Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer turned 103 this week. Born on December 12, 1907, Niemeyer designed the capital of Brasilia from scratch, and is the architect of the United Nations Building in NYC.
His most famous building is likely the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum (shown above) located across the bay from Rio de Janeiro. It has been featured in countless movies, TV shows and print media. It was designed in 1996, when Niemeyer was 89 years old. When I visited it ten years ago, I was struck how practically no one observed the art displayed inside. Everyone, myself included, went right back out the door to spend more time staring at the remarkable exterior. The museum is perched on a rock high above a spectacular beach with views back toward Rio de Janeiro. The commuter ferry ride from the docks of Rio to Niterói is itself a worthy tourist attraction.
But I digress.
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