Na página anterior, a Ponte JK sobre o Lago Paranoá. Nesta página, ao lado, vista aérea do Plano Piloto; no centro, a 308 Sul, conhecida como Quadra Modelo; e, abaixo, o Congresso Nacional In the previous page, JK Bridge over Paranoá Lake. In this page, left: aerial view of Pilot Plan; center: 308 Sul, known as Model Block; below: the National Congress
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hose who go to Brasília may or may not like the buildings, but they can’t say they’ve seen anything like it before. And that’s what architecture is: Invention.” This statement is by Oscar Niemeyer, the mind behind the main buildings of the Brazilian capital and longterm partner of Lucio Costa, the designer of the characteristic features of the city that’s home to around three million people. It has long been seen as inhospitable, or merely a hang-out for politicians, but the destination built amidst the Brazilian savannah is starting to become a tourist attraction for those who want to get to know its planned streets, its unique way of life and, of course, some of the most spectacular buildings in Brazil. Among the classic must-sees during a visit to the city, the Cathedral, the National Congress, and the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge are sure to impress by their magnitude and the uniqueness of their architecture. But to understand Brasília, we must, first of all, explore the unique design of the residential superquadras (“superblocks”). They’re what dictates the routine of local residents. Known as “Quadra Modelo”, 308 Sul is a good starting point for this experience. Walking among the six-story buildings (the maximum height permitted height locally), one finds gardens designed by Roberto Burle Marx, the landscape designer that also comprises the strong team of Brazil’s capital. In the set of four neighboring “superblocks”, there’s a movie theater, a healthcare center, schools, a library, a church, and even a club. According to Antônio Carpintero, professor of architecture and urban planning at the University of Brasília, this design is what sets it apart from any other city in the world. “Here, the logic isn’t linear. Brasília, in fact, is a huge public square. The neighborhood, aside from your apartment, is the gathering of collective facilities,” he explains. Another important feature, according to Carpintero, is its horizon. “Because of its territorial disposition, set upon a large dome within a basin, the horizon can be seen from anywhere. A member of the ‘Cruls Mission,’ which in the 19th century already marked this area as the future federal capital, said he was impressed with the ‘severe and majestic calm’ of the area. The monumentality of Brasília comes more from the place where it is situated than from the city per se,” he says.
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