Lúcio Costa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lúcio Costa
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Lúcio Marçal Ferreira Ribeiro Lima Costa
27 February 1902 |
| Died | 13 June 1998 (aged 96) |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | Modernism |
| Buildings | Gustavo Capanema Palace |
| Projects | Pilot Plan of Brasília |
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Lúcio Marçal Ferreira Ribeiro Lima Costa (born February 27, 1902 – died June 13, 1998) was a famous Brazilian architect and city planner. He is best known for creating the main plan for the city of Brasília, which became the capital of Brazil.
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Lúcio Costa's Life and Work
Lúcio Costa was born in Toulon, France, but his parents were Brazilian. His father was a naval engineer from Salvador, and his mother was from Manaus. Lúcio studied in England and Switzerland before becoming an architect in 1924 in Rio de Janeiro.
At first, he designed buildings in an older, more traditional style. But by 1929, he started using Modernism, a new and simpler style.
In 1930, Costa worked with another architect, Gregori Warchavchik. He also became the head of the National School of Fine Arts where he had studied. He wanted to teach students the "new style" of architecture. However, he had to leave after a year because some teachers and students disagreed with his strict way of running things.
Later, in 1937, he joined SPHAN, which was the National Service of Historic and Artistic Heritage. This group helps protect important old buildings and places in Brazil. He worked there for a long time, even becoming its director.
Costa was known for mixing traditional Brazilian designs with modern ideas, especially those from the famous architect Le Corbusier.
Some of his important projects include:
- The Brazilian building at the 1939 New York World's Fair (designed with Oscar Niemeyer).
- The Parque Guinle homes in Rio de Janeiro (1948).
- The Hotel do Park São Clemente in Nova Friburgo (1948).
He also helped design the Ministry of Education and Health building in Rio (1936–43). He worked on this with Oscar Niemeyer and others, and Le Corbusier gave advice.
In the 1950s, Costa was asked to help with the UNESCO building in Paris. He also gave talks at important conferences. From 1938 to 1954, he taught geometry and drawing in Rio de Janeiro.
Designing Brasília
The Plan for Brazil's Capital
Lúcio Costa is most famous for his plan for Brasília, the capital city of Brazil. This city is located far from the coast, in the middle of the country.
In 1957, Costa won a public contest to design the new capital. His plan, called the Plano Piloto (Pilot Plan), looks like an unusual cross. Many people say it looks like an airplane or a dragonfly. While most of the buildings in Brasília were designed by Oscar Niemeyer, Costa's overall city plan was the main guide.
Brasília was officially opened on April 21, 1960. It is one of the biggest examples of Modernist design used for an entire city. In 1987, UNESCO named Brasília a World Heritage Site. This means it's a very important place that should be protected.
However, some people have found the city to be very open and not always easy for people to walk around. For example, some streets are not well lit. Despite these points, Brasília is a unique and important city design.
Why a New Capital?
In the middle of the 20th century, big Brazilian cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo had many problems. There were issues with traffic, not enough homes, and getting food to everyone. By the 1950s, many people felt a new capital city was needed.
Not everyone agreed with building a new capital. Some thought it would be too expensive and cause economic problems. They believed it would distract from Brazil's real issues like poverty.
But many people supported the idea. They saw Brasília as a symbol of Brazil becoming a modern and strong nation. Brazil's older cities were built during colonial times and were mostly on the coast. Building a new capital in the center would encourage people to move inland and use more of the country's land. It was also thought that a central capital would help the government understand the whole country better.
The new capital would also help build new roads and other important structures. It was a hopeful step towards a united and modern Brazil. As one writer said in 1958, a central capital would make Brazil more aware of its neighbors and its role in South America.
The location for Brasília was chosen carefully in the State of Goiás. They looked for good weather, enough water, good land for farming, and easy ways to get around by road and air.
Costa's Vision for Brasília
Once the location was set, architects and city planners submitted their designs. Lúcio Costa's design was chosen. Even though his plan wasn't as detailed as some others, the judges liked it because it could handle future growth.
Costa's Plano Piloto had four main parts:
- The government buildings.
- The residential areas, called superblocks.
- The roads and transportation system.
- The city center.
The original plan was designed for 500,000 people. Costa's design was shaped like a cross, often described as an airplane, bird, or dragonfly. Some people see symbols in this shape, like the cross of early Portuguese explorers or a jet showing future progress.
The city was divided into two main parts:
- The Monumental Axis: This part runs east to west and holds the main government buildings, like ministries and the national congress. It was designed to feel grand and important.
- The Residential Axis: This part runs north to south and has the homes and shops. Costa thought this was the most important part, as it would be where most daily life happened. It had 96 superblocks with buildings up to six stories tall, and 12 more with three-story buildings.
Costa wanted each superblock to feel like its own small neighborhood. He imagined apartment buildings in a consistent modern style, where people from different backgrounds could live together. The Residential Axis was meant to feel friendly and peaceful, unlike the grand Monumental Axis.
One special thing about Costa's plan was how it handled future growth. Unlike most cities that grow slowly, Brasília was designed with a complete, large-scale plan from the start. Streets were even paved in areas that wouldn't be used right away. This meant the city was "born with an adult skeleton." It also meant that some parts of the city would be quiet in the early years.
Costa also focused on creating a good road system for cars. He wanted traffic to flow smoothly, hoping that his initial design would prevent the need for many future road improvements.
Building the New Capital
Brazil's President, Juscelino Kubitschek, approved Costa's plan. Construction began in 1956, using Costa's design and with Oscar Niemeyer as the chief architect. Most building materials came from local sources, like concrete for the homes.
The first part of Brasília was finished very quickly, in just four years, opening on April 21, 1960. By then, the main government buildings, the transport center, most of the roads, and many residential areas were built. To finish so fast, they had to get money, workers, and materials very quickly.
Workers came from all over Brazil, and temporary camps were built for them. These camps, called Cidade Livre (Free City), were supposed to be removed later. But they grew into their own communities and eventually became satellite cities (suburbs) around Brasília. Over the years, more of these communities formed, helping to provide affordable housing. Even with these changes, Costa's original plan for Brasília still largely exists today.
After Brasília opened, its modern design attracted artists, theater groups, and young Brazilians. There were efforts to make Brasília a new cultural center, with art events and new music and theater groups forming.
Brasília's population has changed over time. After an initial rush, numbers dropped before growing again in the late 1960s. Today, Brasília is estimated to be Brazil's 3rd most populous city.
Major Works
- 1920 – Castelo de Itaipava, with Fernando Valentim
- 1934 – Vila Operária da Gamboa, Rio de Janeiro
- 1934 – Vila Operária de João Monlevade, Minas Gerais
- 1936 – Gustavo Capanema Palace, Rio de Janeiro, with Affonso Eduardo Reidy, Roberto Burle Marx, Oscar Niemeyer, and others
- 1937 – Mission Museum, Rio Grande do Sul
- 1939 – Brazil Pavilion, 1939 New York World's Fair
- Residência Hungria Machado, Rio de Janeiro
- Summer Home of Barão de Saavedra, Petrópolis
- 1944 – Park Hotel São Clemente, Nova Friburgo
- Parque Guinle, Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro
- 1952 – Design of Casa do Brasil, Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, Paris
- 1956 – Offices of Jockey Club do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro
- 1957 – Master plan for Brasília
- 1967 – Master plan for Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro
See also
In Spanish: Lúcio Costa para niños
