Born: 15 December 1907 · Died: 5 December 2012 · Age at death: 104
How old was Oscar Niemeyer when he died?
Oscar Niemeyer died aged 104. He was born on 15 December 1907 and died on 5 December 2012.
Brazilian architect who designed the main government buildings of Brasília
Did you know?He was a lifelong communist and close friend of Fidel Castro, living in exile in France for many years.
Quick facts
Date of birth15 December 1907
Date of death5 December 2012
Age at death104
Cause of deathCardiac arrest
NationalityBrazilian
BirthplaceRio de Janeiro, Brazil
Occupationarchitect, designer, university teacher
Editor's Take:
Oscar Niemeyer used concrete like a sculptor uses clay. He rejected the straight lines of most modernists. He preferred curves, which he said he found in Brazil's mountains, rivers and women. His buildings for Brasília gave a new capital a bold, futuristic face. He was a lifelong communist, and the military regime forced him into exile in Paris for years. He kept designing for an astonishing eight decades. His curves remain instantly recognisable worldwide.
Key Milestones
1940: Begins the Pampulha complex in Belo Horizonte
1947: Joins the design team for the UN headquarters
1956: Becomes chief architect of Brasília
1988: Wins the Pritzker Prize
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (Brazilian Portuguese:), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture.
