Oscar Niemeyer

Every line drawn by architect Oscar Niemeyer had the power to enchant and make history. But not everyone knows that his curves were not limited to the striking architectural works he created. The architect, who made history by designing numerous buildings in Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and also abroad, also created sculptural furniture.

The desire to design his own furniture was born from a small frustration. For him, the arrangement of furniture often completely compromised modernist and contemporary architecture, in a way diminishing its value.

Alongside his daughter, Anna Maria, he designed the iconic Rio Rocking Chair, the Marquesa Bench, and the High Armchair. Later, he created the ON line, composed of a desk, sofa, and armchair that reflected the famous curves of his architecture.

“It is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight, hard, inflexible line created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve—the curve I find in the mountains of my country, in the winding course of its rivers, in the waves of the sea, in the body of the beloved woman. The whole universe is made of curves, the curved universe of Einstein.” — Oscar Niemeyer

The Oscar Niemeyer Foundation, created in 1988, holds the copyright to the works of Oscar Niemeyer and Anna Maria Niemeyer. As of 2013, ETEL became the sole and exclusive licensee for the production of the architect’s and his daughter’s pieces. Through ETEL’s re-edition method, in partnership with the Foundation, originality and authenticity are guaranteed.