The construction of Brasilia, the much-maligned capital city of Brazil, represents an important and cathartic moment in the history of modern architecture and the International Style. As well as becoming a national emblem for the geographically disparate country, Brasilia has also become, in more recent times, a symbol for some of the perceived shortcomings of the modernist movement. Bringing together many of the European ideals that had accompanied the Utopian urban plans of the postwar years, Brasilia necessitated the deployment of monumental architecture on a scale almost unprecedented in the 20th century. The emphasis on establishing a new cultural identity for the South American power was interwoven with the global architectural language of Oscar Niemeyer and the Le Corbusian-inspired planning of his mentor Lúcio Costa. The optimistic proposal was to be realized within an incredibly short construction period and in the wake of enormous political pressure. The decision to relocate ...