Abstract
This article describes the highly successful restoration of Alvorada Palace completed in 2005 by Sergio Valle Brasileiro. After situating the importance of the Alvorada within Niemeyer’s overall oeuvre and describing the original design, the dilapidated state of the building at the turn of the 21st century is described. The details of the restoration, including meetings with Oscar Niemeyer about specific design decisions and consultation with IPHAN, and the challenge of sourcing new materials to match the original, such as jacaranda - now protected by IBAMA - are also studied. The Alvorada serves as an example for the restoration of other Modernist buildings in Brazil.
Keywords
Modern Movement,
Modern architecture,
Brasilia modern architecture,
World Heritage,
Modern urban design,
Alvorada Palace,
Oscar Niemeyer,
Conservation of modern architecture,
Restoration.
Issue 43
Year 2010
Pages 56-59
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.52200/43.A.SY8TKPXX