Brazil’s Palácio do Planalto, the president’s official workplace, is in Brasília.
The palace stands in the Praça dos Três Poderes, or Three Powers Square, at the heart of Brazil’s planned federal capital. It is the working headquarters of the president and also contains offices for the vice president, chief of staff, and senior advisers. The president’s official residence is a different building, the Palácio da Alvorada.
Oscar Niemeyer designed the Planalto Palace, which opened when Brasília was inaugurated as Brazil’s capital on 21 April 1960. Its slender columns, sweeping ramps, glass surfaces, and broad overhanging roof express the modernist style associated with the new capital.
The name “Planalto” refers to Brazil’s Central Plateau and is also used as shorthand for the executive branch. The building is often confused with the Alvorada Palace: Planalto is the workplace, while Alvorada is the residence. The square also contains the National Congress and the Supreme Federal Court.