of religious and temporal authority (the word cit connotes the nucleus of the ancient city). The distinctive landscape of the church is the work of Roberto Burle Marx, a longtime Niemeyer collaborator. Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (Brazilian Portuguese:[oska ni.emaje]), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. However, the sixteen spires on Niemeyer's cathedral are flowing boomerang shapes, suggesting hands with curved fingers reaching toward heaven. All requests to license archival audio or out of copyright film clips should be addressed to Scala Archives at [emailprotected]. The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi ( Igreja de Sao Francisco de Assis, commonly known as the Igreja da Pampulha) is a chapel in Pampulha region of Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. London: Phaidon, 2000. The bell tower and the marquee at the entrance serve as contrasting elements. "The building provoked, however, a great deal of animosity among some people. She is the author of two books on home decor and sustainable design. Not unlike Palm Springs or Las Vegas in the United States, the man-made Lake Pampulha area had a casino, nightclub, yacht club, and a churchall designed by the young Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer. Vertical side walls faced with painted tile mural. The Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi (Italian: Basilica di San Francesco d'Assisi; Latin: Basilica Sancti Francisci Assisiensis) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor Conventual in Assisi, a town in the Umbria region in central Italy, where Saint Francis was born and died. and Francis.". His mother noted that, as a baby, he always seemed to draw in the air with his fingers. In the 1930s, he interned with Lcio Costa, with the pair collaborating on the design for the Palcio Gustavo Capanema in Rio de Janeiro. Like many of Oscar Niemeyer's projects, the new headquarters for Mondadori publishers was years in the makingit was first considered in 1968, construction began and ended in 1970 and 1974, and move-in day was in 1975. "Sited on a promontory some distance from the Pampulha amusement complex, this small church embodies an entirely revolutionary use of concrete for ecclesiastical purposes. As contrasting elements to the fluidic form of the church stand the bell tower and the entrance porch, Both the structure and the roof of the building are formed by the undulating parabolic vaults made of concrete. My ambition has always been to reduce a buildings support to a minimum. A total of five vaults shape the building to give it a T-shaped plan with the main and largest vault acting as the entrance and nave portion of the church and the remaining four at the back acting as support structures housing the altar and other ancillary facilities. It is curvy, glassy, and organically built into the hillside. The chapel is considered the masterpiece of Niemeyer's Modern Ensemble at Pampulha. If you would like to reproduce an image of a work of art in MoMAs collection, or an image of a MoMA publication or archival material (including installation views, checklists, and press releases), please contact Art Resource (publication in North America) or Scala Archives (publication in all other geographic locations). In defending his modernist designs over traditional Classic architecture, Niemeyer famously asked a Brazilian general if he would prefer modern or classic weapons to fight a war. Oscar Niemeyer was a Brazilian architect best known for his design of the government buildings in Braslia. Designed in collaboration with the structural engineer Bruno Contarini and completed in 1996, the Niteri Contemporary Art Museum resembles a flying saucer hovering above Rio de Janeiros Guanabara Bay. The spaces inside remain relatively subdued. The people of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi today join with those of past generations in creating an experience of Church that is genuinely welcoming, mission oriented, and Christ centered. With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. The foundation was laid in 1914 and the site was ready for the superstructure when the entire project was postponed due to World War I. In the year 2016, it was given the status of a UNESCO world heritage site, as a part of the larger Pampulha Modern Ensemble for being an exceptional example of contemporary developments in design and design aspirations. The sites most recognizable feature, however, is Mo, a hand-shaped concrete sculpture inset with a stylized map of Latin America, meant to symbolize the sacrifices of the regions people. It was the same unconventional design that made it the face of Pampulha. Oscar Niemeyer. From Spanish Colonial and 1930s art deco to postmodern deconstructivism, Downtown Los Angeles has become a playground for design, boasting a wide variety of architectural styles spanning centuriesdiscover the history of this diverse district through Valry Augustins expert eye. Niemeyer employed the plastic qualities of concrete by using the same structural element for walls and roof in a series of parabolic arches. Winners of the Pritzker Prize in Architecture, Biography of Dom Pedro I, First Emperor of Brazil, David Childs Architecture - The World Trade Center & Beyond, An Historic Brew of Architecture in Seattle, Modern Architecture? New York: Facts on File, 1990. The government coaxed Oscar Niemeyer with an arts award, and eventually, the Brazilian architect returned the favor with sketches