" Faculty of the Built Environment History of Landscape Architecture
" " " " " " " Roberto Burle Marx: the creation of a Brazilian Landscape
" " " " Carlos Henrique de Carvalho Silva Correa 5030985
" 15 October 2014  
Summary Burle Marx: the creation of a Brazilian Landscape _______________________3 Sítio Santo Antônio da Bica ________________________________6 Ministry of Education and Public Health _____________________ 10 The consolidation of an artist _____________________________ 18 Essay Proposal Literature Review ______________________________________ 20 Burle Marx Gardens ____________________________________ 23 Bibliography ___________________________________________________ 27
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Burle Marx Gardens: the creation of a Brazilian Landscape The twentieth century represented a period of huge changes in Brazilian’s economy, politic and culture. The country that had conquered its political independence in 1822 maintained cultural and economic international dependance for many decades after that. Brazilian economy shifted from agrarian to modern industrialized, loosing the relationship between the nation and european domination. Concomitantly, the cultural production was struggling to dissociate from Europe as well, since reproducing the artwork and the techniques of the ancient continent was the most common form of art expression in Brazil until 1922. In this year, the São Paulo Modern Art Week symbolized the first step of the emergence of a art production national identity. Two lines of art were stablished by that period. Some artists were trying to inspire their work in Brazilian identity, colors and natural shapes, such as painter Tarsila do Amaral. Others incited a new form of art by criticizing and ridiculing the current model, such as poets as Manuel Bandeira. Both of these art expressions came together with the idea of Antropofagia, which means absorbing from previous work the positive characteristics and then readapting it for its own reality. This ideology was posteriorly stated on Oswald de Andrade’s “Cannibalistic Manifest”, in 1928 (Islam 2012). The new anthropophagic model had exponents in diverse areas of art and design. Roberto Burle Marx was the main expression of these movement in landscape architecture. From his first works in 1934, he started developing a new language to deal with Brazilian flora. His methods were experimental and congregate the experiences he had while living in Europe with the identity of his country. Among Burle Marx’s projects, it is notable the pioneering manner he deals with Brazilian plant species. As an aspirant botanist, he had vast knowledge of plant species and applied them exploring their different colors, textures, forms and sizes. The familiarity 3
that the designer had with the flora from Brazil was applied in many different spaces, from private gardens to Brasilia’s landscape design, where large axes of the city had been planned from scratch. These projects also differ when it comes to planning the relation with its environment and surroundings. The duality of urban and natural had been explored in many different ways by Roberto Burle Marx. Analyzing his work it is notable that he sometimes designs nature for the natural environment, with focus in leisure and appreciation of the space, while in other projects he discusses the relation between natural and urbanized. These urban-natural duality is mostly expressed within the boundaries of his intervention, where the two factors appear as opposites because of the absence of a transitional space or structure. This duality reinforces nature as a decorative instrument, opposing to the functional ‘urban’ space of circulation. A landscape design project that represents a case where the design is framed by nature and integrates with its surrounding is Sitio Santo Antonio da Bica, Burle Marx’s own garden in Campo Grande, a small city close to Rio de Janeiro. In this case, the huge site is composed by many nuclei of appreciation, which are interconnected by a pathway surrounded by a closed vegetation. The species of the pathway boundaries are mostly part of the experimental proposal for the site, where the designer cultivated and studied both native and exotic species collected by him when traveling worldwide. Opposing to the enclosed pathway, the different ambients designed for these project are mostly open spaces, which integrate with the surrounding landscape. These garden nuclei are spaces that promote resting, reflection and also the natural appreciation and observation. A different relation with the environment is projected for the Ministry of Public Health and Education in Rio de Janeiro. The gardens of this building are more related to the urban environment and are presented as more contained, creating an boundary of vivid nature among the urbanity. The amoebic forms adopted for this area were innovative and 4
bold, specially for this time and location. The Ministry building was the first statesponsored skyscraper built in the world and it was located in the downtown of Rio de Janeiro, surrounded by important architectonic icons of neoclassical architecture and also baroque, rococo and neocolonialist buildings (Philippou 2011). Landscape design techniques adopted in this case relate to the concern about the public reaction that was expected for this building, because of that it tries to connect people to the space, the innovation is seeking to please the observer and not scare them. Knowing the purpose of Burle Marx’s design projects is extremely necessary to understand his design approach. It is interesting to observe his different proposals and how his design can be expressed in different spaces without the same characteristics without losing his design philosophy.
