This post is part of the Team Challenge between Connect Live 2019 Attendees, proposed by @ermest. Each member charged to write about a theme, but everyone contributed. This will be the first of the #teambrazil posts from this challenge, and you can find our main post here. I will be talking about what makes the brazilian people so unique. We hope you like it!
What makes me a good Local Guide is my contribution of photos to Google Maps. I’m passionate about photographing nature and architecture, if possible the two together! For this reason I chose to speak briefly about the architecture of my vast and diverse country.
Long before the discovery of Brazilian lands by the Portuguese in the year 1500 existed in Brazil, according to surveys, about 1400 indigenous tribes and an estimated population between one and five million indigenous, and they were responsible for the first constructions in Brazilian lands.
The indigenous constructions
The architecture of the indigenous people is mostly utilitarian and their houses are called “ocas”, being constructed with materials found in the region of each tribe, being mostly made with woods tied with vine and covered with vegetal fibers. These constructions have several variations according to each tribe and each region. Despite the massive decline of indigenous people throughout the Brazilian colonization (estimate that we currently have only half a million Indians) it is still possible to find several tribes and such constructions still being made by them.
Colonial Period
With the arrival of the Portuguese in Brazil, the colonial period began. Many constructions were made with features derived from the architectural knowledge coming from Europe with the Portuguese, but in Brazilian lands with totally different resources from those found on European countries/territory. In addition to the beautiful houses made in this period, the most beautiful constructions made were the churches, standing out the so-called Religious Baroque, as in the following images.
Neoclassical Architecture
Although many foreigners are wrong to think that Rio de Janeiro is the capital of Brazil, this was the reality between the years of 1763 and 1960 when Rio was in fact the capital of the country. In the first decades of Rio as capital, the city began to receive influences of the neoclassical architecture, since it needed more beauty to receive the foreigners and to house the administrative services in this period there were built palaces, theaters and many other constructions. Of course, as stated earlier, the conditions were different from European neoclassicism, being in Brazil a more simplified version, but still very beautiful as we can see below.
Eclectic Architecture
This period, as the name implies, is a mixture of architectural styles where the advances of engineering could be used more easily, building beautiful constructions that were also influenced by styles made outside the country. As we walk through the streets of some cities, like Manaus, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro we can contemplate some of those beautiful centennial constructions.
Modern Architecture
After the industrial revolution, various materials and techniques became more accessible around the world, arriving in Brazil then the constructions made of reinforced concrete. Joining the increase of studies in the area of architecture and engineering with the technological advances began the modern period of Brazilian architecture, which was also influenced by European styles, but created a national identity such as the case of several constructions made by Oscar Niemeyer that, besides one of the biggest names in Brazil in architecture, was the architect responsible for the construction of the current capital of the country, Brasília, we can see more about this amazing city in this post.
Final consideration
This is really a tiny piece about the main moments of architecture experienced by Brazil. There are Lots of other construction styles (para não repetir o many em seguida) in the country, many of which are not cataloged. In addition, several constructions were adapted to the Brazilian context and were strongly influenced by the different nationalities and cultures present in the country. Let’s say what I’ve shown here is just the tip of the iceberg and you can see a lot more in my Instagram’s feed @tomsanchesf
Wow
as demais foram doadas à mim por amigos próximos, porém agora deixei os devidos créditos.
