Once Zaha Hadid said, “there are 360 degrees then why stick to one?”, as bold as the statement it truly speaks many languages of styles in architecture. Predominantly curves in architecture, the concept itself is complicated in architecture language but every complicated thing comes with the unique “beauty”. The concept of the curve was derived from nature itself, by the shape of plants, animals, natural habitat, and what not from the feminine form of a woman as well. “A curve is always beautiful because it’s truthful,” Owen says an architectural designer who is also a pioneer in curve architecture such as Oscar Niemeyer and Zaha Hadid.
Oscar Niemeyer is also known as the king of curves in the world of architecture. Born in 1907 Brazilian architect completed his specialization in “International Modern Architecture”. Niemeyer is famous for his abstract form and curves in the design, he has a special motivation for free-flowing sensual curves. He creates unconventional patterns by creating spacious and exposed elements. Niemeyer was able to connect Baroque style with modern architecture to create iconic elements.
Oscar once said that “I am not attracted to straight angles or the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. I am attracted to free-flowing, sensual curves. The curves that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuousness of its rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and on the body of the beloved woman. Curves make up the entire Universe, the curved Universe of Einstein”. Each word said by him is reflected in his design as he rarely followed the concept of the straight line, straight angles, he was always motivated by the shape of nature i.e. “curve”.
Famous structures by Oscar Niemeyer
Brasilia Cathedral: Niemeyer saw a compact and clean concept, a volume occurring with the same purity from any perspective and for times of deep religious expression.
In the air-born outside the structure of the earth is a cry of faith and hope, then, the gallery is located in semi-darkness to prepare the faithful to show religious order in the contrast of light and the external effects; the faithful depart from the world and are projected between the cathedral and the infinite spaces. The hyperbolic structure is built of concrete, and it seems that with its glass roof it is raised to the open sky.
Museum of Contemporary Art in Niteroi: Located at the top of Mirante da Boa Viagem, Oscar Niemeyer created revolutionary double-layered elements resembling flying saucers. The combination of the elements that surround it, an open square of 2500 square meters, a reflecting pool at its base with 817 square meters and 60 meters deep, thereby giving the structure the appearance of lightness.
The modernist structure with circular lines and saucer-shaped has sometimes been likened to a UFO. The structure rests on a water source from which emerges the flying saucer appearing white, pretending to be suspended in the air.
Zaha Hadid hardly needs any introduction to the queen of curves, who stands with boldness for her curves in architecture. Zaha was born in 1950 British architect famous for her curvaceous structures. She plays with form, shape, size, volume, sharp and angular forms to create conventional design elements. Her top three themes in design are revolutionary, fragmentary, and gravity-defying. She also contributed to deconstructivism blending the modern elements and recreating free forms.
She was always ahead of her time, she had envisioned the class group of people, the developing scenario of the world, hence contributed in the same pattern lavish, iconic trophies as her designs. Breaking the elements, distortion, distinguishing the elements, blending with curves became her style in architecture.
Famous structures by Zaha Hadid
London Aquatic Center: London Aquatic Center located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford is an indoor facility Olympic structure with two 50 meters Olympic-sized pools, 25-meter diving pools, meter station gym, café, and Creech. The concept for this structure was “the motion of water”, the fluidity and resilient rhythm motivated Zaha Hadid to create space and elements using the natural periphery on the site. London Aquatic center consists of an orthogonal shape perpendicular to the double curvature geometry.
Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center: The Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center situated in Baku, set a benchmark of Neu-futuristic architecture. This structure depicts the fluid form which was created by folding the natural topography of the landscape. Fluidly connecting the various structural elements as well as providing each space its privacy. This structure was also nominated for the World Architecture Festival and Inside Biennial Festival in 2013. This structure resembles the beauty of the curve how brilliantly blended with the natural landscape which was available on the site and natural periphery. It is inspired by the natural element in the surrounding.
The King Vs the Queen
It’s a proverb which says “ two of a trade seldom agrees’’, but in the architectural world it is opposite we have two pioneers who are the master in their own may have one common element known as “curves”, both still differ in many ways. Oscar Niemeyer and Zaha Hadid though have the same fundamental principles in design i.e. curve they do resemble a slight difference in their philosophy. Oscar Niemeyer is completely obsessed with unconventional patterns whereas Zaha Hadid plays with the conventional pattern. He is the follower of “International Modern Architecture” and she is the follower of “Deconstructivism”. Niemeyer firmly blends the exposed and spacious volumes to create the feel of modern architecture. Zaha believes in distorting the volumes to recreate the modern concept by breaking the old traditional pattern.
Niemeyer was inspired by the curves of the mountain of his country, the fluidity of the river, the waves of the ocean, and the feminine curve of a woman. Zaha was inspired by the curves of the landscape, folding of the fluid water, the resilience of nature, almost the same but their design reflects the opposite. Both have a special contribution to contemporary architecture. There will be endless debate about who is better and who is best. But the real debate ends to the point of realizing that their philosophy stands for themselves and speaks for themselves.
“Form follows beauty”. Every structure holds a certain beauty, when we talk about curves both Niemeyer and Zaha as an architectural designer proved how one can create a masterpiece either by distorting the element or perfecting the element. It is in the designer itself to believe what he/she creates.
Some of the beautiful quotes by Zaha Hadid
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- People don’t talk to you properly. It’s the way they talk to you; they dismiss you. I think it’s a combination of me being a woman and a foreigner.
- I have always appreciated those who dare to experiment with materials and proportions.
- “There are 360 degrees, so why stick to one?”
Some of the beautiful quotes by Oscar Niemeyer
- When students leave college, they are like children who know nothing about the problems of life and don’t have a political stance.
- I like talking to priests, to Catholics. Everyone has their beliefs.
- Architecture is my work, and I’ve spent my whole life at a drawing board, but life is more important than architecture. What matters is to improve human beings.
- Architecture is an invention.
References
The Curve in Architecture – Architecture Lab
Controlling Curves in Architecture – Technology in Architecture (wordpress.com)
Oscar Niemeyer | Brazilian architect | Britannica
Spotlight: Oscar Niemeyer | Arch Daily
Zaha Hadid | Biography, Buildings, Architecture, Death, & Facts | Britannica
Zaha Hadid Architects (zaha-hadid.com)
