Modern Brazilian Architecture (1890 – 2014) Renato Anelli

Canoa House. Oscar Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro 1953/54 in Henry-Russell Hitchcock - Latin American Architecture since 1945 - MoMA NY 1955

Plan of lectures

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Course description:

Introduction to the designs and theories of Modern Brazilian Architecture, from its origins in the modernization process of late Nineteenth Century to the contemporary work of Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Oscar Niemeyer and Lina Bo Bardi in the late Twentieth Century. Special attention to the integration of arts and technics in the construction of modern national identity through international dialogue (Europe, United States, Latin-America, Third World and USSR). Key architecture, urban and landscape designs will be analyzed to explore the relation between structure and form, building and urban space in a fast growing underdeveloped country.

Overview:

Modern Brazilian Architecture plays a major role in the spreading of global modernization in Latin America in Twentieth Century, with a huge international repercussion in the forties and fifties. Brazil was not only a peculiar chapter of this process, but an example for other countries, revealing the potential (and risks) of avant-garde architects and urban planners taking prominent roles in public polices for national development. As one of the several centers of Modern Architecture advanced production, Brazil had attracted the attention of the main stream of art and architecture critics from the forties to the sixties, who interacted with local architects with great tension. The different interpretations of the Brazilian contribution to the international debate will be sought in the lectures, contrasting with particular figures, designs, movements or ideologies, in Brazil or abroad. The historic narrative built by Lucio Costa and Philip Goodwin in the forties was instrumental in the dispute for hegemony of national identity by local modern architects. Recently, this narrative is under revision by new generations of historians, producing fresh interpretations that will be highlighted on this course.

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1. Introductory Lectures.

1.1 – The paradox of long duration: Paulo Mendes da Rocha and Lina Bo Bardi as a contemporary synthesis of Modern Brazilian Architecture produced in the Twentieth Century.

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Pavilhão Brasileiro Expos Osaka 70, 1969 /70

Paulo Mendes da Rocha, et alli

SESC Pompeia leisure center Lina Bo Bardi São Paulo 1977 /1986

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1.2 “Still Modern?” The new generation of modern architects in Brazil and the role of the Modern Brazilian Architecture History review since the eighties.

Humanities Pavillion, Rio + 20, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carla Joaçaba, 2012.

Casa em Carapicuiba, Brazil. Angelo Bucci e Alvaro Puntoni, 2003 –

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2. Urban and technological modernization in the First Republic (1890-1930).

2.1 The development of building material production through Polytechnic Schools, Building Firms and Applied Art Schools: The challenge to control reinforced concrete technology. In search of authentic roots: the modernist architecture of Victor Dubugras, from Neogothic to Neocolonial.

2.2 New urban and architectural models for a cosmopolitan city: Avenida Central by Pereira Passos in Rio de Janeiro and the wetland parks by Josef-Antoine Bouvard in São Paulo. Modernization through urban infrastructure: Tramway, Light and Power companies in Brazilian cities.

Central Avenue, Rio de Janeiro c. 1903 - Photo Marc Ferrez/Gilberto Ferrez Collection. IMS.

Neocolonial Architecture Memory Monument Victor Dubugras São Paulo1919

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3. National identity and second wave of urban modernization.

3.1 Neocolonial Movement: from Raul Lino’s Arts & Crafts in Portuguese architecture to the Brazilian Independence Centenary International Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, 1922. São Paulo Modern Art Week. Gregory Warchavchik and his Modernist House: architecture, applied arts, fine arts and landscape design creating a work of total art.

3.2 Preparing the towns for their fast growth: Prestes Maia and Alfred Agache 1930’s plans - a new ground for urban expansion in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Two paths for modern architecture: Rino Levi and the real estate in São Paulo, Lúcio Costa and the public commitment in Rio de Janeiro.

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UFA Palace Rino Levi São Paulo

1936

Tarsila do Amaral (Capivari 1886 – São Paulo 1973) Cartão Postal, 1929

Gregori Warchavchik (Odessa, 1896 – São Paulo, 1972) Exposição da Casa Modernista,

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4. Modern architecture and National State.

4.1 From colonial to modern: the successful ideological construction of Lúcio Costa and Philip Goodwin. “Brazil Builds” at MoMA and international repercussion of Modern Brazilian Architecture.