for a multi-building cultural center. https://www.thoughtco.com/oscar-niemeyer-photo-portfolio-4065252 (accessed July 17, 2023). NA 680.S517. All rights reserved. It was designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in the organic modern style. And when you read the description on the Mondadori Website, you come away with thinking how did they do all that in just 7 years? The Museum of Contemporary Art (1996) and the Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Center (2011) both use Niemeyer's love of natural and feminine curves to achieve the design of each structure. The swooping columns of the Cathedral of Braslia form a coronal shape called a hyperboloid structure. It is the small but well-designed buildings that have the most productive influence on its users and environment. Church of Saint Francis of Assisi Key details: Architect: Oscar Niemeyer Date of He used a form that was a combination of what hangars were designed like and the idea of replicating the mountainous landscape of Brazil which was quite literally also the backdrop of the site of the church. The museum contains exhibition space, two auditoriums, and a laboratory. He will be forever associated with the Brazilian Communist Party, which he joined in 1945 and led in 1992. The Pampulha Church, however, had, of necessity, to maintain some spirit which prevails in the other buildings of that locality designed by Niemeyer, and to show a faith in the plastic possibilities of contemporary methods of construction. Images Photo Photo GreatBuildings Images Italia : Suor Graziella graziellapinna28@gmail.com Espaa : Hna Pascaline belpasco@gmail.com. He joined Le Corbusier again in designing the United Nations complex in Manhattan, along with the Soviet architect Nikolai D. Bassov and Max Abramovitz of New York. N'hsite pas nous contacter : Pour la France : Sur Brigitte brigittedesserre8@gmail.com. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); quite simply conveys the core philosophy of design he followed in creating. Set on a floating platform, Brazils Supreme Federal Court features a winglike colonnade surrounding the glass-encased judicial work space. Information from Wikipedia, made available under the. The largest arch faces the lake and pulls light into the vaulted interior through the multitude of parallel concrete fins that fill the top half. As described by Phaidon, "The roof consists of a series of parabolic shell vaults and the main nave space is trapezium-shaped in plan, designed so that the vault diminishes in height from the entrance and choir towards the altar." Often compared to an eye, the annex rises on a brightly colored pedestal from a reflecting pool. The buildings are playful and pure Niemeyer, with requisite curves and curls and what looks somewhat like a sliced hard-boiled egg. Igreja de Sao Francisco de Asis. Type: Church Description: Belo Horizonte Friendly reminder that you can choose a user flair with the name of your favorite modernist architect/designer! The complex was completed in 1960. He was only 48 when Brazil's President asked him and urban planner, Lucio Costa, to design the new city from nothing"a capital created ex nihilo" in UNESCO's description of the World Heritage site. The concrete vault serves as both the structure and the enclosure, eliminating the need for masonry. From his early work on the Ministry of Education and Health (now the Palace of Culture in Rio de Janeiro) with Le Corbusier to his beautifully sculptural buildings for Brazil's new capital city of Brasilia, Niemeyer shaped the Brazil we see today. In the year 2016, it was given the status of a, Complete Architecture Package for Design Studios, Complete Architecture Package for Students, How to Get Your Projects Published | Online Course, How To Build A Brand For A Design Studio | Online Course, Introduction to Architectural Journalism | Online Course, Design Thinking in Architecture | Online Course, Introduction to Landscape Architecture | Online Course, Introduction to Urban Design | Online Course, How to Use Biomimicry in Architecture | Online Course, Introduction to Product Design | Online Course, Introduction to Passive Design Strategies | Online Course, Introduction to Skyscraper Design | Online Course, How to Design Affordable Housing | Online Course, Complete Guide to Dissertation Writing | Online Course, The Ultimate Masters Guide For Architects | Online Course, The Perfect Guide to Architecting your Career | Online Course, Complete Architecture Package for Design Studios v 3.0, Complete Architecture Package for Students v 3.0. With this project, Niemeyer started what would become the guiding principle of his later works: an architecture dominated by the plasticity of reinforced concrete in bold, unconventional, striking forms. Sitemap. For more information about film loans and our Circulating Film and Video Library, please visit https://www.moma.org/research/circulating-film. It is one of the first listed modern architectural monuments in Brazil. Saint Franois est ft le jour de sa naissance au Ciel, le 4 octobre, il est le saint patron de l'Italie, des animaux, de l'cologie, et des louveteaux. Pour l'Afrique : Sur M-Reine mariereine_agbemavor@yahoo.fr. The concrete vault serves as both the structure and the enclosure, eliminating the need for masonry. On either side, in symmetrical order and design, are the various Brazilian Ministries. Oscar Niemeyer, The Cathedral of Braslia, 1958-1970, Braslia, Brazil (photo: Fausto F. Mota, CC BY-SA 4.0) In Latin America, the International Style of architecture flourished in the mid-twentieth century, replacing the classicism of the previous decades. