The realisation of one of the last designs of the great Brazilian architect and concrete ‘sculptor’ Oscar Niemeyer – who sadly died in December 2012 at the age of 104 – is reported in the latest issue (166, CE1) of the ICE Civil Engineering journal.
Niemeyer first rose to international prominence in the 1950s as the designer of several iconic civic buildings in Brasilia, which became his home country’s capital in 1960, as well as the United Nations headquarters in New York. His highly creative ‘sculptural’ use of reinforced concrete has been an enduring influence in architecture over the past 60 years.
Realising his final design
One of his final commissions was the eponymous Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer perched above the Amalfi coast in southern Italy. Two of the project’s structural engineers explain the challenges of realising the stunning design; a dramatic vault-roofed, 400-seat concert hall cantilevering out from a mountain.
The issue also features the inaugural address of ICE’s 148th President, Barry Clarke. He too champions iconic structures, ones that will capture society’s imagination and inspire young people to join the profession. Professor of geotechnical engineering at the University of Leeds, Clarke also stresses the need for education to be a lifelong commitment for all civil engineers.
Other topics covered in the issue include the continuing threat to future road schemes from diesel engines, using building information modelling on highways, unravelling London Underground’s secrets, how CDM 2007 regulations worked on London 2012, and the USA’s growing international dominance of the accreditation of engineering qualifications.
Free for members
Civil Engineering is free online to all ICE members. Visit the ICE Virtual Library to read the latest and past issues.
For further information please contact the ICE Proceedings editor Simon Fullalove on +44 20 8744 2028 or email editor@ice.org.uk.