Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Anniversary for Brasilia leaves architect 'sad'
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Asia Pacific
World
Anniversary for Brasilia leaves architect 'sad'
AFP - Wednesday, April 21
Send
IM Story
Print
Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, seen here in his studio in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil's futuristic capital Brasilia celebrates its 50th anniversary Wednesday, but the architect behind many of its grandiose concrete buildings says he is sad the city fell short of his egalitarian vision.
BRASILIA (AFP) - – Brazil's futuristic capital Brasilia celebrates its 50th anniversary Wednesday, but the architect behind many of its grandiose concrete buildings says he is sad the city fell short of his egalitarian vision.
"Brasilia has changed a lot" from the original "well thought-out" conception, said Oscar Niemeyer, who at 102 years is still drafting and imagining projects in his office in the onetime capital Rio de Janeiro.
Overpopulation, Brazil's enthusiastic adoption of consumerism, and the resulting vast gap between the well-paid public service elite and the struggling service workers catering to them have undermined the hopes Niemeyer, a fierce communist, once had for Brasilia.
"The deep social divisions present in the new capital leave me sad," he said.
Laid out in the form of an airplane (with the government's executive buildings constituting the "cockpit" and offices and residences stretching out into the "wings"), Brasilia today elicits both wonder and unease in visitors.
It resembles a retro-future scene straight from "The Jetsons" or a Jacques Tati film, with UFO-looking domes, ministries atop square ponds, elegant spires and blocky offices deployed along improbably broad avenues where Brazil's normally vibrant flora has been all but razed to fit the rigid, clean lines and vast empty spaces.
But it also reveals the fatal flaw in its designers' plan: the overpopulation of a city originally built for 600,000 residents which today is home to more than four times that, 2.6 million people.
That means frustrating peak-hour traffic jams and cars parked egregiously along curbs, pedestrians risking their lives crossing roads not meant for pedestrian passage and restaurants and shops located inside locales devoid of charm.
"It's obvious that I understand the problems derive from a metropolis that has grown and that unfortunately reflects the capitalist regime with all its vices and injustices," Niemeyer said.
Thought up in the 1950s as a symbol of Brazil's aspirations of federal unity and national integration, planning of the city in the unpopulated center of Brazil was handed over to Niemeyer, the late urban planner Lucio Costa, and landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, who vowed to build a different sort of capital.
They succeeded to such a point that Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin exclaimed on a visit in 1961: "I feel like I've stepped onto another planet, not Earth."
Niemeyer, in his fragile old age, was unable to travel to Brasilia to attend ceremonies marking the half-century anniversary of the city he helped bring into the world.
His fear of flying, and the impossibility of him making the 1,400 kilometer (840-mile) car journey to the capital, meant he would watch the celebrations on television, he told AFP in an e-mail interview.
He said staying home would also allow him the time to work on his next jobs, including designing a football stadium "of a rather surprising form."
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Congo musicians, Rolling Stones at Cannes side-fest AFP - 16 minutes ago
Sri Lanka to host Indian film awards AP - 23 minutes ago
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary Reuters - 36 minutes ago
MGM's uncertain future stops work on new 007 film AFP - 1 hour 25 minutes ago
Fox renews "Cops" for 23rd season Reuters - 1 hour 26 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
Fog, rain again delay shuttle Discovery landing
Greece may use EU loan by next month: finance minister
Goldman Sachs posts soaring $3.46 bln profit
UK financial watchdog launches Goldman Sachs probe
Greece pays dearly to raise 1.95 bln euros
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Venezuelan boxer hangs himself after murder rap
Volcano cloud pushes European airlines to the brink: analysts
Ocean census uncovers 'new world' of marine microbe life
Airlines urge governments to reopen routes
Iceland eruption tapering off, spewing lava and less ash
More Most Viewed »
Two-million-year-old hominid sheds light on evolution
Taiwan's male 'Susan Boyle' a web sensation
EU emergency talks as volcano cloud havoc worsens
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Tuesday, 20 April 2010 Al Qaeda's two top Iraq leaders killed in raid
Al-Qaeda commanders killed in Iraq
Microsoft yanks "sexting" shot from Kin ad
YouTube to stream IPL semis and final live in US
Iraqi panel orders vote recount in Baghdad
Generation Beshir: Sudan's leader holds youth vote
US-TECH Summary
Air traffic bans boost video conferencing: Cisco
U.S. faults Sudan election but will work with victors
|
Airlines urge governments to reopen routes
Palm shares slide after software chief quits
Venezuelan boxer hangs himself after murder rap
Videogame titan Ubisoft going green
On anniversary, pope calls Church wounded sinner
|
Startup ALGO claims trading software nears speed of light
U.N. fears Congo pullout will hurt fight against rape
|
Netanyahu : No way to 'impose' Middle East peace
Official: Kyrgyz president leaves Kazakhstan
Ethnic group in Myanmar gears up for war, peace
Video shows Taliban swarming mountaintop base
2 bombs hit northwestern Pakistani city; 23 dead
Bombs at market, school kill 24 in Pakistan's Peshawar
