Thinking Quotes by Oscar Niemeyer

Of course, I have given my engineers some headaches over the years, but they go with me. I have always wanted my buildings to…

— Oscar Niemeyer

Surprise is key in all art.

— Oscar Niemeyer

Architecture is my work, and I've spent my whole life at a drawing board, but life is more important than architecture. What matters is…

— Oscar Niemeyer

Camus says in 'The Stranger' that reason is the enemy of imagination. Sometimes you have to put reason aside and make something beautiful.

— Oscar Niemeyer

I had some good opportunities. I was lucky to have had the chance to do things differently. Architecture is about surprise.

— Oscar Niemeyer

There is no reason to design buildings that are more basic and rectilinear, because with concrete you can cover almost any space.

— Oscar Niemeyer

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

— Oscar Niemeyer

I search for surprise in my architecture. A work of art should cause the emotion of newness.

— Oscar Niemeyer

Right angles don't attract me. Nor straight, hard and inflexible lines created by man.

— Oscar Niemeyer

The challenge of a cathedral is very good for architectural inventiveness.

— Oscar Niemeyer

My work is not about 'form follows function,' but 'form follows beauty' or, even better, 'form follows feminine.'

— Oscar Niemeyer

Architecture was my way of expressing my ideals: to be simple, to create a world equal to everyone, to look at people with optimism,…

— Oscar Niemeyer