Oscar Niemeyer (1907 - 2012)

A sad farewell to iconic Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, who passed away in Rio de Janeiro yesterday just a few days before his 105th birthday, leaving a rich and unique architectural legacy in his home country and around the world.
We met with the design legend during our Born in Brazil adventure two years ago and looked with admiration at his seminal projects in Brasilia, where he masterminded landmark governmental, residential and cultural buildings, such as the Cathedral of Brasilia, the country's National Congress and the National Theatre.
His work, such as the Ravello auditorium in Italy, his prefabricated schools across Brazil, his complex at Ibirapuera Park in Sao Paulo and his Cultural Centre at Goiania - awarded Best Public Building in the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2007 - was immensely influential on the global architecture scene, defined 20th century Brazilian architecture, and frequently graced the pages of wallpaper*. Niemeyer was the last of the great Modernists and he will always be cited among the last century's most important architects.
To celebrate the life and legacy of Niemeyer, Wallpaper* has produced a 28-page tribute to the architect to go with our February issue. Buy a copy of our February issue or download the iPad edition to see more
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Ten lesser-known haunts to make your Madrid stay memorable
Celebrated for its Beaux-Arts architecture, art museums and culinary creativity, Madrid continues to reinvent itself thanks to a buoyant cultural scene
-
Lulu Harrison is the Ralph Saltzman Prize winner 2025
The Design Museum, London, announces Lulu Harrison as winner of The Ralph Saltzman Prize for emerging designers, and will showcase her work from 24 June to 25 August 2025
-
Reimagining roots: highlights from Design Shanghai 2025
The 12th edition of Design Shanghai reflected the evolution of Chinese creativity despite challenges to the sector, with participants exploring the intersection of tradition and innovation
-
Discover Canadian modernist Daniel Evan White’s pitch-perfect homes
Canadian architect Daniel Evan White (1933-2012) had a gift for using the landscape to create extraordinary homes; revisit his story in an article from the Wallpaper* archives (first published in 2011)
-
A night at Pierre Jeanneret’s house, Chandigarh’s best-kept secret
Pierre Jeanneret’s house in Chandigarh is a modernist monument, an important museum of architectural history, and a gem hidden in plain sight; architect, photographer and writer Nipun Prabhakar spent the night and reported back
-
Beige is best at this São Paulo apartment by Arthur Casas
With this quietly elegant São Paulo apartment, Studio Arthur Casas celebrates the power of subtle, neutral shades to create warmth and timeless appeal
-
Lina Bo Bardi, the misunderstood modernist, and her influential architecture
A sense of mystery clings to Lina Bo Bardi, a modernist who defined 20th-century Brazilian architecture, making waves still felt in her field; here, we explore her work and lasting influence
-
A Brazil office makes the most of its tropical location
We tour of a new Brazil office engulfed in greenery – welcome to Gabriel Faria Lima Corporate by Perkins & Will
-
Oscar Niemeyer: a guide to the Brazilian modernist, from big hits to lesser-known gems
Architecture master Oscar Niemeyer defined 20th-century architecture and is synonymous with Brazilian modernism; our ultimate guide explores his work, from lesser-known schemes to his big hits; and we revisit a check-in with the man himself
-
Inspired by 1970s Brazilian brutalism, Arches House is rich in colour and expression
Akitito Arquitetura blends Brazilian brutalism with fresh colours, bringing warmth and energy into a renovated family home in São Paulo
-
Modernist Travel Guide: a handy companion to explore modernism across the globe
‘Modernist Travel Guide’, a handy new pocket-sized book for travel lovers and modernist architecture fans, comes courtesy of Wallpaper* contributor Adam Štěch and his passion for modernism