Stunning and Awe Inspiring Architecture of Brasil

Guest Blog #78, Entry #528, May 20, 2011

I’ve always been intrigued with architecture. At age 5, I remember getting a “What do I want to be when I grow up” book, and I remember seeing an architect drawing floor plans and standing on a construction site, and from then on, I knew the love of architecture was in my blood.

Today, I’m excited to feature a Guest Blogger that will continue bringing you articles about architecture, and international exposure to different areas of the world. He would prefer to keep anonymous and have his articles speak for themselves! I’m fortunate to have Stagetecture branch out in a new direction. Enjoy!

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Palacio de Alvorada – The official home of the President of Brazil (Designed by Oscar Niemeyer)

Welcome! If we had to find a place to get relaxed and comfortable at here at Stagetecture, it would be among the Travel & Inspiration sections. Why? Because what we envision is bringing different perspectives of residential architecture to your gaze and more importantly your mind. Just like life’s experiences, we feel that one can not truly embrace a home solution or any solution for that matter – until exploring all options and avenues. That being said, we will take a tour of the world and provide for your finer tastes –  images of decor and inspiration as created through the eyes of architects/designers/artists from South America,  Africa, the Caribbean and more. We were inspired towards this direction in our posts, because we realize that all of the differences among us are what make life so interesting. A bathroom renovation in the Caribbean is totally different from one in Bangladesh – yet both spaces are still bathrooms and serve the same purpose. So sit back, pay attention and keep your mind open as we expose you to various cultures and architectural greats that share this beautiful planet with all of us.

Before we explore more specific areas of architecture in Brasil let us introduce you to the country, its architectural monuments and their visionary designers.

The architecture that displays the most influence of Brasil’s disgusting history of colonization by the portuguese can be found in the city of Ouro Preto. Ouro Preto, a member of UNESCO’s World Heritage List translates into “black gold” in portuguese and possesses the famed works of brasilian architect, painter, sculptor and baroque artist Aleijadinho; whose real name is Antônio Francisco Lisboa but was later dubbed “Aleijadinho” or “little cripple” due to being deformed by illness. Enjoy a glimpse of Ouro Preto’s architecture and Antonio’s supreme work below.

The Lovely Town of Ouro Preto, which features Antônio Francisco Lisboa’s soapstone sculptures of the Twelve Prophets at the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus of Matosinhos

Antônio’s iconic intricate carving found on the façade of the St Francis church of Ouro Preto

During the 1850’s Brazil’s architecture began to fall under the sway of french Architecture, which you can see displayed in the design of the Hotel DeVille City Hall in Paris, France.

Hotel DeVille City Hall in Paris, France (A fine example of 19th C. Architecture)

From the 19th century forward architects such as the Roberto Brothers, Affonso Reidy, Oscar Niemeyer, Vilanova Artigas, Olavo Redig de Campo, Lina Bo Bardi, Roberto Burle Marx and Luis Filgueiras began to shape the iconic nature of Brasil’s architecture to what it is at its present day.  Note the airy feeling of the Patriarch Plaza and Viaduct do Chá in Sao Paulo, Brasil manifested from the intangible to the tangible by Paulo Mendes de Rocha [Side Note: The link reveals De Rocha to be a fan of Jazz and a fan of the genius of musicians Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk.]

Patriarch Plaza and Viaduct do Chá in Sao Paulo, Brasil; Isn’t it amazing how the structure appears to be floating above pedestrians so gracefully! (Constructed in 1992)

Other great examples of iconic architecture found throughout Brasil are the the passenger terminal at Santos Dumont Airport (Roberto brothers), the Ministry of Education, the low-cost apartment buildings at Pedregulho outside Rio (Affonso Reidy), the Museum of Modern Art and the Church of Pampulha (Oscar Niemeyer), the Pompéia Cultural Center (Lina Bo Bardi) and the Sarah Kubitschek Hospital (Luis Filgueiras Lima).

What many architects and designers consider a dream come true actually happened in the capital of Brasil, Brasilia. This is when in the 1960’s urban planner Lucio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer came together and created numerous landmarks throughout the capital city. Favorites of many (from a visual standpoint) are the Palacio Itamaraty, Brasilia’s Cathedral, The National Congress of  Brasilia and “the Auditorium”. Take a look at a few of the above mentioned and decide for yourself if you feel they are “landmark” worthy!

Niemeyer’s Palácio do Itamaraty or “Itamaraty Palace” is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Brasil; Note the Carrar marble sculpture aptly titled “Meteoro” in the water garden carved by sculptor Bruno Giorgi!

Interior View of the Cathedral of Brasília designed in 1970 by Oscar Niemeyer; The cathedral (a hyperboloid structure) is constructed from 16 concrete columns that weigh an astounding 90 tons each!

Exterior View of the Cathedral of Brasília

The National Congress of Brasilia completed in 1964; The building represents balance – the dome on the left is where the “Senate” convenes and the inverted dome or “bowl” on the right is where the “Chamber of Deputies” convenes. In the center is where both factions figuratively “meet” (as represented by the two matching vertical structures)

Another beautiful image of The National Congress of Brasilia in the evening! Quite stunning isn’t it!

We look forward to seeing more great architectural representation from around the world in the near future!

For more architectural ideas on Stagetecture, click here.