Centro Niemeyer, Cultural Center Avilés, Arquitectura España, Photo, Architect, Spanish Design

Niemeyer Center, Avilés Building

Centro Niemeyer Project design by Oscar Niemeyer architect in Spain

25 Mar 2011

Niemeyer Center Avilés

Design: Oscar Niemeyer

Location: Avilés, Spain

Centro Niemeyer – Spaces

The project is hoped to be a magnet for talent, knowledge and creativity as a strong focus on collaboration with international cultural centers. To get it, its structure has five independent parts but also complementary:

Niemeyer Center photo : Tierra Febrero

The auditorium

The auditorium, Niemeyer-signature, with 26 meters high, this spectacular structure is the highest building of the Niemeyer Center, and also the most difficult one to be built because of its complexity forms and curves. Example of democratization of art it will be without balconies, it will have 998 seats in unique stalls. The Hall is thought to be also available as an exhibition room. A small chamber room has been built under the stage; it will work as a studio to lodge special events.

Another feature of this hall is the “big window”, the gate of the stage. It is the most singular part, it offers the chance of opening it towards the square and so that, to extend the stage outside, so that outdoor show will be available to thousands of people. This is the scene for greatest events: the concerts, meetings and worldwide cultural forums.

The dome

It is well-lit exhibition space of 2,500 square meters big. It should stress the unusual system used for the implementation of the dome: a PVC membrane of 18 meters high was inflated and projected from within the concrete. Inside the dome, four tons amazing lamp is hanging, it was completely made by Oscar Niemeyer as well as the spectacular spiral staircase, his banner work of harmony, grace and elegance.

The dome will be open with “La Luz” (Light) the exhibition, leaded by film director Carlos Saura, that will draw and spread all the aspects of this element. Carlos Saura is one of the most successful and prestigious Spanish film directors, recognized by all major worldwide festivals. Winner of the Golden Bear in Berlin, Cannes Jury Prize and nominated twice for Oscars is one of our most prominent and widely acknowledged artists.

The sight-seeing tower

From the sight-seeing Tower, it is possible to see the Centro Niemeyer and the estuary from different points. The tower, 20 meters high, is the 360º viewpoint of the Center. It is the just right place to check and see how the work is built on the estuary and opens towards the old town of Avilés. Its size is in an exactly relation to whole perspective. Once again, Niemeyersignature appears: perfect master control of scales.

The highlighted reason inside it will be to rise up Gastronomy to the Art status. The main objective is to present the food as another cultural form as it is film, literature or painting. Visitors will find a cocktail bar and a kitchen where enjoy and attend the preparation of different menus designed by guest chefs.

The multi-purpose building

This building will house the Film Center, the first permanent room in the original version in Asturias. With capacity for one hundred people, programming is connected with other activities of the Center, but also has its own planning. The legendary New York director Woody Allen is the honorary president of the Film Center and he advises on matters of content.

Besides that, this complete building will have not only rehearsal room, but also meetings and conferences ones. Moreover, there will be a café, a shop and a visitor’s reception.

The open square

At the square, cultural and recreational activities scheduled continuously, and will be the link between the Center and the City.

Oscar Niemeyer designed this place with social vocation“A great place open to all men and women of the world, a great stage for drama over the estuary and the old city”, said Oscar Niemeyer.

Centro Niemeyer – International Advisory Board

The advisory board of the Niemeyer Center is comprised of prestigious personalities that represent various areas of culture and society, including the North American film maker, Woody Allen, the English scientist, Stephen Hawking, the Brazilian writer, Paulo Coelho and the inventor of the Internet and Vice-President of Google, Vinton Cerf.

Woody Allen

Born in the Bronx, New York in 1935, Woody Allen, actor, script writer and director, is one of the most important references of international cinema. He has directed 38 films, for which he has won an Oscar for Best Director and two Oscars for the Best Original Script. In addition to his work in the world of cinema, Allen is known for his involvement in all realms of culture, including literature. He is the author of several stories and music, in particular jazz. In 2002, he was awarded the Prince of Asturias award for the arts.

Stephen Hawking

The English scientist Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford in 1942. He studied Physics in his native city and then went on to study Cosmology. It is in this field that Hawking earned recognition thanks to his studies of the origin of the Universe and black holes. He is a Member of the Royal Society of London and of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. In 1989 he was awarded the Prince of Asturias award for concord.

Paulo Coelho

The Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, is one of the best-selling living authors in the world and has sold over 100 million copies of his 16 books. He earned international recognition with The Alchemist, his most famous novel to date. Coelho has a legion of book fans that follow him wherever he goes and with whom he keeps in touch on his blog which he personally updates several times a day. In addition to his interest in new technologies, he is committed to helping improve the living conditions in Brazil, where he is head of several educational projects for favela children.

Vinton Cerf

Considered one of the fathers of the Internet, the North American scientist, Vinton Cerf, was born in Connecticut in 1943 and went on to study Mathematics and Computational Science at Stanford University. His study of creating connections between the various networks used by the United States Department of Defence led to the design of the protocols now known as TCP/IP. Between 1982 and 1986 he designed the first commercial email service. In 2002, he was awarded the Prince of Asturias award for Technical and Scientific Research.

Centro Niemeyer site image:

image from the Niemeyer Center

Centro Niemeyer – Programme

The Niemeyer Center is an open door to culture in all its shapes, forms, traditions and styles. Music, theatre, cinema, expositions, conferences and outdoor and educational news will be the main focus of a multidisciplinary cultural programme of which the only common denominator is excellence.

The Niemeyer Center was created to attract talent, knowledge and creativity. From this point of view, not only will it be a gateway to the best of the world.s culture, but also a producer of contents. Since the celebration of the First World Forum of Cultural Centres in Avilés the Niemeyer Center has worked in connection with some of the most prestigious cultural centres throughout the world, such as the Carnegie Hall, the Old Vic Theatre and Cannes Film Festival, among others.

Niemeyer Center Avilés, Spain : main page on this building

photo : Ángel Navarrete