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BRASILIA: BRAZIL'S ULTRAMODERN CAPITOL

Among the dilapidated shanties of Brazil stands Brasilia, the futuristic capitol city of Brazil. Conceived by urban planner Lucio Costa and designed by Oscar Niemeyer, Brasilia was consecrated the new capitol of Brazil in 1960 and a model for planned cities to come. Costa marshaled every detail in Brasilia from its "Airplane" layout, the bus driver's uniforms, and the unostentatious graveyard. It may sound odd, but the structures are gorgeous and ingenious. Although one can't get lost in Brasilia, you can get lost in the site in some parts. Nonetheless, the site is information redolent and contains transcripts of the Pilot Plan presented by Costa, an intriguing read. The photos of Brasilia's Cathedral, Palacio da Alvorada, and aerials of the "airplane" layout are worth the visit.

Sun, 16 Jul 2000 07:28:02 -0700