In 1956, Oscar Niemeyer was offered by the President of Brazil, Juscelino Kubitschek a project that would become the turning point of his life: design buildings, houses, palaces, and all the other buildings of the country’s new capital city, Brasilia.
Today, a picture of modernism, the country’s imaginative structures, and buildings are considered by many as among the world’s top in terms of architecture. Below are just some of the country’s noteworthy architecture:
Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida
One of Brasilia’s most famous icons, the cathedral showcases stained glass windows in marine and white marble colors. On day time, the windows cast shadows that are blue-green color on the cold and smooth floor. Surrounding the altar are four apostles sculpted by one of the country’s famous sculptors, Alfredo Ceschiatti.
President Juscelino Kubitscheck Bridge
Originally, Brasilia’s large lake has two bridges separating the people’s residences to their workplaces. However, because of the fast growth of the city’s population which was unforeseen, the need for a third bridge rose. So Mario Vila, an engineer, and Alexandre Chan, an architect designed the third bridge which is a leaping variation of ancient bridge structures. It has three arches, which seems to be similar to that of a bouncing ball’s invisible path. Each of the arch’s end crosses to the roadway, landing on it’s beginning’s opposite side; forming a zigzag-like pattern.
Although one of the few structures in the city not designed by Niemeyer, the bridge does not fall out of a place of Brasilia’s stylish and modern architectures. In fact, it has become among the city’s symbols as it epitomizes the collaboration of engineering and architecture, and how with the two’s mixture boundaries are pushed.
Memorial JK
Built during the 1980s, the monument is dedicated to Brasilia’s father and then president, Juscelino Kubitschek. Like a pyramid, the building’s closed off except for its entrance and a window above what was formed as Kubitschek’s head. Its arch having two surrealistic legs still puts people in awe at how genius the designer and engineer were for being able to make the memorial stand.
TV Tower
At 240 feet in height, the TV Tower offers tourists a stunning view of Brasilia for free! With an elevator taking visitors to the tower’s top, it is in the TV Tower where one can get a spectacular bird’s eye view of the city.
Palacio do Itamaraty
Among the many designs of Niemeyer with landscaping from Burle Marx, the structure is now primarily used by the foreign affairs department as a ceremonial hall. The antique wooden furniture of the 2-floored building contrast its supremely modern design; giving it a feeling of being in two different periods.