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Sítio Santo Antônio da Bica BURLE MARX. Own Garden, Sítio Santo Antônio da Bica. Campo Grande, Brazil. 1949 The Brazilian landscape architect’s idea for his own garden was to create an multipurpose site, where he would be able to develop his abilities as a botanist, study different design proposals and also live. To support his expectations for the space, where would take place his home, creative studio and also garden laboratory, the huge eight thousand square meter site was divided in smaller nuclei, gardens of specific design, and also big pathways, among which he could practice botanic, cultivate different species and also test design combinations. The location of this site is in a rural area, which fulfilled the needs of area and soil quality needed for the design program. The terrain in Campo Grande was before a coffee plantation and has the fertile and stable soil formed by the decomposition of basaltic rocks between the last millenniums, during the formation of Mantiqueira Atlantic Shield Structural Province, between the Neoproterozoic and the Paleozoic Era. The Coastal Tropical Brazilian climate also attends the common rain cycle and temperature levels for planting a huge variety of Brazilian species. The location of the site in the Grumari Hill is observed in Figure 1 and 2.
" " " " " " " " " Figure 1: Location of the site. Google Earth Imagea, 2014.
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Figure 2: Topography of the site. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
Distance from the urban environment gave Burle Marx the possibility of analyzing his studies between a natural surrounding. The designed nuclei had the hilly larger landscape as a frame, enabling the landscape design to integrate to the background layers. The multiple layers analysis of Sitio Santo Antonio da Bica is demonstrated in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Study of the sight layers. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
The plant material used on this site is mostly conformed by tropical plants collected by Burle Marx during his expeditions around his home country. In spite of that, the 7
landscape architect also studied exotic species, collected by him during international tours. His studies tried to integrate some of these plants to native species in landscape design proposals. Species from Royal Palms (Roystonea oleracea) and Brazilian Ironwood (Caesalpinea ferrea) to bromeliads are found on site, demonstrating that the interest in botanic did not restrings to trees or ornamental species, in the opposite, it is broad and studies the different composition of plants characteristics. Among the many gardens of the site, the design of water display was also tested. Water exhibition in this gardens varies from rectilinear pools to natural looking pools and even a large quantity of gardens without water display. In these sites were also experimented some water plant species, such as water lilies (Victoria amazonica), a Brazilian originally species from the Amazonic Forest, which is strongly related to local culture and national identity (Figure 4).
Figure 4: A water against the hillside at the Sitio. Extracted from The Gardens of Roberto Burle Marx, Timber Press, Portland (1991).
Built structures were also tested between the sites. Many of them have big importance as vertical elements of the space and representing the contrast between natural and human made. Between the structures there are concrete pergolas, wall hang 8
garden beds, sculptures and stone walls. Some of these built structures and their relation to the concept of its site were analyzed in Figure 5.
