On Brasilia, Forms, and Inspiration

“How scant of words our language is, nay, how poverty-stricken, I have not fully understood until today.” — Seneca

The Indescribable Sky of Brasilia — Photo by Daniel Costa on Unsplash

Brasilia, in my heavily biased opinion, is the most beautiful city in Brazil. Its unique architecture, indescribable sky, idiosyncratic cultural makeup, and peculiar urban planning all contribute to making the capital of Brazil a city to come straight out of a dream.

The city was built from scratch in the late 50s, as Juscelino Kubitschek’s — then the president — plan to move Brazil’s capital from Rio de Janeiro to the center of the country. The city’s modernistic architecture and artistic urban planning earned it the title of “City of Design” by UNESCO.

Brasilia’s endless list of peculiarities and its ubiquitous poetic vibe has inspired countless artists throughout the years. And in a somewhat inexpressible way, I feel that the view from my apartment window captures that very poetic essence that has inspired several poets before me.

The view from the window of yours truly’s apartment.

The city — alike the view from my window — is incontestably beautiful. But there is more to Brasilia (and the view from…