Reflections on Rio: A South American Downing Grant Experience

Arch+BE student Erik Mastalerz travels to Rio de Janeiro to photograph civic architecture. 

Through my coursework and extracurricular involvement in the Architecture and Built Environment program, I have acquired a foundational understanding of the history, practice, and conservation of placemaking. Fusing these ideas with my study of International Politics, I have developed a keen interest in civic architecture as a temporal reflection of the individuals, societies, and political will that shape its creation. As I formulate my honors thesis, which concerns the imagined trajectory of Viennese civic architecture during its imperial decline, I wanted to recontextualize my perspectives by immersing myself in Brazilian approaches to similar ideas and challenges. This impulse, facilitated by the generosity of the Downing family and help from Julia Kamasz and Professor Matthew Worsnick, brought me to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile, for an architectural photography adventure.

Arrival in Rio

Three flights and more than 24 hours after leaving Nashville, I arrived at Antonio Carlos Jobim Airport in Rio, Brazil’s one-time capital, before Oscar Niemeyer’s Brasilia rose from the rainforest. Hungry after settling in and taking a quick rest, I made my first acquaintance with the typical café meal, Churrasco Misto (mixed barbeque). It’s generally comprised of local steak, chicken, sausage, rice, and beans. I got in the habit of adding an expresso, some vegetables and, if I had made sufficient progress on my photography, a Caipirinha (the national lime-cachaça drink).

South American Metropolis

The Rio metro area is home to more than thirteen million people, making it the largest city I’d visited. Its sprawling topographic and cultural diversity create layers of identity, which make it challenging but fascinating to attempt to wrap one’s mind around. This ranged from stately homes tucked into forested foothills to neglected remnants of projected Portuguese power that have since been reimagined to fit into the practical reality of a deeply impoverished in unequal place. Modern and other post-colonial buildings fill in the rest of the city, from endless favelas to major business buildings that could be found in New York. A number of neighborhoods make up Rio, so distinct that many could be perceived as independent cities. I was able to experience Ipanema and Copacabana, oriented around their beaches and known for Bossa Nova and futebol respectively; Saúde and Centro, downtown business and museum districts; Santa Teresa, with narrow winding streets and views from the hills; Engenho de Dentro for futebol matches and Jardim Botânico to explore lush flora.

Catedral de São Sebastião by Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca

Catedral de São Sebastião represents an  imposing, modern reimagination of what a cathedral could be. Oliveira da Fonseca was a protégé of Oscar Niemeyer, the main architect and master planner of Brasilia.

Petrobras Headquarters Building by Roberto Luís Gandolfi

Petrobras is the state-owned oil and energy firm, notorious for its involvement in the scandal that sent former president Lula da Silva to prison (he is now the frontrunner for the October 2022 elections). The building employs a bold approach to brise soleil.

Estádio Nilton Santos by Carlos Porto

Estádio Nilton Santos is Rio’s second stadium to th e iconic Maracanã, which was being renovated. I attended the Clássico dos Milhões (a local rivalry) between Flamengo and Vasco da Gama, and saw Fluminense play Club Olimpia de Paraguay there.

 

I would like to remember and express special gratitude to Fay Renardson, whose extraordinary kindness and generosity made me, and all those she worked with, feel at home in the Department of History of Art and Architecture.