Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre, Cultural center and art museum in Avilés, Spain
The Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre is a complex of five connected buildings along the shore of the Avilés estuary, housing an auditorium, an exhibition hall, a cinema, a viewing tower, and a multipurpose dome structure. The white, curved structures stand around a central plaza, forming an open ensemble of smooth surfaces and rounded lines.
Construction began in 2008 and opened in 2011, after Niemeyer received the commission from the Asturian government to create a facility that would connect art and education. The project developed from an earlier initiative to establish a cultural center for the 25th anniversary of the Princess of Asturias Awards.
The center bears the name of the Brazilian architect who designed it at age 98, bringing his preference for organic forms and floating roofs. Its white facade stands out against the older industrial structures nearby, showing a deliberate contrast between two different eras of local architecture.
The site is open to the public, and visitors can explore the plaza and outdoor areas without needing a ticket. Most events and exhibitions inside require separate admission, which varies depending on the program schedule.
The red dome of the building rises to a height of 65 feet (20 meters) and appears as a bright punctuation mark among the white surfaces of the other structures. The tower offers views over the estuary and the older parts of the industrial town.
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