SPEECH OF HON’BLE GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND ADMINISTRATOR, UT CHANDIGARH, SHRI BANWARILAL PUROHIT
FOR EXHIBITION: BRASILIA 60+ AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF MODERN BRAZIL
• The exhibition Brasilia 60+ and the construction of modern Brazil is a treat for the people of Chandigarh both visually and content wise.
• With a careful selection of exhibits and models, one cannot fail to appreciate the grandeur of Brasilia. The credit for it goes to the Ambassador André Aranha Correa do Lagos, who has curated the exhibition himself.
• The Ambassador wears many hats, the hat which is the largest of all is perhaps the one which shows his expertise in the understanding of architecture.
• He is a member of the prestigious Pritzker (Pritz-kuh) Prize Jury and has been a member of the architecture and design committee of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
• Oscar Niemeyer (nee-mai-uh), the Chief Architect of Public Buildings of Brazil was inspired by Le Corbusier shows in the similarity in the monumental buildings of the two cities, Chandigarh and Brasilia.
• Both the cities came up around the same time – the decades of 1950’s &1960’s and are brilliant examples of modern architecture.
• Both show the use of exposed concrete, linear design concepts, emphasis on light and air in its buildings and a clear city plan.
• Another similarity is the way both the cities have been designed for the comfort of its residents with emphasis on community living.
• The similarity does not stop there. If Chandigarh had MS Randhawa to thank for its trees, Brasilia had Roberto Burle Marx.
• I also noticed while going around the exhibition that brilliance of architecture does not stop at Oscar Niemeyer. It continues till today, as seen in the design of Indian embassy in Brasilia.
• With so much commonality, it is imperative to share and learn from each other’s experience in terms of conservation of modern monumental architecture as many of the buildings have faced intervention and need well thought of restoration and also in terms of problems which cities are facing with increasing population and traffic.
• Hopefully this exhibition will lead to further exchange and collaboration between the two cities.
• I would like to conclude on a lighter note and extend my best wishes to the people of Brazil for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
