Year 2005
Work finished in 2011
status Completed works
Type ART/ENTERTAINEMENT / Arts Centers / Theatres / Concert Halls /
The Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre or Centro Niemeyer (Spanish: Centro Cultural Internacional Oscar Niemeyer), (popularly known as el Niemeyer), is the result of the combination of a cultural complex designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and an international cultural project. The center is located on the estuary of Avilés, Asturias (Spain). It was inaugurated on the 26 of May 2011.
The architect described the Niemeyer Centre as “An open square to the humankind, a place for education, culture and peace”.
Year 2005
Work finished in 2011
status Completed works
Type ART/ENTERTAINEMENT / Arts Centers / Theatres / Concert Halls /
The Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre or Centro Niemeyer (Spanish: Centro Cultural Internacional Oscar Niemeyer), (popularly known as el Niemeyer), is the result of the combination of a cultural complex designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and an international cultural project. The center is located on the estuary of Avilés, Asturias (Spain). It was inaugurated on the 26 of May 2011.
The architect described the Niemeyer Centre as “An open square to the humankind, a place for education, culture and peace”.
It is possible to see the buildings from different places, even from the air. Its size and white, red and yellow colours highlight its location in the landscape of the town.
The Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (designer of Brasilia and one of the most important architects in the world) was awarded with the Prince of Asturias Award for Art in 1989. That was the origin of the relationship between Oscar Niemeyer and the Principality of Asturias. Years later, as a present fort the 25 Anniversary of the Prince of Asturias Awards, Niemeyer donated a big project to the Principality. His design has become a project meant to be an international reference in the cultural field. It is dedicated to education, culture and peace. ” This centre is the first Oscar Niemeyer’s work in Spain, and he has said he believes it is the most important in Europe. That is the reason why its name is “Centro Niemeyer”
The Niemeyer Centre is formed by five main elements that complement each other:
The open square: a large open outdoor space for cultural activities. It reflects the Oscar Niemeyer’s idea of a place open to humankind.
The auditorium: around 1000 seats for concerts, theatre, conferences… Its peculiarity is not having distinction between social classes. It includes the Club (a small space for small concerts) and an exhibition room in the foyer.
The dome: its the exhibitions building.
The tower: sight-seeing tower, restaurant and cocktail lounge
The multi-purpose building: Film Centre, meeting-rooms, cafe, shop, information point
The main features in Oscar Niemeyer’s work are the curves. But also the colours: mainly white, red, yellow and blue this is because of the influence in his work of the (Neoplasticism).