Built in 1996 and designed by the renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in collaboration with structural engineer Bruno Contarini, the Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum is located in the city of Niteroi, just outside Rio de Janeiro.
The saucer-shaped structure perches on a cliffside above Guanabara Bay, and offers visitors panoramic views. The building is an example of Niemeyer’s affinity for curves; the architect wanted the structure to look like it was growing from the ground like a flower from rocks.
A reflection pool surrounds the museum and the public accesses the building via a swirling, red-carpeted ramp.