Figure 5: The use of structures in landscape design by Burle Marx. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
There is no formal design common characteristics between the designed gardens since they were experiments of spaces. Different materials were used such as granite, small stones, ceramics and bamboo. The result of these spaces also evoke different sensations. More natural cloistered gardens where human intervention is partially hidden represent a contemplation zone, peaceful spaces to host natural appreciation. There are also some opened gardens which have a bigger relation to the hills of the surrounding area, where spaces create a support for leisure and also relaxation. These different materials and gardens environments allowed Burle Marx to get familiar with complex arrangement of organic and geometric outlines. In some of these spaces the landscape architect also exposed his work as an artist. The use of mosaic and the disposition of elements have a role in space composition. In Figures 6 and 7, is analyzed the wall artwork in the entrance of his house, using granite stones in different sizes and textures, altering with blank spaces and a variety of bromeliads (Eliovson 1991) m 9
Figure 6: Burle Marx’s artwork with granite. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa Figure 7: Study of the open spaces of the wall. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa
The study of color was also held in these gardens, where Roberto Burle Marx nursed and combined species such as yellow bromeliad (Aechmea blanchetiana), pink bromeliad (Ortophytum burle-marxii) and ginger lilies (Heliconia). The disposition of the plant species in all gardens are mostly in clumps, where trees are grouped in a ‘circular' space. In spite of that the dotting disposition is also used, specially when it comes to uncommon species such as Mascarene Palms (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis). Because of his contribution to botany science, fifty-three plant species are linked to his name. Many of them were collected and preserved by him in Sitio Santo Antônio da Bica. The plant variety of the site - more than 3500 different species, in majority Brazilian native - and its contributions to botany science and its importance to the history Brazilian and international landscape design, the site was incorporated to the domain of Brazilian National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN). The importance of this site is also internationally recognized, as stated by the American landscape design educator Karen Van Lengen, who states that Burle Marx was already integrating ecology and aesthetic experiment while most people were only thinking about it (Rohter 2009). These innovation is consolidated at Sítio Santo Antonio da Bica, where many characteristics of Burle Marx’s design are gathered. 10
Ministry of Education and Public Health BURLE MARX. Gardens of Ministry of Education and Public Health. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 1943 The project of the garden relates to the modernist design proposed by the architects team, led by Brazilian Lucio Costa and highly influenced by the swiss architect Le Corbusier, the precursor of modern architecture. Burle Marx’s areas of design include the plaza, the roof top and the wing roof, which is 1.243 square meters size and elevated 12 meters above the plaza level, which is 8.462 square meters size. The location of the proposal was risky and bold, because the city centre of Rio de Janeiro (Figure 8), one of the biggest and oldest Brazilian capitals, was a spacial representation of the European influence in the country that they were trying to cease. Less than five hundred meters from the construction site, some of the most significant buildings of this city were standing. The Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre was an icon built in 1905 and inspired in Paris’ Opera theatre design, and the Brazilian National Library also built in 1905 and influenced by the neoclassical architecture and by the art nouveau style. The contrast between these architectonic and landscape design is extended and analyzed in Figure 9.
Figure 8: Ministry of Education and Public Health location. Google Earth Images, 2014.
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Figure 9: Comparing two close sites with different landscape design. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
The size of the construction and its innovative design would certainly shock the population, but the attention given to this novelty tried to be used in favor of the modernism, showing the public that the new kind of art could also be pleasant and attend the needs of an architectural program elegantly. Brazilian National Library’s garden, located in the same block as the Ministry, creates a strong duality when compared with Burle Marx’s proposal. The disposition of the trees and the lawn at the library represent the typical gardens of the antique Rio de Janeiro. A belt of dense trees is situated in the frontal façade of the building, planted without any surrounding green space, as exposed in Figure 10.
Figure 10: Trees disposition on the façade of the National Library. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
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The modern Brazilian landscape proposed for the ministry building had mostly tall palm coves and other vertical lined vegetation which oppose to the dense vegetation of the National Library, and many short plants, with a number of different species and inserted on a vivid free-form shaped lawn, distancing the plants and the human circulation and also creating organic boundaries for this flux (Figure 11).
Figure 11: Disposition of the trees in the Ministry Building Plaza. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
The landscape design of the Ministry enriches and lenifies the rigidness of the building itself, that stands out among the plain terrain. When the observer is on the court level, the disposition of the trees, their different heights and textures are welcoming. This pleasant environment is reinforced by the amoebic forms that stand by themselves between the light colored pavement. When from this point of view, the larger landscape is dominated by the building itself. The form of the building, which is analyzed in figure 12, creates an intermediate visual layer between the court space and the building.
Figure 12: Study of the viewer's perspective sequence. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
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This transitional layer is the horizontal block that intercepts the vertical block. From the top of the wing block, the vegetation of the jardin suspendu was described by the journalist Claude Vincent in 1947 as a “strange jungle rising fantastically into the sky and bringing the rain clouds down to the level of the two blue funnels which enclose the lift shafts and the water cisterns of what is still the most beautiful skyscraper in Rio” (Philippou 2011). The statement suggests that the designer’s proposal for this space was achieved, and it happens because of the location of some plants in the roof of the wing, really close to its limit. From an 'lower to top’ perspective, the existence of vegetation in this height catches the attention of the court viewers (Figure 13).