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Fandrade / Moment Collection / Getty Images. Available at Amazon.com, John Julius Norwich, ed. Monday through Friday: 8:30AM to 4:30PM. The Seine's Left Bank (Rive Gauche) has traditionally been the seat of intellectual life, and its Right Bank (Rive Droite) contains the heart of the city's economic life . J.Castro / Moment Open Collection / Getty Images. The Church of St. Francis of Assisi, together with a convent, was established by eight Portuguese Franciscan friars who landed in Goa in 1517.. Oscar Niemeyer. One mayor went as far as to propose the demolition of the building and its replacement by a copy of the church of Saint Francis in Ouro Preto. Costa and Niemeyer worked together on many projects including the design and planning of the city of Brasilia. Niemeyer did not reject the idea that the spaces he designed should be primarily functional, but rather he focused on beautiful designs that serve function. Nevertheless, Niemeyer was over 100-years-old whenel Niemeyer opened, and the architect could say he had moved his architectural visions into Spanish realities. "The Life and Architecture of Oscar Niemeyer." BuilderSpace.com, "Although politicians say the Niemeyer will not become an empty white elephant, its name can be added to a growing list of ambitious publicly-funded projects in Spain which have run into trouble," reported The Guardian. Oscar Niemeyer Subscribers - login to skip ads Location Pampulha, Brazil map Date 1943 timeline Building Type church Construction System concrete Climate tropical Style Organic Modern Notes undulating vaulting roofs over T-shaped plan. The entrance to the church happens from the rear end of the sitethe side that faces the Pampulha lake justifying Niemeyers ideals of creating an element of surprise in every building designed. The "samba" is a centuries-old set of dances known throughout Brazil as the country's national dance. Oscar Niemeyer. Niemeyer was educated at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and after graduating, he worked at his father's typography house and as a draftsman for local architectural firms. Architectural Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Niemeyer graduated from the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janiero. In 1956, Niemeyer was invited by Brazil's new president, Juscelino Kubitschek, to design the civic buildings for Brazil's new capital, Braslia. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Download for free and plan your trips with ease, The world's first map app tailored for travelers, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Saint_Francis_of_Assisi, What to See in Regio Geogrfica Intermediria de Belo Horizonte. On the exterior, the figurative art panels are by Portinari and the abstract ones are by Paulo Werneck. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. A total of five vaults shape the building to give it a T-shaped plan with the main and largest vault acting as the entrance and nave portion of the church and the remaining four at the back acting as support structures, The interior of the entrance vault is cladded with wood on the underside of the roof and serves to draw light into the church through the concrete fins that adorn the lake facing faade. Even though the church was built on a lake in an isolated setting in the Pampulha district of Belo Horizonte and far from any historical setting where the contrast of styles might incur objections, still there were calls for its demolition. For the Queen of Peace Military Cathedral, however, he smartly chose a variation on the familiar structurethe tent. His designs for the National Congress of Brazil, the Cathedral of Braslia, the Palcio da Alvorada, the Palcio do Planalto, and the Supreme Federal Court, all designed by 1960, were experimental and linked by common design elements. To find out more, including which third-party cookies we place and how to manage cookies, see ourprivacy policy. He was instrumental in bringing the new modern style from Europe to South America, and named Le Corbusier as his strongest influence. That has been my lifes work. Oscar Niemeyer. Queen of Peace Military Cathedral, Brasilia, Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Pampulha, 1943, Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre in Aviles, Spain. The silhouette of the curving vaults are hills and clouds, intensifying the blue of the mural, which also fulfills the vision of the fifth day of Creation, when the fishes swarmed in the sea and the birds filled the sky under the dome of heaven. Overlaying the structure, the architect invited artists to cover the concrete walls with mosaics which, when seen with the whites, blues and browns of the uncovered parts, create a polychromatic effect.". ISBN 0-9667098-4-5. Available at Amazon.com, Church of St Francis at Archiplanet Find, add, and edit info at the all-buildings collaboration. In Braslia, 2006 saw the completion of the Cultural Complex of the Republic, a plaza made up of the National Museum, set underneath a billowing dome with ramps that wind toward the entrance, and the modular National Library. ISBN 0-8160-2438-3. photo, p163. Oscar Niemeyer was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1907. Completed in 1970, Itamaraty Palace, or Palace of the Arches, is the headquarters of Brazils Ministry of External Relations, in Braslia.