Almost missed this article from January 1st on one of my favorites - the world’s oldest practicing architect Brazilian Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho. It's a shame, and sad reading, to see the writer attempt to attack Oscar and downgrade his work - a cheap shot when Niemeyer who just turned 100 on December 15th is still busy working and continues to receive great respect from his beloved Brazilian people. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, recognized his legacy by recently proposing legislation that would confer special landmark status on all of his buildings in Brazil and declared 2008 the year of Niemeyer saying "Niemeyer has never let himself be dazzled by luxury, power and fame. He continues to rebel against injustice." In Sao Paulo the city celebrated his birthday with the erection of a giant 100 hung on the side of his Copan building. Niemeyer told a Brazilian newspaper that his 100th birthday was meaningless, and that he does not feel older than 60. His recipe to stay young, in his own words - "Modesty and tolerance."
Here's a picture of the model (below) for Niemeyer’s latest design - a cultural/arts complex for the Spanish city of Avilés which he unveiled just before his birthday and described to the Tapei Times as "the most important work in my life." Niemeyer is also working on renovations to Planalto palace, the seat of the Brazilian government in Brasilia, a cultural center in Kazakhstan and a new government center for the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, as well as contemplating designing a new capital four times as big as Brasilia for Angola.
In the US, Niemyer's only projects are the 1947 United Nations Headquarters which he worked on with Le Corbusier (which he discusses briefly in the video interview below) and the much lesser known Strick House (below) at 1911 La Mesa Drive in Santa Monica that was recently threatened with destruction then saved. The Strick House was also recently documented in Michael Webb's book Modernist Paradise.
Download a video interview with Oscar Niemeyer (produced for RIBA, Fall 2007) from BDonline
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