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The architecture of Brazil is influenced by Europe, especially Portugal. It has a history that goes back 500 years to the time when Pedro Cabral arrived in Brazil in 1500. Portuguese colonial architecture was the first wave of architecture to go to Brazil.
In the 18th century, during the time of the Empire, Brazil followed European trends and adopted Neoclassical, Baroque, and Gothic Revival architecture. Then, in the 20th century especially in Brasília, Brazil experimented with Modernist architecture. [1] [2] The modernist approach was named as minimalism without the need for excessive frills or decoration. Instead, the architecture became more simplistic, with clean lines and a functional form. This style became more popular around the end of World War II, when function was more important than form. [3] During this time, Oscar Niemeyer, who became and remains one of the world's greatest modernists, began to present a style that was to become Brazil's very own style. [4] [5]
The diverse groups of Indigenous Brazilians developed architectural styles that varied by region and available materials. An important style of dwelling is the so-called oca. A wooden structure covered with straw or palm leaves, that was for collective use and had no internal divisions. Several ocas could be organized around a circular plaza. They could reach up to 30 m in length and 10 m in height.
Another example is the Maloca, a type of large, communal cabin used by some indigenous people in the Amazon regions of northern Brazil and southern Colombia.
This vernacular architecture is still common among contemporary indigenous peoples in northern Brazil. Historically this type of architecture did not have widespread use among non-indigenous Brazilians. Recently, however, these architectural models, reinterpreted with current techniques and materials, have received attention from some architects as an ecological alternative to address modern housing problem.
The colonial architecture of Brazil dates to the early 16th century when Brazil was first explored, created and settled by the Portuguese, who created an architecture familiar to them in Europe. They built sacred and secular buildings, including houses and forts in Brazilian cities and the countryside. They founded Recife, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador in the colonial period; these cities saw the best expression of Brazilian architecture. [2] [1]
Buildings of this period were distinct because they followed similar rules such as:
The best examples are in the city of Salvador, with its multi-colored colonial buildings that outline the streets and depict Salvador's history. [5] [6]
Founded in the 1500s, Salvador is one of the oldest cities in Brazil and home to impressive colonial and baroque styles. The city became Brazil's first capital until 1763 and home to spectacular colonial and baroque styles. After defeating the Dutch in the 17th century, Portuguese settlers built and refurbished several forts along the Bay including São Marcelo Fort. The port stands perfectly round on a small reef bank about 1000 feet off the coast. A Brazilian writer, Jorge Amado, explained it as the “Belly button of Bahia”. [6]
One of the most well-known pieces of architecture in Salvador is the Lacerda Elevator. Built around 1872, this structure linked both upper and lower cities with four elevators, with air conditioning and offering views of the bay. Furthermore, the city has numerous buildings with meaningful cultural and historical significance. [6]
Between the 18th and 19th Century Brazilian architecture is a period that saw the introduction of more European styles to Brazil such as Neoclassical and Baroque architecture. This was usually mixed with Brazilian influences from their own heritage which produced a unique form of Brazilian architecture. [1] [2]
The best examples of Baroque architecture in Brazil are found in the city of Ouro Preto where buildings start to take more ornate forms and rounded corners. Certain structures also depict painting which are incorporated into the walls. [5] In 1980, Unesco declared the city a “world monument” with 13 churches, 11 chapels, major museums, ancient bridges, and well-preserved houses. The best preserved residence is the Casa dos Contos, built in 1780. A beige and white three-story building with a stone watering trough for horses in the back yard as well as dark flagstone cubicles where slaves lived. [7] Today the structure is served as the office of the city's postal authorities while depicting the city's history and simplistic styles. [8] [7]
Neoclassicism refers back to ancient Rome and Greece by adopting their large multi story columns and grand triangular roofs. The liberal use of white soapstone, limestone, or marble are also indicators of Neoclassical buildings. Great examples lay in the city of Manaus, specifically the Theatro Amazonas . [5] By the turn of the 20th century, the Amazonian region of Brazil began to prosper. The increasing amounts of money from exports from its rubber plantations region flourished particularly the capital city of Manaus. Wealthy rubber barons tried to recreate lavish lifestyle of European elites. In order to do so, an Opera House, the Teatro Amazonas, was built in the middle of the rainforest. The construction began in 1884 under the supervision of an Italian Architect. The roofing came from Alsace, the furniture from Paris, marble from Italy and the steel from England. The entire dome is wonderfully covered with 36,000 decorated ceramic tiles painted in the colors of the Brazilian national flag: Blue, yellow, and green. [9]
In the 1950s Brazil decided to found a new capital city in the interior of Brazil to help develop Brazil's interior. The city was Brasília and it would see a great experiment in modernist architecture. Government buildings, churches and civic buildings would be constructed in the modernist style. [1] [2] Throughout the modern age, Brazil began to define itself as a county in its architecture. This was done so with the help of Brazil's most famous architect and designer, Oscar Niemeyer. He designed the Edificio Copan in São Paulo, one of Brazil's biggest cities, and the entire city of Brasília. His buildings were characterized by the use of concrete and free-flowing curves. [5]
