Oscar Niemeyer: a life in architecture - in pictures

A view of the National Congress under construction in Brasilia on 29 April 1959 Photograph: Globo/Getty Images

A military parade at Tres Poderes Square celebrates the inauguration of the new capital on 21 April 1960 in Brasilia Photograph: Globo/Getty Images

Brasilia's Cathedral photographed in 2005 Photograph: Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images

The interior of the Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida cathedral in Brasilia Photograph: Ludovic Maisant/Hemis/Corbis

The National Museum in Brasilia Photograph: Image Broker/Rex Features

The Brazilian presidential palace, Planalto, in Brasilia Photograph: Michael Kappeler/AFP/Getty Images

The foyer of the Foreign Ministry Palacio do Itamarati Photograph: Tim Brakemeier/Corbis

National Congress in Brasilia Photograph: Image Broker/Rex Features

Niemeyer seen here in the dining room of his Rio home with his wife, in 1950 Photograph: Haywood Magee/Getty Images

Museu de Arte Contemporanea de Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro Photograph: Alan Weintraub/Arcaid/Corbis

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Niteroi, near Rio de Janeiro Photograph: Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images

Niemeyer, with hand on chin, inspects the site of an office block in Rio de Janeiro, 1950 Photograph: Kurt Hutton/Getty Images

The Ministry of Education in Rio de Janeiro, designed by a team of architects which included Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer, June 1950 Photograph: Kurt Hutton/Getty Images

Interior shot of the Casino Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil Photograph: GE Kidder Smith/Corbis

Niemeyer discussing the design for the United Nations headquarters buildings. He was one of the design consultants which also included Le Corbusier Photograph: Frank Scherschel/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Cicillo Matarazzo Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo, 1954 Photograph: Alan Weintraub/Arcaid/Corbis

The Lucas Nogueira Garcez Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo, 1954 Photograph: Alan Weintraub/Arcaid/Corbis

Niemeyer sits on a rocky ledge at his self-designed home in Brazil, 1959. His wife and grandson are seen below in the sitting room Photograph: Dmitri Kessel/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, Rear Elevation with Red Wall and Steps, in Kensington Gardens, London 2003 Photograph: John Maclean/View Pictures/Rex Features

Niemeyer site on a lounge chair that he designed in his Copacabana studio in 2002 Photograph: Frederic Reglain/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Centro Cultural Oscar Niemeyer, Asturias, Spain Photograph: Alamy

Centro Cultural Oscar Niemeyer, Asturias, Spain Photograph: View Pictures/Rex Features

Ravello's Auditorium on the day of its official inauguration on 29 January 2009. The auditorium finally opened after ten years of controversy in the southern Italian town of Ravello on the Amalfi coast Photograph: Roberto Salomone/AFP/Getty Images

A view of the arch and footbridge which forms part of the Rocinha Sports Complex, located in the Rocinha shantytown, Rio de Janeiro. The footbridge, of which drawnings were donated by Niemeyer to Rio's government, is one of the latest features of a 15000 square-meter complex built to bring sports and leisure to the 250,000 inhabitants of Rocinha, and aimed at the 2016 Summer Olympics Photograph: Buda Mendes/LatinContent/Getty Images