Oca, Art museum in Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo, Brazil.
The Oca is an art museum in Ibirapuera Park featuring a distinctive dome with rounded forms and expansive glass surfaces. Four exhibition floors sit beneath this structural design, with windows framing views of the surrounding park.
The building was designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer and opened in 1954 as a pavilion for São Paulo's 400th-anniversary celebration. Over time it evolved from its original purpose into a major venue for rotating art exhibitions.
The museum presents rotating exhibitions of contemporary art and photography that visitors encounter while moving through the space. Wide windows flood the galleries with natural light, creating an open setting for viewing artworks.
The museum sits within Ibirapuera Park and is accessible through Gates 2 and 3, making arrival by public transit straightforward. It typically opens Tuesday through Sunday, with wide staircases and elevators connecting the exhibition levels for easy movement.
The name comes from traditional indigenous Brazilian dwellings that were called Oca. The building uses this cultural reference and blends it with contemporary design through its characteristic rounded shapes.
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