Figure 13: Jardin suspensu. [ONLINE] Available at http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/zehh/ DSC00354.jpg [Acessed on 13 October 2014]
When in the roofs spaces, the human perspective is shifted with the change of the larger landscape. The building is not in centerpiece anymore, since from this level height is possible to have a large angle view of the surrounding space, the downtown of Rio de 14
Janeiro, with the horizon line of the Guanabara Bay and the Glรณria Marine bringing water influence to the view. Because of the boundaries of the wing roof level and the position of this horizontal block, the plaza landscape also influences this space, representing an extension to the area, with similar composition and related plant species. The relation between the wing roof and the court landscapes is exposed in Figure 14.
Figure 14: Distrubution of plants and boundary shapes. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
Interpreting the similarities and differences of the two lower designed landscapes for this building, is is notable a certain hierarchy between them. From the court, the roof level represents an inaccessible and monumental space, with elements partially visible, instigating curiosity. In comparison, from the elevated level, the point of view is opened and all the ground level seems reachable. Even though it is opened, this space has private ambient characteristics without losing the relation with the exterior. The plants used in this composition, such as yellow foliage bromeliad (Aechmea blanchetiana) and colorful Crane Flower (Strelitzia reginae) are species that have commonly occur in Brazilian flora, and were valued by Roberto Burle Marx on this site. 15
The vivid colors used between the impotent masses of green reinforce the drama of the composition (Cavalcanti et al 2011). The disposition of the trees is mostly held in clumps, which stand in organic forms of surrounding grassland. The shaping of these grass is cited by Valerie Fraser as “sinuous, liquid, meandering curves and amoebic blobs”, this sinuosity is a trademark of the architect (Figure 15), and can be observed in the paving of Copacabana, and also in the Flamengo Park landscape. Use of grassland is the designer’s interpretation of the parterre, contrasting vivid grass and the paving (Imbert 2000).
Figure 15: Artwork of Roberto Burle Marx for the MPHE Gardens. [ONLINE] Available at http:// 1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-ZLL3KVsEQ/TveOMVweIDI/AAAAAAAAAWk/nP9G2ROm6aY/s1600/rbm1.jpg [Acessed 13 October 2014].
In the case of the Ministry building, these fluid spaces act as directors, leading the look of the viewer to different spaces in the city, inciting the exploration of all the points of view and perspectives. The relation between the building and the landscape design is notable. The verticality of Royal Palm (Roystonea Regia) trees juxtaposing with the high cylindric pilotis creates a strong relation between them. The vertical line presents nature and urban elements, a living and sensitive structure and the eternal. At the same time, the ephemeral 16
has more vivacity, color and the most interesting shape, while the immutable has lass appreciation appeal (Le Blanc 2012). The axes in the Ministry building also create a hierarchical composition, relating landscape and architectonical design. These composition is analyzed in Figure 16, where it is noticed that the composition of vertical and horizontal lines are varying in scale, from the tall building to the vertical instruments of scale in the wing roof, such as trees and a human scale statue of a young woman resting.
Figure 16: Analysis of the axes representative of the Ministry. Sketch by Carlos Henrique Correa.
The design intention of Roberto Burle Marx was to explore art and duality, and both features can be reached by observers in different points of the site. The landscape designer distributed green spaces and light colored petit pavĂŠ in order to transform the space in a canvas that stood for a work of art, a masterpiece of Brazilian modernism.
