Neighborhood Unit

Among the urban elements of Lúcio Costa is the residential or daily scale and we have within it the neighborhood unit design with an autonomy for the needs of its residents. It shows the way of “living” in Brasilia. The urban unit contains four Superquadras (superblocks), a square with 280 meters of side with an average of 11 buildings constructed with wide areas of frees pilotis (columns) typical of the modernist concept of collective housing, according to the ideas of Le Corbusier.

The free column allows freedom of movement to pedestrians and full vision permeability. The unit also has a variety of uses such us, school, church, club, movie theater, including basic equipment such as a post office, public library, gas stations, always permeated by large open spaces and wooded areas. At the same time they have the advantages of city life and countryside. The model Superblock of Brasilia has the landscape project of Roberto Burle Marx, associated with the treatment of floors, urban furniture and road design, it forms a harmonious urban and landscape set, exemplary of the residential scale designed by Lúcio Costa.