Search

Oscar Niemeyer contributed to introduce a whole new world of modernist lexicon. The plasticity of reinforced concrete allowed him to explore free forms and continuous spaces. Since 2015, data and information have been collected at the Oscar Niemeyer Foundation, from books and texts published by the architect himself, as well as from scientific publications, resulting in the identification of 503 projects, whose themes range from public administrative buildings, corporate headquarters, housing, and urban plans to buildings for cultural, educational and leisure purposes. An Excel database was created for each of them. We found a predominance of 147 projects with detached auditoriums buildings. On the other hand, out of this total, 108 contained trapezoidal plan, of which 64 had curved roof. Based on these data, we decided to study only trapezoidal auditoriums, convention centers or theaters buildings with curvilinear surface roof. The parametric modeling allowed us to reveal underlying geometrical principles and strategies in Niemeyer’s auditoriums, defining his modus operandi: types of connection between straight lines and tangent circumference arcs. We identified 17 types of auditoriums, as well as fundamental guiding concepts in his writings, especially in his named necessary explanations. As a result, we traced 5 guiding principles for implementing auditoriums in sets of buildings, in addition to the importance of auditoriums. This paper contributes to fill the gap about Niemeyer’s geometric strategies, emphasizing the systematic study of the plasticity of the sculptural forms of his auditoriums.

During the twentieth century, the ramp was an architectural element valued by modern architects. Among the architects who most explored this element was Oscar Niemeyer. The plasticity of his buildings is notorious. Since 2017, data and information were collected, resulting in the identification of 497 projects. A database was created for each of them. From these data, it was decided to study outdoor ramps, with curvilinear geometry, in cultural projects, resulting in 32 projects. The methodological procedures for analysis and synthesis were as follows: i) ramp redrawing; ii) geometry analysis; iii) identification of geometric characteristics in tangent curves and lines; iv) criteria for the identification of ramp types; v) comparative analysis of the types of ramps identified; vi) elaboration of a synthetic table with the types of ramps. The parameters were extracted from the preliminary analysis of original drawings of the ramp element. The ramps were parametrically modeled with the plug-in Grasshopper. The classification of ramp types occurred based on the identification of the sequential order of straight lines and curves tangents. It was possible to identify and classify types of ramps according to their geometrical characteristics. This paper contributes to fill the gap in the study of Oscar Niemeyer’s intrinsic architecture geometry.

The organic principles conceptualized and written by Frank Lloyd Wright in his books reveals strategies and geometry underlying in his designs along his career. There is no specific study about the geometry of the ramps adopted by the architect in a few designs in different themes, and mostly how this circulation element is linked with his organic principles. The scope of this paper is to disclose the values of the ramped surfaces, as well how its geometry is intimately connected with the principles of continuity, simplicity, plasticity, integrity, and grammar. The focus of this paper is to reveal the geometry of fifteen designs by diagrams, in order to indicate a unique and integrated design, where the ramps present themselves inseparable from the building as a whole, mainly by means of curvilinear forms.