As a young man, Niemeyer worked for his father as a typographer before entering the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes. After his graduation, Niemeyer went off to work for Lúcio Costa, who was an architect from the Modernist school. [4] In 1941, Niemeyer launched his solo career by designing multiple buildings called the Pampulha Architectural Complex in the city of Belo Horizonte. This was when Niemeyer began developing some of his well-known design trademarks such as the heavy uses of solid and an inclination towards curves. Niemeyer stated: "I consciously ignored the highly praised right angle and the rational architecture of T-squares and triangles, in order to wholeheartedly enter the world of curves and new shapes made possible by the introduction of concrete into the building process". [4] [10]
Interesting enough, Niemeyer was introduced in the Brazilian Communist Party during his youth years and officially joined in 1945. This became an issue for him in 1964 as the Brazilian military removed the government and viewed Niemeyer as a dangerous individual, thus ransacking his office as well. Shocked, he decided to leave the country for good and move to France, furthering his career and designs there. [4]
Nevertheless, Niemeyer redefined architecture in Brazil by leaning away from old and European-influenced styles and creating new and aesthetic designs instead. Particularly in cities such as Brasília, where he obtain a structural solution that would distinct the city's architecture. In order to do so, he made the structures very different, where the columns became more narrow at a point where the structures would seem to barely touch the ground. [10] As a result, Niemeyer remains one of the most well-known architects in Brazil as his structures are visited by many worldwide.
One of Niemeyer's greatest successes was the Palácio da Alvorada in Brasília. A two-story glass and concrete structure with curved supports forming the façade on all of the four walls. [5] These walls are stretched between the supports are translucent walls of tinted glass. The nave is entered by an impressive subterranean passage rather than a conventional doorway. [11] Thus, the Presidential Palace, along with many other of Oscar's designs drew attention to the architecture in Brazil and created a modern style for Brazil as well.
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho, known as Oscar Niemeyer, was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was best known for his design of civic buildings for Brasília, a planned city that became Brazil's capital in 1960, as well as his collaboration with other architects on the headquarters of the United Nations in New York. His exploration of the aesthetic possibilities of reinforced concrete was highly influential in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, was an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architecture was based upon new and innovative technologies of construction ; the principle functionalism ; an embrace of minimalism; and a rejection of ornament.
Lúcio Marçal Ferreira Ribeiro Lima Costa was a Brazilian architect and urban planner, best known for his plan for Brasília.
Neoclassical architecture, sometimes referred to as Classical Revival architecture, is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy, France and Germany. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing styles of architecture in most of Europe for the previous two centuries, Renaissance architecture and Baroque architecture, already represented partial revivals of the Classical architecture of ancient Rome and ancient Greek architecture, but the Neoclassical movement aimed to strip away the excesses of Late Baroque and return to a purer, more complete, and more authentic classical style, adapted to modern purposes.
The Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the president of Brazil. It is located in the national capital of Brasília, on a peninsula at the margins of Paranoá Lake. The building was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and built between 1957 and 1958 in the modernist style. It has been the residence of every Brazilian president since Juscelino Kubitschek. The building is listed as a National Historic Heritage Site.
The Gustavo Capanema Palace, also known architecturally as the Ministry of Education and Health Building, is a government office building in the Centro district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As the first modernist project in Brazil, it is historically important to the architectural development of Modernism in Brazil and has been placed on Brazil's UNESCO tentative list.
The creation of art in the geographic area now known as Brazil begins with the earliest records of its human habitation. The original inhabitants of the land, pre-Columbian Indigenous or Natives peoples, produced various forms of art; specific cultures like the Marajoara left sophisticated painted pottery. This area was colonized by Portugal in the 16th century and given the modern name of Brazil. Brazilian art is most commonly used as an umbrella term for art created in this region post Portuguese colonization.
The architecture of Mexico reflects the influences of various cultures, regions, and periods that have shaped the country's history and identity. In the pre-Columbian era, distinct styles emerged that reflected the distinct cultures of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, particularly in the architecture of Mesoamerica. During the colonial era, the region was transformed by successive styles from Europe. With the foremost style during this era being Mexican Baroque.
The Baroque in Brazil was the dominant artistic style during most of the colonial period, finding an open ground for a rich flowering. It made its appearance in the country at the beginning of the 17th century, introduced by Catholic missionaries, especially Jesuits, who went there in order to catechize and acculturate the native indigenous peoples and assist the Portuguese in the colonizing process. In the course of the Colonial period, expressed a close association between the Church and the State, but in the colony there was not a court that would serve as a patron of the arts, the elites did not bother to build palaces, or to help sponsor the profane arts, but at the end of the period, and how the religion had a strong influence on the daily lives of everyone in this group of factors derives from the vast majority of the legacy of the Brazilian Baroque period, is the sacred art: statuary, painting, and the work of carving for the decoration of churches and convents, or for private worship.
