Something mysterious about Paris, especially Aix-en-Provence, makes the place attract the world’s most claimed creatives. The Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer is not an exception. He would only leave his beloved Rio de Janeiro, a city in Brazil, for Aix-en-Provence.
Nevertheless, Oscar never left Brazil behind, only in the cultural lockdown. The architect left a collection of breathtaking projects in France. Many artists were exiled because of the military dictatorship in Brazil. And like much more artists, he came to France, where he designed iconic projects.
When Oscar Niemeyer passed away a decade ago, he left behind a very detailed sketch of a project erected in Aix-en-Provence. This project is open in a French vineyard. It is a pavilion that he designed with Jair Valera, who has his architecture studio that continues his legacy of Oscar. This iconic project joins other well-known artists and architects such as Frank Gehry, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Louise Bourgeois, etc.
Every room in this French pavilion is very distinctive. Oscar designed this project as his last gift for this beautiful country that he loved. The Bishop of Aix built this château in 1682 . It is a vineyard with 30 suite luxury hotels, five restaurants, and a winery. Plus, in this building, there are the 45 biggest contemporary artworks. Every year architects and artists get invited to visit the vineyard.
The pavilion is behind a curved, glazed elevation that leads into the gallery. This work reflects precisely what Oscar’s essence is. It took more than a year for Oscar to master the look of the vineyard, but years later, the pavilion is ready.
Source: Architectural Digest
Oscar Niemeyer`s Last Project in Aix-en-Provence, France