Grande Hotel, 1938, Ouro Preto. Oscar Niemeyer.

Lúcio Costa Croquis Documentação Necessária, 1938

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4.2 The dispute for iconic representation of the revolutionary government: Lúcio Costa, Le Corbusier and Marcello Piacentini in the episodes of Ministry of Education and Health competition and University of Brazil plans.

Ministry of Education and Health building as a rehearsal for the New Monumentality statement.

National modern identity and Synthesis of the Arts in Mexico and Brazil.

The emergence of Oscar Niemeyer: from synthesis of the arts to iconic structural form. Form and structure in Niemeyer compared to Nervi, Torroja and Candela.

Ministry of Education and Health, Lúcio Costa, Carlos Leão, Afonso E. Reidy, Ernani Vasconcellos, Jorge Machado Moreira and Oscar Niemeyer (Le Corbusier consultant) Rio de Janeiro, 1936/43

University of Brazil Marcello Piacentini e Vittorio Morpurgo Rio de Janeiro 1935-38

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Ut pulvinar elit et augue.

Donec ultricies congue nulla.

5. Brazilian among Latin American Modern Architecture: urban, social, industrial and cultural development during the Second World War, Post War and Cold War.

5.1 - Richard Neutra and Henry Plumb in Puerto Rico: The book Architecture of Social Concern in Regions of Mild Climate.

Post War reconstruction in Europe and the architecture of social facilities in Latin America: Social Housing Projects in Argentina and Brazil.

Public Schools. New School movement: From John Dewey’s concepts to Anísio Teixeira’s action in Brazil.

Urban Planning in Latin America: Town Planning Association and

Hélio Duarte. “O problema escolar e a arquitetura”. In Habitat , no. 4, jul. 1951, pp.4-6

Housing Project Várzea do Carmo IAPI Atílio Correa Lima e Hélio Uchôa Cavalcanti 1938/1950 São Paulo

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5.2 - Urban Planning in Latin America: Town Planning Association and Athenes Charter Urbanism in Brazil, Cuba, Colombia and Peru. Nelson Rockefeller’s improvement plan for São Paulo; Mouvement Economie Humanisme and the Parana Uruguay River Basin Plan by the Rev. Louis-Joseph Lebret (1947-64).

6. The consolidation of modern architecture in Brazil and Latin America and the international review movement toward the dissolution of CIAM.

6.1 Modern Brazilian Architecture as a strategic focus of European debate. (Argan, Zevi, Gropius, Rogers, Max Bill).

6.2 The Masp as a modernization center for Brazilian arts, culture and industrial design.

MASP Museum of Art of São Paulo Pietro Maria Bardi Lina Bo Bardi 1947 São Paulo

Cidade dos Motores (Motor Town), 1943-47, Rio de Janeiro, Josep Lluis Sert and Paul Lester Wienet TPA.

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7. Spreading Modern Brazilian Architecture in Brazil and abroad.

7.1 Vilanova Artigas in São Paulo, Sergio Bernardes in Rio de Janeiro, Acácio Gil Borsoi in Recife and FAM in Porto Alegre.

1956: Henrique Mindlin’s book Modern Architecture in Brazil.

7.2 International influence of Modern Brazilian Architecture and Brazilians architects in Venezuela: Niemeyer’s Museum, Burle Marx’s Square and Rino Levi’s Hospitals.

Bittencourt Hou Vilanova Artigas and Carlos Cascaldi se São Paulo 1959

Hospital Geral Rino Levi c/ Roberto Lampo

Maiquetia – Venezuela 1958/60

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Quisqu

e et

ipsum

8. Brasilia and Salvador 1957-1964: two complementary faces of ECLAC developmentalist policies in Brazil.

8.1 Brasilia: the main entries in the competition, the construction efforts, the palaces as icons of developmentalist national state, the residential superblocks, the University of Brasilia as a rehearsal for a network of Latin American Universities.

8.2 Salvador: Regional development policies and the contribution of Lina Bo Bardi. Poverty as a value, the “civilization of survival” recycling culture and the renewal of industrial design.

The restoration of “Unhão” manor house complex and “Nordeste” ethnographic survey.

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Museum of Modern Art Bahia

Lina Bo Bardi Salvador, 1959.

