WORDS
SOPHIE BICHENER
PHOTOS
ALAMY, GETTY
I C O N S
The story behind the most
famous landmarks around
the network
Oscar Niemeyer International
Cultural Centre
THE FACTS
LOCATION
AVILES,
ASTURIAS, SPAIN
AGE
2 YEARS
KNOWN AS
CENTRONIEMEYER, THE
ISLAND OF INNOVATION
VISITOR NUMBERS
700,000 PER YEAR
VISIT FOR
ART, BALLET, FILM,
THEATRE
niemeyercenter.org
DID YOU KNOW?
THE FANS
Twenty
tower’s height in metres
961
seats in auditorium
2012
saved from closure
44million
cost to build in Euros
14
restaurant
covers
THE SET UP
THE ARCHITECT
NOWAND VENN
edieval
rtress
The Niemeyer Centre
Buildings
designed by
centenarians
Places
that look like
spaceships
Niemeyitas
are
sweets made locally
that mimic the dome
18
height of dome
in metres
FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING
WHO
Oscar Niemeyer
FROM
Brazil
BUILT
600+ projects
AGE WHEN PROJECT
COMPLETED
103
FAMOUS FOR
Experimenting with
reinforced concrete
HIS INSPIRATION
“The free
and sensual curve... that I find in the
mountains of my country, in the sinuous
course of its rivers, in the body of a
beloved woman.”
OPEN SQUARE
The concrete terrace reflects
Niemeyer’s idea of a place
open to humankind.
AUDITORIUM
Shaped like a wave, this hosts concerts and theatre.
Intentionally classless, all seats are the same price.
MULTI-PURPOSE
SPACE
Holds the film
centre, café and shop.
THE DOME
Its main exhibition
space was made
by injecting
concrete into an
inflatable mould.
THE TOWER
Climb up this
space-age lookout
for views, food and
cocktail lounge.
Keen
architecture fan
Brad Pitt came to observe
the building of the centre
while filming
Inglourious
Basterds
.
Woody
Allen played
saxophone at the opening
ceremony. One of the chairs
in the cinema is inscribed
with his name.
Kevin
Spacey brought his
lauded
Richard III
here, and
campaigned to keep it open
when it was threatened
with closure.
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