The architecture of Póvoa de Varzim, in Portugal, demonstrates a broad variety of architectural styles over its thousand years of history. 11th-century Romanesque, 16th-century Mannerism, 18th-century Baroque, late 18th-century neoclassicism, early 20th-century Portuguese modernism and late 20th- to early 21st-century contemporary architectural styles and more are all represented in Póvoa de Varzim. As a whole it represents a rich eclectic tradition and innovation shaped by the people, their beliefs and economy.
The Our Lady of Grace Cathedral also called Catedral Nossa Senhora de Belém. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Belém do Pará and is located in the old quarter of the city in Belém in Brazil. The cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of Grace, and dates to the earliest settlement of the Portuguese in Belém. The first chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Grace was a temporary structure inside the Presépio Fort; it was moved to a large square in front of the fort. The current structure, the third, was built in the Baroque style, but was later modified with numerous Neoclassical architecture elements by the architect João Landi. The cathedral was listed as a historic structure by the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute in 1940.
Anna Maria Baldo Niemeyer was a Brazilian architect, furniture designer and gallery owner. The only child of Oscar Niemeyer, she worked with her father to design the civic buildings for Brasília, focusing primarily on interior spaces and decoration. When her father decided to make furniture to harmonize his structures with the design elements, she turned her interest to furniture designing. Her two most noted designs were the initial prototype called the "Alta" and the "Rio". In her later career, she ran an art gallery in Rio, which at one time was the only gallery in the city, and assisted in the creation of the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum.
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, or the Basilica of the Conception, is a church in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. It is affiliated with the Catholic Church and was built in 1623, making it one of the oldest parishes in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia. It was the first church built by the first governor-general of Brazil, Tomé de Sousa. The current structure was prefabricated in Portugal and assembled in Salvador; its construction began in 1739 and ended in the mid 19th century. The art historian Germain Bazin classifies the church as Portuguese in design, rather than part of the Bahian tradition of religious structures of the 17th and 18th century.
The architecture of Lagos is an eclectic mix of different types, styles and periods. Buildings range from traditional vernacular architecture to tropical modern architecture or a mixture. The oldest European-styled buildings date back to the 17th century. Elements of Portuguese architecture introduced by returnee ex-slaves from Brazil and the Caribbean, although present all over the city, predominates in places like: Lagos Island, Surulere and Yaba Municipalities. Colonial-styled architecture flourished during the Lagos Colony. The Lagos skyline is a mixture of modern high rise buildings, skyscrapers, dilapidated buildings and slums. Lagos has the tallest skyline in Nigeria. Skyscraper construction commenced in the 1960s. Several office and mixed-use buildings have been built by international developers and private equity firms. Modern buildings and structures have been a continuous development until date.
The Caramuru Building is an office building in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. It was designed by the architect Paulo Antunes Ribeiro (1905–1973) for Prudência Capitalização, an insurance company. Construction began on the structure in 1946 and it opened in 1951. The Caramuru Building was one of the first Modernist buildings constructed in the Northeast Region of Brazil, closely following the construction of Hotel de Bahia. It was widely recognized by the domestic and international architectural press; it was described as having a "graceful, almost abstract elegance [...] contrasted with the robust architecture of Bahia." The structure fell into disrepair but remains in the Comércio district. It is a protected structure by the state of Bahia and has provisional protected status by the by National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN).
Joaquim Maria Moreira Cardozo, known as Joaquim Cardozo, was a Brazilian structural engineer, poet, short story writer, playwright, university professor, translator, editor of art and architecture magazines, designer, illustrator, caricaturist, and art critic. He was a polyglot, knowing about fifteen languages.
The Brasilia Brazil Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brasilia, Brazil. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 2, 2017, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during general conference.The temple is the 10th to be built in Brazil.
The colonial architecture of Brazil is defined as the architecture carried out in the current Brazilian territory from 1500, the year of the Portuguese arrival, until its Independence, in 1822.
The Casa do Baile is an architectural landmark in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. It is part of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, a complex of buildings constructed around Lake Pampulha in the 1940s that represents some of Niemeyer's earliest works in his distinctive modernist style utilizing curved forms. The Casa do Baile was inaugurated in 1943 as a restaurant and dance hall for popular entertainment, though it had a short lifespan in that role. After years of alternate uses, it reopened in 2002 as an architecture and design center. Its fluid curves integrating with the natural landscape have made it an icon of modern Brazilian architecture, garnering protected status at municipal, state and national levels.
The Niemeyer Building is a residential building located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer and constructed between 1954 and 1960. It is an iconic piece of Brazilian modernistic architecture.