1939 World’s Fair in New York
Brazil Pavilion
Brazil Pavilion
The 1939 World’s Fair opened
in Queens with its iconic Trylon and Perisphere and with the slogan “Building the World of Tomorrow”.1 The fair was meant to boost the faith of the American consumer by focusing on their interests instead of the large corporations that produced the products. This renewed faith in consumption would hopefully stimulate the United States’ slumping economy.2 Over 60 foreign nations participated in an attempt to show how modern and advanced their respected country’s industry had become.3 Brazil, ruled by Getúlio Dornelles Vargas, also participated in the fair. During Vargas time in power, he became obsessed with defining a national culture and controlling the “Brazilness” of art, architecture and greater global image. Author Daryle Williams calls this time in Brazil “the culture wars”.4 Vargas created a committee to oversee a design competition for Brazil’s pavilion entry. It was made explicit by several committee members that the goal of the pavilion was to show the world the economic strength of
in Queens with its iconic Trylon and Perisphere and with the slogan “Building the World of Tomorrow”.1 The fair was meant to boost the faith of the American consumer by focusing on their interests instead of the large corporations that produced the products. This renewed faith in consumption would hopefully stimulate the United States’ slumping economy.2 Over 60 foreign nations participated in an attempt to show how modern and advanced their respected country’s industry had become.3 Brazil, ruled by Getúlio Dornelles Vargas, also participated in the fair. During Vargas time in power, he became obsessed with defining a national culture and controlling the “Brazilness” of art, architecture and greater global image. Author Daryle Williams calls this time in Brazil “the culture wars”.4 Vargas created a committee to oversee a design competition for Brazil’s pavilion entry. It was made explicit by several committee members that the goal of the pavilion was to show the world the economic strength of
a united Brazil, a homogeneous postrevolution culture and the power of
Brazil’s industry.⁵ Minutes from the
committee meetings reveal that the
jury wanted “an architectural form
capable of translating the expression of the Brazilian environment”.⁶ The question still remained, what type of architecture best communicated these themes? The Vargas regime was still searching for a national architectural style.⁷ To the chagrin of more conservative views that valued the traditional neocolonial and European styles, Vargas’ committee settled on the modern design by Lucio Costa.⁸ In fact, “the committee that awarded the commission to Costa saw in the pavilion ‘a spirit of Brasilidade’”.⁹ The final pavilion design ended up becoming a collaboration between Costa, Oscar Niemeyer and Roberto Burle Marx, the landscape designer, with works on display from the painter, Cândido Portinari. Before the architectural elements of the building are analyzed, it is important to understand the context of the Brazilian modern art movement.
capable of translating the expression of the Brazilian environment”.⁶ The question still remained, what type of architecture best communicated these themes? The Vargas regime was still searching for a national architectural style.⁷ To the chagrin of more conservative views that valued the traditional neocolonial and European styles, Vargas’ committee settled on the modern design by Lucio Costa.⁸ In fact, “the committee that awarded the commission to Costa saw in the pavilion ‘a spirit of Brasilidade’”.⁹ The final pavilion design ended up becoming a collaboration between Costa, Oscar Niemeyer and Roberto Burle Marx, the landscape designer, with works on display from the painter, Cândido Portinari. Before the architectural elements of the building are analyzed, it is important to understand the context of the Brazilian modern art movement.
The Trylon and Perisphere -
New York World’s Fair of 1939