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Monday, June 19, 2006

News “Where the Car is King”

Posted by ERICA C. BARNETT on June 19 at 11:16 AM

Born at a time when fuel was cheap and plentiful, Brasilia is a city where the car is king and pedestrians regularly have to cross six-lane highways. Monumental avenues spin off into seamless slipways shaped like four-leaf clover, deeming traffic lights unnecessary. My car didn’t stop once on the journey from airport to hotel. Even the cathedral has a drive-in entrance. In the Palácio do Itamaraty, built in 1962 for Brazil’s Foreign Ministry, there is an exclusive internal ramp that allows top brass to motor right up to offices on the upper floor.

noturna.jpg

Via City Comforts.

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1

Your hero Le Corbusier would love this photo.

Posted by westy | June 19, 2006 11:59 AM

2

Whoops! My asshole finger was too itchy... I thought this was Charles' post.

Posted by westy | June 19, 2006 12:00 PM

3

Don't lump me in with Charles! Le Corbusier is my antihero.

Posted by ECB | June 19, 2006 12:18 PM

4

Pretty picture.

Wouldn't want to live there.

Posted by Will in Seattle | June 19, 2006 12:19 PM

5

We may affirm that nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion.-Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel


In this beautiful photo the lights are angels of progress flying through Brazil's jungle. A bold vision for the future, that was carved out of wild nature, remains a symbol of human dreams.


Great cities require a passionate vision. Brazil is the rhythm of passion.

Posted by architect | June 19, 2006 12:48 PM

6

and I thought it was their use of ethanol that kept the smog down ...

Posted by Will in Seattle | June 19, 2006 1:10 PM

7

Curitiba is another extraordinary Brazilian city, but for different reasons. I'd take the Curitiba model over Brasilia's any day of the week: http://www.sustainabletimes.ca/articles/curitibaecocity.htm

Posted by Patrick McGrath | June 19, 2006 2:15 PM

8

WILL Wrote:
...and I thought it was their use of ethanol that kept the smog down ..."

There isn't much benefit smog-wise from the use of ethanol...at least as far as I can find out. You also have about a 20% decline in miles per gallon compared to gasoline.

---Jensen

Posted by Jensen Interceptor | June 19, 2006 2:47 PM

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