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The consolidation of an artist Roberto Burle Marx had an important role in Brazilian design, he surged as one of the main inventors of the characteristics of a developing nation. By having the chance of starting this identity from scratch, the landscape artist stimulated this international field into a modern proposal. The trending modern architecture boosted the arising design proposals and the Brazilian exponent’s work became an international example of allying innovation, boldness and nativity. His strong link with the cultural identity that was trying to be strengthened was achieved by working his design from art work. As Burle Marx stated “to create gardens is a marvelous art - possibly one of the oldest manifestations of art� (Eliovson 1991). This design process where the garden is treated as a canvas - literally- was adopted in the majority of the works of this designer, such as the Ministry of the Army, in Brasilia, and in the analyzed Ministry of Public Health and Education. When developing the design from the artistic canvas, Burle Marx had the sensibility and knowledge to transform the two-dimensional work into a three-dimensional work without loosing his concept. On the opposite, he used the possibility of having volume in his favor. With his vast study of plant species he made compositions with different heights, colors and textures, bringing the shape display he used to distribute on the ground to the sight of the viewer. Achieving the three dimensions also made it possible for the designer to study the site layers and to critically choose what each view from the space should value. By choosing the plants species and its disposition, partially hiding or completely opening the observer sights became possible by playing with vertical shapes and also floor plan grass patterns. Seeking to achieve his objectives for designed spaces, the landscape architect dealt with natural elements associating with built structures, but without losing the sense of 18
its natural form. To Burle Marx, maintaining its innate characteristics allows the creation of “spaces in which people would like to express or renew their faith or belief in finding a better way of living” (Eliovson 1991). The ecological conservation appeal of his work was also a main point. Studying and preserving plant species as an expression of interest in botanic was a feature that also gave the landscape architect international recognition. The fact that many species were named after him and the transformation of the site of Santo Antonio da Bica in a Brazilian National Heritage assure that the value of Burle Marx’s work is not only in the landscape design field. The result of Roberto Burle Marx’s work was an innovative form of science, design and art, which followed Brazilian contemporary ideals exposed in the “Cannibalistic Manifesto”. By absorbing what was emerging in different parts of the world and adapting to his nation cultural moment, he had led the initiating design characteristics of Brazil, influencing many designers till the present days, being one of the main characters of the creation of a Brazilian Landscape.
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Literature Review After centuries of passively absorbing European culture and reproducing it with minimal critical evaluation, Brazilians started trying to find their own culture and art. In the twentieth century started the intention of producing local expressions based on customs and aspirations of the fast-growing nation. The proposal of starting a culture from blank would not be trustful to the country reality, therefore was considered the creation of “Cannibalistic" movement, which promoted the critical absorption of the nations that influenced Brazilian culture. These culture cannibals shortly had pioneers in many areas of study, specially in art related fields, starting one of the most fertile periods in Brazilian creative industry. The exponent in the national emancipation of landscape design was Roberto Burle Marx, who recognized in Brazilian flora a national heritage that could be used in order to accentuate citizens pride of their own land. In his various projects the designer tried to, clearly or intrinsically, relate spaces to Brazilian history and culture. By the same time the he tried to support the upcoming cannibalistic movement, he had the ambition of valorizing the importance of Landscape Design, elevating its importance to the level of the fine arts. Going beyond mechanical creation and rationalist decorum, Roberto Burle Marx achieved his goal. It was not a simple achievement, since he transformed landscape in a canvas that could represent Brazilian cultural diversity and the pride of their own site characteristics in its totality. An example of Brazilian identity reinforce is the project for the renovation of Copacabana Beach pavements, which were an black and white wave themed covered, built by Portuguese artisans. The Brazilian landscape designer maintained this theme and created a totally different one for the opposite side of the avenue, leading the viewer to compare them, interpreting the project as a symbol of national cultural roots. The result of his venturing project is one of Rio de Janeiro’s biggest trade marks. 20
Roberto Burle Marx, who had a special interest in botanic science and was even considered as a self taught botanist, had the sensibility of recognizing gardens as alive organisms. By the end of the first half of the twentieth century it was an extremely modern idea, since gardens were still majorly built in a rational form and usually had regular maintenance. As Burle Marx designed assuming gardens as unstable forms of life, he allowed it to evolve and adapt itself to changes throughout time, resulting in innovative and paradisiacal tropical gardens. Styliane Philippou’s rich description of Burle Marx works and methods as a reflection of his nation do not glance with the lack of explanation on how the designer transforms his country in legitimate and innovative landscape design. As Brazilian cultural and ethnical mix, landscaping technique of Burle Marx is not a pure one-way method. His designing process is related to the knowledge of etching, engraving, sculpting, painting and else. After braving not accepting Le Corbusier’s primary sketches ideas for the gardens of Ministry of Education and Public Health building, the broad artistic acquaintance of Burle Marx could translate in sights the Brazilian culture on his diverse, dynamic and vivid landscape design. Even tough Philippou doesn’t relate the differential process of creation of Burle Marx and its innovating results to the sense of cultural mix already imbibed in Brazilian national characteristics, he observed the different ways the designer projected their gardens. Burle Marx treated public spaces as areas which intent to make its viewers appreciate and notice a relation between themselves and the space they are in. Afresh, the private gardens created by him emphasize the garden as a tropical natural refugee, a comfortable zone that still arise the feeling of safety and welcoming. Both gardens have similarities as well, as noticed by Styliane Philippou, since they improve the relation between the architecture they are surrounding and the ground that they occupy.
