Oscar Niemeyer, builder of Brasilia and one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture, died on December 5th in Rio de Janeiro, aged 104. Rest in peace, Oscar Niemeyer!

Three years ago, at the age of 101, when he still designed buildings every day in his office, the guys from Vice did an interview with him. A man who had build an entire city from scratch and had seen an entire century told them that nobody in this life is important. The quintessence of his architecture as put in his own words: “Architecture can’t be like Bauhaus wanted, a ‘habitation machine.’ Architecture has to be pretty. It has to amaze to be a masterpiece.” Thank you for a lot of masterpieces! For more insights in the life of a great architect you can read the whole interview with Oscar Niemeyer over at vice.com or watch the two videos with Oscar Niemeyer below.

Oscar Niemeyer interview – Part 1

Oscar Niemeyer interview – Part 2