The early modernism here is often par excellence. How it was always meant to be used:
if you look very, very carefully, the majority of these buildings are art deco:
A better view of the Copan, draped in gauze
The density of the city is staggering
Even the dated styles were good quality -while here I developed an appreciation for all things Eighties, pomo and luxe
Literally jizzed over these two -brutalist hangovers, yet minimalist, yet classy
70s architecture was also high end, with a lot of detail and finish. The building at right used traditional materials and Brazilian styled wooden shutters to create a randomised geometric effect, functional yet aesthetic
Neither have I seen so many murals, let alone giant, skyscraping ones, they're pretty much on every block. The image has an art deco quality, reflecting the building
Vultures were everywhere -this was on the busiest street, Avenida Paulista. The other is a cute guy
As mentioned, some rooftop pools were private, others public, with sublime views as standard. We just donlt get anything like this in my part of the world:
The building at right reclaimed the derelicts around it, mirroring the materials and creating an aesthetic:
There are two types of park -ones with lawns and flowers and views, others that are thick with cover, and offer cool glades.
In the more conventional style of green space, people wander and take in the air, read books, recreate or have picnics. You'll notice sufferers of a national T-shirt shortage searching desperately for their clothing, occasionally working out their frustration in the outdoor gyms, some of them facing bars where you can take a ringside seat, I mean chair. This appears to be a major issue afflicting good looking people, which is pretty much everyone in Brazil.
Notice that ONE bloke slowly painting the giant mural:
In the forested version it's much more private, where couples or friends go to chat quietly (hug, scroll, often cry). I will always be impressed by how at ease Brazilians are in public.
It's astounding to the uninitiated -pretty much slices of rainforest crisscrossed by shady paths where lovers intertwine. The minute you set foot in there the degrees drop dramatically with natural aircon
All over the city public spaces are being reclaimed -this was an epic Third Place to hang out, in an arts/ community complex completely permeable to the street. The city now actively encourages loitering, from subway entrances lined with seating to entire buildings apparently given over to it -for resting shoppers, scrolling teens, coffee huggers, beer tipplers, and bookworms. Even office complexes will carry public lawns and deckchairs that the great unwashed get to grace.
If ever one of those roving crazy people starts participating, and you know, starts shitting in a bag or something, well we all stab him. Or the security guard sighs dispiritedly and waddles over, with war in his eyes. Then stands behind them for the next 4 hrs, occasionally playing with his phone.
This stonking great gateway to the old Downtown is a national treasure due to it being made by a celebrated modernist. However unpopular with the populace, because it impinges on an otherwise great view, and no one's enamoured by the plainness -pristine and daring back in the day, now not so much. It reminds me of a similar issue on Manchester's main square, and the demolition of Pritzker award winning Tadao Ando's piece of crap, which closely resembled a wall. The council may or may not be waiting for it to corrode into nothing.
Everywhere are villas and mansions, survivors from a bygone era. Some are crumbling, and many have no owners as their descendants can't be traced, and themselves don't even know they inherited. Others are restored beautifully, fighting off the developers.
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