The ultimate task of the architect is to dream. - Oscar Niemeyer.

Architect Oscar Niemeyer rose to prominence at Le Corbusier's side, but ultimately swerved from the hard, straight lines of traditional modernism to forge a parallel track of the movement a track that mimics the crescendoes and denouements of human feeling through swooping curves, graceful arches, and sensuous, feminine lines. Using reinforced concrete as his major building material, Niemeyer has elevated the everyday to the sublime. And, even at the age of one hundred, he continues to seek major public works projects. On the occasion of his centennial year, Assouline presents the limited-edition Oscar Niemeyer, the most complete and lavish exploration of his life and career yet published. Sketches, original photography, and contributions from architects such as Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando all confirm Niemeyer's influence on twentieth-and twenty-first-century architecture.