“My ambition has always been to reduce a building’s support to a minimum. The more we diminish supporting structures, the more audacious and important the architecture is. That has been my life’s work.”

— Oscar Niemeyer

Quoted in "Architect of Optimism," Angel Gurria-Quintana, Financial Times (2007-04-13).

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "My ambition has always been to reduce a building’s support to a minimum. The more we diminish supporting structures, th…" by Oscar Niemeyer?

Oscar Niemeyer 14

Brazilian architect 1907–2012

Related quotes

“My father has always been supportive of my individuality.”

Sharon Stone (1958) American actress and fashion model

Barbara Walters interview, September 1993.

“It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.”

Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) logician, one of the first analytic philosophers and political activist

“I became the protagonist of my story and the protagonist of my life. I realized we’ve all been left out of this story. We are always the supporting characters, and we have to say no. My job is to show people that everyone belongs in the theater, everyone belongs making films, everybody has something important to teach someone else. And that’s why stories are so important.”

Josefina Lopez (1969) American playwright

On making Latinos the center of the story in “Josefina López: ‘I became the protagonist of my story’” https://boyleheightsbeat.com/josefina-lopez-i-became-the-protagonist-of-my-story/ in Boyle Heights Beat (2018 Sep 19)

“My work is about structure. It has never been a reaction to Abstract Expressionism. I saw the Abstract Expressionists for the first time in 1954. My line of influence has been the 'structure' of the things I liked: French Romanesque architecture, Byzantine, Egyptian and Oriental art, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Monet, Klee, Picasso, Beckman..”

Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015) American painter, sculptor, and printmaker

Source: 1969 - 1980, In: "Ellsworth Kelly: Works on Paper," 1987, p. unknown : 'Notes from 1969'

“My work has always been the product of my time.”

William Saroyan (1908–1981) American writer

Something About a Soldier (1940)

“It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.”

Isabel II do Reino Unido (1926–2022) queen of the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and head of the Commonwealth of Nations

1957 Christmas Broadcast; quoted on royal website http://www.royal.gov.uk/imagesandbroadcasts/thequeenschristmasbroadcasts/christmasbroadcasts/christmasbroadcast1957.aspx (25 December 1957)

“Love has always been the most important business in my life; I should say the only one.”

Stendhal (1783–1842) French writer

L'amour a toujours été pour moi la plus grande des affaires ou plutôt la seule.
La Vie d'Henri Brulard (1890)
Variant translation: Love has always been the most important business in my life, or rather the only one.

“My aim has always been modest; I wanted to transform the arranged marriage (of art and architecture) into a love match.”

Marcelle Ferron (1924–2001) Canadian artist

Original in French: Mon propos a toujours été modeste, je voulais transformer ce mariage de raison en un mariage d'amour.
Cited at : Ferron, Marcelle; Prix Paul-Émile-Borduas 1983; Catégorie : Culturelle http://www.prixduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/recherche/desclaureat.php?noLaureat=183 at prixduquebec.gouv.qc.ca, 2012-10-29

“Architectural History is more than just the study of buildings. Architecture of the past and the present remains an essential emblem of a distinctive social system and set of cultural values, and as a result it has been the subject of study of a variety of disciplines.”

Dana Arnold (1961) Middlessex uni prof

Source: Reading Architectural History (2002), Ch. 1 : Reading the past : What is architectural history?

“The most important thing in my life, its leitmotif, has been the constant and close contacts with working people, with workers and peasants.”

Leonid Brezhnev (1906–1982) General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

As quoted in Sputnik : Digest (1967), p. 48

“My ambition has always been to reduce a building’s support to a minimum. The more we diminish supporting structures, the more audacious and important the architecture is. That has been my life’s work.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Oscar Niemeyer 14

Related quotes

Related topics