BY OLIVIA LONSDALE
My father is an architect who won the Prix de Rome in 2001, and my mother is an architectural historian who knows everything about the buildings of Amsterdam, Europe, and beyond. My grandfather, my dad’s father, was an architect too.
On family holidays, we didn’t visit theme parks or playgrounds; we visited buildings. The buildings were our playgrounds, and my brother and I loved it. I grew up with shelves full of books on architecture. I remember being fascinated by one on Lina Bo Bardi, the cover was filled with all these different plants with an orange background that said ‘Lina Bo Bardi’. Her home in São Paulo, the SESC Pompeia, Casa do Benin in Salvador, and the MASP captivated me. When I visited São Paulo for the first time in 2016, all I wanted was to see Lina’s work in person. I love how she combines her buildings with nature, living with and following the rules of the plants. I just love it when buildings merge with nature, as if nature created them instead of the architect.
I think living close to nature is good for humankind, and Brazil is the perfect place for that, especial- ly as the world is speeding up, everything is mov- ing faster and the quality of things gets forgotten. Buildings set in nature have a certain stillness to them; they make me quiet and calm.
For this video that I created for KYE, a brand that draws a lot of their inspiration from architecture, I knew from the start that I wanted to capture Rio in a different way than I had before. I’ve always been interested in portraying ‘Old Rio’ which, to me, means a city where time feels like it has stood still in many ways. In an earlier film shot here, I filmed during the busiest moments, trying to capture the spirit of Rio in the 1960s.
This feeling is visible in the people, the traffic, the music, the sea, the beach so close to the city. The beautifully designed pavements by Roberto Burle Marx that stretch all the way from Leme to Pontal, allowing the city to flow right into the sea.
I’m hugely inspired by Niemeyer’s work. His designs are distinguished by their free and sensual curves, inspired by the sinuous landscapes of Brazil and his deep appreciation for the beauty of feminine forms. His architecture often features white concrete, sweeping lines, and touches of primary col- ors. His buildings flow through space like a winding river or the curves of a woman’s body.
I wanted to capture the rhythm of the busy city, but in black and white. Rio has so many faces, so many people, and such vivid colors. Stripping it down to black and white allows a different side of the city to come to the surface. Creating something that blends all of that together. Filming in black and white gave it the right feeling like two worlds com- ing together, like a Godard film set in Rio. I love contrasts: between places, people, colors, and moods.
Living in a city so close to the sea is something I envy. I think the people of Rio carry something peaceful, even though they are living in a busy city, maybe because of the calmness of the sea and the beach. One day, I hope to live in a city close to the sea with my husband and child.