Brazil’s Hotbed of Architects

July 10th, 2014

With the FIFA World Cup coming to an end this weekend, we thought we’d pay homage to the host country, Brazil, and its many talented architects. Today, Brazil’s “heroic-minded and intellectual” architects are being put on the map for their designs and their talent. Let’s take a look at some of Brazil’s best architects, past, present and future.

Architects all over the world remember December 2012 when design legend Oscar Niemeyer passed away. In his 104 years, he built dozens of projects and was seen as the founder of modern architecture  in Brazil (some would even say Latin America). His projects are still recognizable today by his “outstanding continuity of design in colors, daring geometry, and extravagant simplicity.”  He is best known for his designs of civic buildings in Brazil, including the development of a new suburb called Pampulha which received international acclaim in 1943. His work extended beyond the Brazilian borders – he even helped with the planning of the UN Headquarters in New York!

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Icaro de Castro Mello designed the Estádio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha, or for us non Brazilians, the national stadium where many of the FIFA World Cup games are scheduled. It was recently reconstructed to prepare for this year’s World Cup, and is now the second largest stadium in Brazil and the second most expensive football stadium in the world after England’s Wembley Stadium. Fun fact: Icaro de Castro Mello was not only an architect, but he was also an award-winning athlete. Makes sense that he designed a legendary football stadium then, right?

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Isay Weinfeld pays respects to the modernist values that Oscar Neimeyer is known for, and you can tell because of the boxy shapes of his buildings. Don’t get us wrong though – he is known for designing some of the most elegant homes in Brazil! Our favourite project of his is the 360o Building in São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, and it is beautiful. São Paulo is a city that has crammed millions of people in a small area and is home to many apartment buildings. Isay Weinfeld realized that this is the model that works for the city, but he wanted to go outside of the box. The 360o Building is 62 homes stacked on top of one another but each feature their own yard (not balconies) and there are 6 different arrangements.

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These architects have all added their style to Brazil’s unique aesthetic and we’re excited to see what’s next for this developing nation!