Brazil Builds: releitura crítica

Abstract

This thesis presents a critical review of the catalogue-book Brazil Builds: Architecture New and Old 1652 - 1942, by Philip Goodwin, with photographs by Kidder Smith. The aim is to discuss the editor's choices, analysing the architecture presented as well as the architecture omitted. This document was divided into four parts: 1) Presentation and context of the catalogue-book; 2) Quantitative analysis; 3) Content analysis of the catalogue-book approaching several subjects addressed in the thesis; and 4) Comparison with the posterior literature that focuses on the same period. The first part presents information regarding the catalogue-book and the exhibition that accompanied it, at the time of its launch, held at MoMA - Museum of Modern Art - in New York. The discussion departs from the history of the journey to collect material and continues until the exhibition, analysing its national and international repercussions. Brazil Builds was immensely successful, disseminating the recent modern architecture produced in Brazil, also including unfinished buildings. Moreover, the catalogue-book also presents the old architecture, demonstrating its origin and heritage before introducing Brazil's modern potential. Brazil Builds reached the major cities of Europe and other continents, internationally proliferating Brazilian architectural culture. The second part presents a quantitative data analysis of various aspects of the catalogue-book. In the third part of this thesis, the catalogue-book is approached from various perspectives, encompassing discussion about its architects, the new and old architecture, its relation with cities and patrimony, the controversial role given to the architect Warchavchik and to eclectic buildings, the integration of a new construction of an old building and the Brazil Builds national and international repercussion. Finally, in the fourth part, the permanence (or absence) of buildings presented in the catalogue-book in relation to the posterior literature about the specific subject is also analysed, which includes: Arquitetura Moderna no Brasil by Henrique Mindlin; Arquitetura Contemporânea no Brasil by Yves Bruand; Arquitetura Moderna Brasileira by Sylvia Ficher and Marlene Acayaba; and Arquiteturas no Brasil by Hugo Segawa. The comparison is made by analysing the relevance given by the selected authors to the buildings.