Life is more important than architecture.
Oscar NiemeyerRead
My work is not about "form follows function," but "form follows beauty" or, even better, "form follows feminine."
Interpretation
Niemeyer emphasizes the importance of beauty and femininity in design over mere functionality.
This quote by Oscar Niemeyer suggests that the essence of his architectural work is rooted in aesthetics and emotional resonance rather than just practical utility. He advocates for a design philosophy where beauty and a feminine touch guide the creative process, allowing for a richer, more expressive interpretation of space and structure.
In practice
This quote can be used in an art class discussion about the philosophy of design.
Life is more important than architecture.
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.
We need to feel that life is important; we need that fantasy so we can live a little better.
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.
When you have a large space to conquer, the curve is the natural solution.
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.
There is no music more powerful than hip-hop. No other music so purely demands an instant affirmative on such a global scale. When the beat drops, people nod their heads, βyes,β in the same way that they would in conversation with a loved one, a parent, professor, or minister.
A lot of people don't realize, when you are acting in a martial arts film, you're not just performing martial arts. You're not just performing martial arts. You're actually acting as much as any other actor.
I couldn't talk to people face to face, so I got on stage and started screaming and squealing and twitching.
Not all poetry wants to be storytelling. And not all storytelling wants to be poetry. But great storytellers and great poets share something in common: They had something to say, and did.
We rode on the winds of the rising storm, We ran to the sounds of the thunder. We danced among the lightning bolts, and tore the world asunder.
The best stories come out of the truth.
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