Architectural Guide: Brazil

Brazil, the big B of the BRIC countries, is in high spirits. The current upswing involving booming economic growth and cultural development is accompanied by good architecture: a great number of outstanding buildings have emerged, reviving international interest in Brazilian architecture. This publication provides an exciting selection of 220 modern buildings — from the canonical works of Brazilian modern architecture to barely-known buildings; from works of the six best-known Brazilian masters — namely, Oscar Niemeyer, Lúcio Costa, Paulo Mendes da Rocha, João Vilanova Artigas, Lina Bo Bardi, and João Filgueiras Lima (Lelé) — to those of young aspiring architectural offices. Coming from different cultural contexts and professional backgrounds, the three authors favoured an open-minded approach to Brazilian production. Considering the vastness of the country and the enormous number of projects, the selection presented here is far from exhaustive but presents a panoramic overview that helps the traveller to see good architecture.