Architecture MOC of the Palace of the Dawn in Brasilia

[DanSto]

For the Techlug Architecture contest devoted to official residences, I choose to build a modern presidential palace : the palace of the Dawn (Palácio da Alvorada) located in Brasilia in Brasil.

This for two reasons : first, I found it absolutly great and second, to honour the memory of the famous brasilian architect Oscar Niemeyer who past away nearly one year ago.

Oscar Niemeyer is world wide known as being the designer of most of the official buildings of the new capital Brasilia at the end of the 50-th but he was also one of the architect of the ONU headquarter.

The first achieved building in Brasilia the 30 june 1958 was this palace of the Dawn located far away from the administrative and politic centre of the city near the Paranoá lake as shown by this aerial view.

It became rapidly one icon of the modern brasilian architecture and the symbol of the technical and cultural brasilian progress of the 50-th. To the question about the reason of its name "Dawn", president Kubishek answered : "What is Brasilia else than the new dawn for Brasil ?". The palace of the Dawn is the official residence of the presidential family but he or she works into the Planalto Palace

The particular shape of the outside main pilars of the palace has been used into the symbol of the town.

These views allow to see its structure with these pilars supporting a flat roof and with it walls of glass.

The inside consists into 3 levels.

1. An underground level having a large garage and a movie room.

2. The main level having large rooms (and mirrors as walls)

delimited by two large room at both sides.

A red ramp gives acces to this main level from the main entrance (note the high contrast between the grey floor at the ground level and the wooden floor of this main level).

3. An upper level consisting mainlyof private appartments splitted by a mezzanine.

A bridge, over the road giving acces to the garage, allows to go directly from the palace to a chapel.

Front of the building are two water pools separated by the access to the main entrance : the right pool includes a sculture consisting of 2 statues.

The backside of the domain includes a large swimming pool and a large park up the border of the lake.

This palace is well suited for receiving important people like B. Obama.

Sources :

http://www.webflakes...cio-da-alvorada

http://www.moderndes...r-niemeyer.html

The so particular pilars of the building are build using a few parts including ski sticks.

My MOC is a reproduction of the palace and the chapel integrating the two pools and the sculpture

In order to not have an empty translucide building, I have included the main structure of both upper levels with the two extrem large rooms, two private rooms and the main entrance space with the red ramps and with the mezzanine (the private appartments are suggested by small rooms).

This video shows the building steps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0QkBmZytA4

and this other video shows it from all sides

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QwDuEKR7Po

A few pictures of the MOC.

The roof can be removed to exhibit the inside.

The visitors of ExpoLorraine (9 and 10 novembre) in Nancy could see it in "avant première".

To end this presentation, a picture of Oscar Niemeyer walking into the palace.

Hope you enjoyed the visit.

Edited November 21, 2013 by DanSto

[Off the wall]

It's one of my favorite Lego architecture builds that I've seen.....especially since it's a MOC. Truly representative of the actual building while having the feel of Lego. I especially compliment you on your selection of colors. They really 'pop' while remaining faithful to the actual building. I would like to see TLG take your idea and run with it.

Congrats, great job!

Oh, and thanks for all of the background info on the building including some very interesting facts and pictures.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Off the wall

[L@go]

That's a very nice rendition of an architectural masterpiece. Your presentation made me feel as if I were reading one of the official LEGO Architecture building instruction books. Well done!

[rodiziorobs]

Uma construção muito bem feita, parabéns! Parece um modelo oficial da Architecture mesmo.

[Rick]

Uma construção muito bem feita, parabéns! Parece um modelo oficial da Architecture mesmo.

Please use English only on Eurobricks. Feel free to PM members in your own language though. Thanks.

[rodiziorobs]

Please use English only on Eurobricks.

Sorry about that. Basically just saying what a great MOC it is and that it looks like an official Architecture set.

[Only Sinner]

This is a beautiful MOC. You are a very talented builder and this is a good example of 1960's mod architecture.

[DanSto]

Thank you. Well, this project is now on Cuusoo http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/53461 even if I think that it is hopeless to expect that an Architecture model will come out.

[DanSto]

A small update with lowered water pools, modified main access walkway et dark green rougth grass.

[DanSto]

The first version of this model has now a free building instruction and a file for bricklink with the list of the parts ready for download :

Building instruction : https://drive.google...M0Z4YlNaWmVuS3M

BL part list : https://drive.google...SmZYX0Vqbi1IMnc

Edited August 6, 2015 by DanSto