Summer is finally here and this is the time of the year when most of us love being outside. Although NYC is relatively close, paying the most populous US city a visit may not be high up in your list. You probably feel like you have done at all, even when you remember how relaxing strolling through Central Park can be.
However, if you enjoy walking through green spaces, I may have just the right tip for you. To be honest, I have never been to the New York Botanical Garden, but I have recently learned that they have an exhibit on Burle Marx. You may not be familiar with his work, but growing up in Brazil, I heard a lot about his creations.
Roberto Burle Marx [August 4, 1909 – June 4, 1994] was a Brazilian Landscape Architect who designed a number of important sites in Brazil. His name is highly associated with Modern Architecture in Brazil, since he often collaborated with Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, the main urban planner and architect, respectively, who built Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, in the late 50s.
In Brasilia, DF, BM designed, among other sites, Crystals Square [1970]. CS is a 32-acre triangular plaza that combines pathways and reflecting pools. After visiting Cristalina, GO, the architect was enchanted by the region’s stone crystals, so he integrated concrete sculptures that replicated those stone’s shapes into the design. In 2009, the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute made the plaza a historical site in celebration of BM’s 100th birthday. The plaza was restored according with the original design, which did not include any seating
In Sao Paulo, SP, BM designed, among public and private spaces, the Mineral Roof Garden for Safra Bank [1983]. BM was also an artist, and the relationship between painted fields in his artwork is translated into the textures of different materials in his landscape design. The lines that define main and secondary paths and plant beds were also inspired by the geometry in his abstract paintings.
In Rio de Janeiro, RJ, where a big part of his work resides, BM designed Copacabana’s Promenade [1970]. This 2.5-mile mosaic strip has become BM’s most recognizable piece of work. Inspired by Portuguese pavement mosaic, the composition is divided in three areas. First, the wave-like sidewalk paving that seems to extend the beach to Atlantica’s Ave bike path. Followed by the middle section between car lanes, and then the sidewalk along the beachfront buildings.
Modernism in Brazil encouraged Brazilians to embrace their roots and diversity, which ignited a very creative period in many areas, take, for example, Tropicalism in arts and Bossa-Nova in music. Burle Marx was infatuated with Tropicalism and his green spaces were lavish displays of Brazilian species. Also, he highlighted the richness and variety of our green leaves, breaking away from having flower beds as the focal point of his parks. His artwork was also a manifestation of Brazilian’s nature color and intricacy. It can be seen on his paintings, sculptures, and murals. Burle Marx was all about Brazil.