Exhibition Degas’ Dancers MASP collection Brasilia inauguration

1960

Unhão manor house restoration Museum of Modern Art of Bahia Lina Bo Bardi Salvador, 1963.

9. Developmentalism and Technocracy: the double face of architecture during dictatorship (1964-1985).

9.1 Architecture and urban planning of Brazil’s “Economic Miracle”: the metropolitan status.

The architecture of urban infrastructure in metropolitan urbanism. Massive housing programs and urban master plans.

The paradoxes of New Monumentality as an icon to represent the dictatorship.

Petrobras, BNDES and other federal institutions

headquarters Rio de Janeiro

1974

Social Housing Project, Vilanova Artigas,

Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Fabio Penteado,

Guarulhos – SP, 1967.

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School of Architecture

USP Vilanova Artigas

São Paulo 1960/69

9.2 Vilanova Artigas and a new political agenda for Modern Brazilian Architecture.

The radical architects’ leftist dissidence: Sergio Ferro and “Caboclo” Brutalism in São Paulo.

Political resistance and counterculture movement in the arts, theater and architecture after the military coup.

Bernardo Issler House Sérgio Ferro Cotia – SP, 1 961.

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10. Anti-modern and anti-technocratic state: bottom-up movements and communitarian projects.

10.1 Carlos Nelson Ferreira dos Santos and Favela Brás do Pina participation plan in Rio de Janeiro.

Uruguay’s housing cooperatives and Peru’s PREVI as international laboratories for new housing policies.

Progressive Catholic Church communities as social catalyzers.

Hippies and “architecture without architects” in Brazil.

Self-managed constructions and architects social role.

10.2 Lina Bo Bardi’s late architecture as a reference for modern renovation.

Unicamp Domrs Housing Laboratory

Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP 1989-1991

Juan Villà, João Marcos Lopes et alli

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11. The survival of mainstream Modern Brazilian Architecture.

11.1 The short life of Post Modern in Brazil: Pop architecture as cultural irony.

11.2 Oscar Niemeyer, Paulo Mendes da Rocha and the regeneration of Modern Architecture contrasting with Post Modernism.

The competition for the Brazilian Pavilion in Expo Seville 92: the emergence of a new modern generation.

SESC leisure center Bruno Padovano Hector Vigliecca

Nova Iguaçu 1985/1992

MAC Museum of Contemporary Art Oscar Niemeyer Niteroi 1992/1993.

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12. The crossroad of the History of Modern Brazilian Architecture.

12.1 The local interpretation of Critical Regionalism toward the fragmentation of national identity. The S.A.L (Seminary of Latin-American Architecture) Appropriate Modernity agenda in Brazil.

Amazonian architecture: Severiano Mario Porto exotic regionalism.

12.2 The Historiographical Revision of Modern Brazilian Architecture since the 1980s and the emergence of Graduate PhD programs. Do.Co.Mo.Mo. Brazil and the challenge of Modern Designs Preservation.

Silves Hotel Severiano Mário de Magalhães Porto and Mário Emílio Ribeiro. Amazonas, 1979

Water Tower Olinda Luis Nunes and Fernando Saturnino de Brito, 1936 Touristic facilities Ronaldo L’Amour, Felipe Campelo e Zeca Brandão 1997-2010.

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13. Minimum state and prolonged economical depression: from comprehensive plans to fragmentary urban design. Favelas and downtown urban renewal projects.

13. 1 Downtown historic heritage: São Paulo, Recife, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro. Mendes da Rocha project for Luz Complex.

13. 2 Community autonomy: from housing laboratories to democratic municipal governments. Favela-Bairro in Rio de Janeiro and Habi program in São Paulo.

São Paulo State Pinacoteca Paulo Mendes da Rocha

São Paulo 1993

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14. 21st century new developmentalism, globalization and economic crises impact on cities and architecture.

14.1 Mega-events architecture and urban infrastructure: a lost opportunity.

Mendes da Rocha plan for Olympic Games facilities in São Paulo (2001).

Stadiums for Soccer World Cup and Urban Mobility facilities. Foreign architects in Brazil: from star-architecture to balanced partnership.

14.2 Conclusions

Olympic Games Proposal São Paulo 2012

Paulo Mendes da Rocha et alli

São Paulo, 2001.

Alvaro Siza, Iberê Camargo Foundation,

Porto Alegre, 2000