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Today, architecture is invention. It isn't enough to just be rational - It must also be beautiful.
Oscar Niemeyer
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Architecture combines practicality with aesthetics, emphasizing that it should be both functional and beautiful.

Oscar Niemeyer's quote expresses the idea that modern architecture transcends mere functionality; it must also evoke beauty and creativity. He suggests that rational design alone falls short of true artistry, and that invention in architecture should harmoniously blend purpose with aesthetic appeal, reflecting the importance of innovation in creating spaces that inspire and elevate the human experience.

Themes

ArchitectureBeautyInventionDesignFunctionality

In practice

Example use cases

In a lecture on architectural design, you could illustrate the blend of beauty and functionality with Niemeyer's quote.

More from Oscar Niemeyer

Life is more important than architecture.
Oscar NiemeyerRead
I deliberately disregarded the right angle and rationalist architecture designed with ruler and square to boldly enter the world of curves and straight lines offered by reinforced concrete... This deliberate protest arose from the environment in which I lived, with its white beaches, its huge mountains, its old baroque churches, and the beautiful suntanned women.
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We need to feel that life is important; we need that fantasy so we can live a little better.
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Here, then, is what I wanted to tell you of my architecture. I created it with courage and idealism, but also with an awareness of the fact that what is important is life, friends and attempting to make this unjust world a better place in which to live.
Oscar NiemeyerRead
When you have a large space to conquer, the curve is the natural solution.
Oscar NiemeyerRead
I was attracted by the curve β€” the liberated, sensual curve suggested by the possibilities of new technology yet so often recalled in venerable old baroque churches.
Oscar NiemeyerRead

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