Which architect designed the main plan of Brasília, Brazil’s capital?

Lúcio Costa designed the main urban plan of Brasília, Brazil’s capital.

Costa won the 1957 national competition to plan the new capital city, which was built on Brazil’s central plateau and inaugurated in 1960. His plan is famous for its cross-like or airplane-like arrangement, with a monumental central axis and a curved residential axis.

Oscar Niemeyer designed many of Brasília’s most recognisable buildings, including the National Congress, the Cathedral of Brasília, and the Palácio da Alvorada. That division of roles causes a frequent mix-up: Costa was the principal urban planner, while Niemeyer was the leading architect of the monumental structures.

Brasília was created to move Brazil’s political centre inland and encourage national development away from the Atlantic coast. Its planned superblocks, separated traffic routes, and large open spaces reflected modernist urban ideas. UNESCO designated Brasília a World Heritage Site in 1987, recognising its importance as a major twentieth-century experiment in planned city design.