Brasilia’s double life: Utopian vision and uneven reality

When a utopia is built from the ground up, does it necessarily lead to happiness?

Kim Bong-ryeol The author is an architect and professor emeritus at the Korea National University of Arts.

When a utopia is built from the ground up, does it necessarily lead to happiness?

In 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek, then newly elected president of Brazil, announced an ambitious plan to relocate the national capital from the coastal city of Rio de Janeiro to the country’s interior. The decision was framed as a way to stimulate balanced regional development and reduce the overconcentration of power and infrastructure in the aging metropolis of Rio.

Construction of the new capital, Brasilia, began in 1960 and was completed in just four years. The feat became one of the most iconic modernization projects of 20th-century Brazil. Its design was spearheaded by urban planner Lucio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer, both of whom became synonymous with the project. Together with President Kubitschek, they are often remembered — celebrated or criticized — as the three principal architects of Brasilia.

A view of central Brasilia, the capital of Brazil [KIM BONG-RYEOL]

Costa’s master plan, known as the “Plano Piloto,” was shaped like an airplane. The fuselage was designated for government offices and a long axis of park space, while the wings housed organized residential sectors. At the front, the cockpit was symbolized by the “Three Powers Square,” where the National Congress, the Presidential Palace and the Supreme Federal Court were located. Designed with Brazil’s tropical climate in mind, the city prioritized automobile use, creating wide boulevards over pedestrian spaces.

Niemeyer took on the monumental task of designing more than 100 major buildings over two years. His portfolio included the presidential residence, national theater, museum, library, university campus and the iconic Cathedral of Brasilia. With sweeping curves and stark white concrete, Niemeyer's structures often resemble abstract sculptures. His use of basic geometric forms such as spheres, squares, and spirals, along with more complex shapes like hyperbolic paraboloids and catenary curves, turned the city into a showcase of monumental modernism.

Brasilia was originally designed for a population of 500,000. Today, more than four million people live in the region. The rapid growth has led to uncontrolled urban sprawl, with dozens of underdeveloped satellite towns surrounding the core. As a result, severe traffic congestion and strained infrastructure have fueled social inequality. The city’s uniform buildings — once symbols of modernist idealism — now often appear in dystopian films, representing alienation and isolation.

Yet many residents within the planned sectors report high satisfaction. For them, Brasilia remains a symbol of progress. The question lingers: Is this what a successful utopia looks like?

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.