Brasilia in Paris

23 Juin 2013

Ex-boyfriends actually serve a purpose, though you might not want to admit it right after the break-up. Years later you won't remember why you broke up, but you will remember what you learnt from the guy. I remember the one who introduced me to The Queens and taught me to play the guitar, the one who improved my tennis skills, the one with whom I discovered classical music, the one who made me appreciate comics, etc.

Last weekend I thought about the one who was mad about design and architecture; he would spend hours talking to me about the American architect Lloyd-Wright, and we would cycle around London looking at the exploits of Sir Norman Foster. The occasion was an exhibition about Brasilia at the head quarters of the French Communist Party (the "PC").

When Oscar Niemeyer died last year in December at the beautiful age of 104, they mentioned on the news that he had designed the head quarters of the PC in the 19th arrondissement, and my curiosity was awoken. During one of my trips to Brazil I had visited a church that Niemeyer had designed, and it was beautiful with its roof like a wave. I had also learnt from a TV programme shown right after his death that he was the architect behind Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.

Thus on Saturday morning I stood in front of a building that reminded me of Le Corbusier, Lloyd-Wright, Norman Foster - and Oscar Niemeyer. What a jewel in an area that is characterised by social housing! The session hall is amazing, like something out of Star Trek, so futuristic. The walls in the entrance hall are rough concrete, and you feel that this is truely a timeless building.

From the photos in the exhibtion I would also say that Brasilia is breathtaking. It was definitely an incredible idea that the Brazilian government had in the 1950ies when they decided to build a city from scratch in the middle of nowhere. Lucio Costa planned the city , and Oscar Niemeyer designed the buildings. What courage they had, what vision they had! Great architecture is timeless architecture. It is a pity that Brasilia is so far away.

Brasilia - un demi-siècle de la capitale du Brésil

Vous trouverez ici des informations sur l'exposition et vous allez ainsi découvrir l'histoire de capitale du Brésil, qui en 2010 a fêté son cinquantenaire.

http://www.brasilia50.info/