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Burle Marx “marvelous art of landscape design” was innovative and displayed an essential role for forming Brazilian cultural identity. The importance of his work and his legacy were widely discussed by Philippou, who stated that his wide heritage would not be receiving the merit it should in the exposition it was happening in Paris by the time he wrote the article. The point of view of the writer explicits the goal achievement of Burle Marx, who made Brazilian identity and Landscape Design being valued by Brazilians and even by the international community.
" Literature review of the following article: Philippou, S. 2011, Roberto Burle Marx: The Marvellous Art of Landscape Design', 360º Architecture. Available at: http://www.greekarchitects.gr/en/degrees/roberto-burlemarx-the-marvellous-art-of-landscape-design-id4198. [Accessed 25 August 2014].
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Burle Marx Gardens Twentieth century represents an era of significative changes in architecture and landscape design proposals. These new developments and ideas caused more shock on that time fast developing countries, which is the Brazilian case. After centuries of subordination to European culture, Brazilians started in the last century of the second millennium to develop their own arts. These new style had representative exponents on painting, as Tarsila do Amaral, poetry, as Oswald de Andrade, and in other creative areas as architecture and landscape design. Following the political and cultural complains and requirements of the national citizens by that time, the artistic movement started near the second decade of the twentieth century, and gained power and a larger number of adepts during São Paulo Modern Art Week, in 1922. One of the main supported ideas of these artists was symbolized by what they called Antropofagia, posteriorly stated on “Cannibalistic Manifest” (1928), from Oswald de Andrade, which encouraged Brazilians to found their own expression of art, denying the academicism. For them, fine arts schools were promoting European based ideas on Brazilian minds. Brazil was trying to create an identity that represented its nationality, origins and culture. In landscape design field, Roberto Burle Marx was the most famous representative. Even though starting as a plastic artist, he quickly made his way in landscaping with the huge boost of Lucio Costa. His designing the pioneer in relating modern ideas from architects as Le Corbusier and Mies Van der Rohe and Brazilian’s tropical vegetation. This mix of modernism and Tropicalia can be observed in one of his biggest creations, the garden of his own farm, which he designed at 1949 and called Sítio Santo Antônio da Bica. This site is located in Campo Grande, a small town less than an one hour drive from Rio de Janeiro, in Brazilian Southwest.
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His own farm site was an experimental place were he could, as an aspirational botanist, seed, cultivate and observe many Brazilian native plants, in addition to species we found during many traveling worldwide. Using different methods, Burle Marx designed many public spaces gardens as well. These projects were preferred by him, as he believed the more open the space, best it would be enjoyed by all social strata (Rohter 2009). Examples of these public spaces gardens are the ones designed for the Ministry of Education and Public Health in Rio de Janeiro, an architectural project of a Brazilian team under consultation of swiss modernist architect Le Corbusier. This project, completed in 1943, has a huge value for Latino American design, as it is the first state-sponsored Modernist skyscraper in the world (Philippou 2011). It also represented a strong position of Brazilian’s emerging architecture. This position is observed in the discussion and speculation about its design, which project had Brazilian team ideas chosen over Le Corbusier’s aspirations for the project. The two sites are situated 50 kilometers away from each other, both on the Southwestern Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. The small distance that keep them apart reveals many climate and geological similarities, as both are located under the Coastal Tropical Brazilian climate zone, an specific definition of an inter tropical zone. The two sites are located on Mantiqueira Atlantic Shield Structural Province, a land structured nearly the and of the Neoproterozoic and the beginning of Paleozoic Era. As the whole Brazilian land, Mantiqueira contains an old and stabilized soil that is weakly affected by molding agents of the ground, since has been eroding for many time. The soil of this area of the nation land is known as terra roxa, an extremely fertile soil that was formed by the decomposition of basaltic rocks between the last millenniums. The tropical climate, rich soil and Brazilian water abundance support the variety of vegetation that occurs in this area, the Atlantic rain forest, which is characterized by heterogeneous vegetation formation. A huge part of the original vegetation ground is 24
already extinct, since this rain forest is located on the focus of Brazilian occupation and urban development. The main difference between the sites is the topography, which is a plain coastal area for the Ministry Building, that is located on Rio de Janeiro’ Downtown, differing from the farm ground, which is elevated from the sea level, located at the foot of Grumari Hill.