3 rescued, 5 days after China quake killed 2,000
Armed Thai troops guard business zone
Air traffic bans boost video conferencing: Cisco
|
Startup ALGO claims trading software nears speed of light
|
Indonesia court upholds blasphemy law
Palm slides after losing key exec, RadioShack
|
India's TCS quarterly profit up 47%, beating forecast
China plants working for Microsoft break labor law
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
"Back-up Plan" worked well for director Alan Poul
Ex-employee to sue Prada Japan over alleged harassment
Punk pioneer McLaren to be buried on Thursday
Not as close Aerosmith members put differences aside to tour
Rolling Stone puts entire archives online
Weinstein brothers closer to acquiring Miramax: WSJ
Pop pioneer hails Germany despite Holocaust misery
After 100 years, gypsy jazzman Django plays on
Final tally puts Kick-Ass atop box office
|
Jennifer Aniston sees movie directing in future
|
Volcanic ash hits Iron Man 2 premiere, strands stars
|
Back-up Plan worked well for director Alan Poul
|
Punk pioneer McLaren to be buried on Thursday
|
Turkey offers to act as Iran intermediary
Volcano fallout raises specter of airline aid
Facebook? Twitter? Microsoft tops social media use
Pope says he leads a 'wounded and sinner' church
Qatar suspends new visa plan
Fog, rain again delay shuttle Discovery landing
Few flights resume in Europe, new ash cloud reported
|
Asia computer sales up 38% in first quarter: IDC
Afghanistan kicks off registration for elections: official
Greece may use EU loan by next month: finance minister
Goldman Sachs posts soaring $3.46 bln profit
Online conferencing takes off amid volcano chaos
Turkey ready to be Iran nuclear deal intermediary
Amazon files lawsuit to block N.Carolina's data request
UK financial watchdog launches Goldman Sachs probe
Afghanistan kicks off 'registration' for elections
Thai red shirts call off march, stock prices jump
|
Third of U.S. teens with phones text 100 times a day
U.S. warns Syria on weapons transfers
LibDems target banks to build on momentum
|
Greece pays dearly to raise 1.95 bln euros
Google cyberattack hit password system: report
Iraqis say Qaeda deaths will not improve their lives
|
Al-Qaeda commanders 'killed in Iraq'
Netanyahu urges oil sanctions on Iran
Think-tank unveils website to boost aid controls
Greece borrows 1.95 bln euros but at high rate
Australian PM wins health deal aimed at re-election
|
South Sudan party accuses north of troop buildup
Facebook pages group people based on likes
Greek bond yields hit record high on investor fears
North Korea readying for 3rd nuclear test: report
|
IBM raises earnings outlook as technology spending improves
Bolivia hosts 'people's' climate change event
China says door not shut to negotiations with Iran
|
Asia computer sales up 38% in first quarter: IDC
White House cranks up pressure on finance reform
South Africa's Malema to escape ANC discipline
|
Indonesia: Terror chief's relative gets 8 years
Kyrgyz leaders try to quell violence
|
Expedition recreates 'Bounty' survival-at-sea saga
U.S. helps African navies with floating academy
|
Filipino slaying suspect endorses a prez candidate
Goldman Sachs posts huge profits amid fraud scandal
As India booms, social welfare struggles to catch up
Indonesian graft allows Islamist militancy to flourish
Thai protesters back down after live fire threat
Tanning bed usage may be addictive, study warns
Thai protesters fortify camps in heart of Bangkok
US summons Syria diplomat over Hezbollah arms transfer
U.S. to end military operations in Haiti on June 1
Witness
Malaysian lawmaker in trouble over polygamy
Google cyberattack hit password system: report
|
Amazon files lawsuit to block North Carolina's data request
|
Facebook? Twitter? Microsoft tops social media use
|
Fake security software still big problem
Volcanic ash hits "Iron Man 2" premiere, strands stars
China Mobile says profit up 1.1 percent
Third of U.S. teens with phones text 100 times a day
|
India hikes rates to counter 'worrisome' inflation
Nissan halts some vehicle production amid air havoc
Thomson
Asian markets boosted by US rally, bargain-buying
Indonesia under fire for upholding scripture over rights
Toyota pays record US fine, widens safety recall
Indonesia court upholds blasphemy law
Congo musicians, Rolling Stones at Cannes side-fest
Nissan to halt output due to parts shipment delay
Sri Lanka to host Indian film awards
China restricts pre-sales to curb property prices
MGM's uncertain future stops work on new 007 film
Pakistani o/n rates rise; rupee weakens; stocks down
Fox renews "Cops" for 23rd season
EU chamber says China business climate worsening
Anniversary for Brasilia leaves architect 'sad'
India's central bank hikes key interest rates
Music legend John Hammond gets film treatment
Grandiose sequel for epic Russian film
Judge rejects Carly Simon suit against Starbucks
Reality TV shatters taboos in India
Laurence Fishburne staying on CSI
|
Sex and the City 2 tickets already a hot item
|
Brother of Precious star apologizes for abuse
|
Judge rejects Carly Simon suit against Starbucks
|
Teen actress flexes muscles in Kick-Ass
|
Dragon testifies to box office life after opening
|
Fox renews Cops for 23rd season
|
Music legend John Hammond gets film treatment
|
James Bond movie delayed due to studio auction
|
Kelsey Grammer shines in La Cage Aux Folles
|
Pirates take 3 Thai ships with 77 crew
|
Internet video stokes Sudan poll fraud fears
|
Imposed Mideast solution would stoke violence: Israel FM
|
NATO troops fire on vehicle, kill 4 unarmed Afghans
|
Apple says iPad 3G available on April 30
|
Undersea telecoms cables face growing risks: report
|
Kylie back with single in June, album in July
|
Lily Allen, Dizzee Rascal lead shortlist for Ivors
|
Zoe Saldana is one tough cookie
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights