My work is not about ‘form follows function,’ but ‘form follows beauty’ or, even better, ‘form follow feminine’.
| Image 1 – Havre Cultural Centre in France (exterior area) |
The conception of the ‘Future Space’ project used as a creative support, the design language of the modernist and Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, which beliefs in the plastic freedom of volumes and consciously ignores ‘the highly praised right angle and the rational architecture of T-squares and triangles, to wholeheartedly enter the world of curves and new shapes’. In contrast, Le Corbusier’s modular aesthetics and set rules are opposed to Niemeyer’s. Despite sharing a love of concrete, Niemeyer’s rejection of Le Corbusier’s rigidity was monumental in the development of the movement. The architect perfectly sums up his relationship to modern architecture by subverting the movement’s motto ‘form follows function’, and making it his own: ‘my work is not about ‘form follows function’, but ‘form follows beauty’ or, even better, ‘form follows feminine’.
The Havre Cultural Centre
| Image 2 – Havre Cultural Centre in France (interior area) |
Analysing Niemeyer’s design process on the Havre Cultural Centre project in France, shown on images 1 (exterior area) and 2 (interior area), it’s easy to note a strong contrast between the exterior simplicity and interior complexity, which gives a sense of ‘curiosity’ and ‘mystery’ on the language of the space. Besides, the sculptural shapes create a harmonious choreography in the space which invites people into a journey of movement and constant circulation. To accent the sculptural character, the architect also takes special care for the creation of openings such as doors, windows and gaps. Also, it’s clearly noticed that Niemeyer’s projects reflect a balance between straight lines and curves, where geometry is used to accent the optics illusion character of the organization of form in space.