Dramatis Personae Affonso Eduardo Reidy (26 October 1909 — 10 August 1964). Brazilian modernist architect. Le Corbusier (6 October 1887 — 27 August 1965). Swiss architect, urban planner and artist. José Oswald de Souza Andrade (11 January 1890 — 22 October 1954). Brazilian modernist writer. Lúcio Costa (27 February 1902 — 13 June 1998). Brazilian modernist architect and urban planner. Max Bill (22 December 1908 — 8 December 1994). Swiss artist and designer. Oscar Niemeyer (15 December 1907 — 5 December 2012). Brazilian modernist architect. Valerie Fraser Latin American architecture Professor at the University of Essex
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BURLE MARX. Own Garden, Sítio Santo Antônio da Bica. Campo Grande, Brazil. 1949
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" " IPHAN, Sítio Roberto Burle Marx [ONLINE]. Available at: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/ 3727053.jpg [Accessed 26 August 2014].
" BURLE MARX. Gardens of Ministry of Education and Public Health. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 1943
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" Styliane Philippou, jardin suspensu, Ministry of Education and Public Health [ONLINE]. Available at: http:// www.greekarchitects.gr/images/news/philippou.2011.05.08.jpg [Accessed 26 August 2014].
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Bibliography Adams, W. H. 1991, Roberto Burle Marx: the unnatural art of the garden,
Museum of
Modern Art, New York. Andrade, O. 1928, ’Manifesto Antropófago’, Revista de Antropofagia, CFY, São Paulo, p. 3. Available at: http://www.letras.ufmg.br/profs/sergioalcides/dados/arquivos/ manifestoantropofago.pdf. [Accessed 25 August 2014] Bardi, P.M. 1964, The Tropical Gardens of Burle Marx, Architectural Press, London. Cavalcanti, L. , El-Dahdah, F. , Rambert, F. 2011, Roberto Burle Marx: the modernity of landscape, Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine, Paris. Eliovson, S. 1991, The Gardens of Roberto Burle Marx, Timber Press, Portland. Fraser, V. 'Cannibalizing Le Corbusier: The MES Gardens of Roberto Burle Marx’, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 2000, Vol.59(2), pp.180-193 Imbert, D. 2000, 'Parterres en l’air: Roberto Burle Marx and the Modernist Roof Garden’, Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes, 2014, pp. 1-13. Islam, G. 2012. 'Can the subaltern eat? Anthropophagic culture as a Brazilian lens on post-colonial theory’, Organization, vol. 19(2), pp. 159–180. Le Blanc, A. 2012, 'Palmeiras and Pilotis: Promoting Brazil with Modern Architecture’, Third Text, 2012, Vol.26(1), p.103-116 Montero, M. I. 2001, Roberto Burle Marx: the lyrical landscape, University of California Press, Berkeley. Philippou, S. 2011, 'Roberto Burle Marx: The Marvellous Art of Landscape Design', 360º Architecture. Available at: http://www.greekarchitects.gr/en/degrees/roberto-burlemarx-the-marvellous-art-of-landscape-design-id4198. [Accessed 25 August 2014]. Rohter, L. 2009, 'A New Look at the Multitalented Man Who Made Tropical Landscaping an Art’ , The New York Times, Jan 21, 2009, vol.158(54562), p.C1
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Rohter, L. 2009, 'A landscape designer's hideaway; Roberto Burle Marx's collection of rare plants has become a refuge of tranquility about an hour's drive from Rio’, The New York Times, July 29, 2001, p.TR10 Siqueira, V. B. 2004, Burle Marx: Espaços da Arte Brasileira, Cosac & Naify Edições, São Paulo Treib, M. 2013, ‘Landscapes transitional, modern, modernistic, modernist’, Journal of Landscape Architecture, vol.8 no.1, pp.6-15.
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