From the sky, some Brazilian cities reveal impressive geometries — Brasília in the shape of an airplane, Paragominas as a hexagon, Boa Vista as a fan — showing how urban planning blends art, history, and adaptation to the territory.
Brazilian cities bear deep marks of their origins. Some arose spontaneously from trading villages or colonial settlements, while others were planned with ruler and compass. The result is a diverse urban landscape that reveals curious and symbolic forms when viewed from the sky.
Brasilia — the symbol of Brazilian modernity
Image of Brasília captured by the Brazilian satellite CBERS4 — Photo: Flickr/General Coordination of Earth Observation/INPE/Creative Commons
Brasília was designed in 1957 by urban planner Lúcio Costa, at the request of the government of Juscelino Kubitschek, with the aim of representing national progress.
Although it is known for its airplane shape, the designer claimed that the design more closely resembled a butterfly.
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The innovative layout, with wide axes and well-defined areas, transformed the capital into a world reference in urban planning and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Beyond its symbolism, Brasília was planned to offer smooth traffic flow and a balance between residential, administrative, and green spaces.
Therefore, its form is both aesthetic and functional, reflecting an ideal of organization and modernity.
Paragominas — the hexagon of the Amazon
The urban center of Paragominas, in Pará, stands out for the two hexagons that organize the streets and avenues of the planned city. — Photo: Google Maps/Reproduction
Created in the 1960s, Paragominas was one of the first planned cities in the Amazon. Its urban center has an unmistakable shape: two large hexagons connected to each other.
This design was conceived to facilitate the circulation and distribution of urban services, at a time when the region’s development demanded new planning solutions.
The symmetrical and efficient geometry still marks the local daily life, making Paragominas an example of how urban design can interact with the environment and regional logistics.
New York — the reborn city of Maranhão
Photo: Google Maps/Reproduction
In 1926, a flood destroyed the old town of Nova Iorque, located on the banks of the Parnaíba River.
The tragedy led to the complete reconstruction of the municipality, which gained straight streets and regular blocks, designed to improve drainage and prevent future flooding.
The new layout not only brought safety, but also established an urban structure that favored orderly growth.
New York has become a symbol of resilience and planning adapted to the natural conditions of Maranhão.
Guajará-Mirim — the border plateau
Satellite image of Guajará-Mirim, in Rondônia, highlights the checkerboard layout created in the 1920s, with wide, aligned streets — Photo: Google Earth/Reproduction
Founded in 1928, Guajará-Mirim originated as a river trading post on the Madeira-Mamoré Railway. The city’s layout follows a grid pattern, typical of early 20th-century North American cities.
Wide streets and rectangular blocks organized the growth of the Amazonian frontier and continue to define its landscape.
Boa Vista — the fan-shaped capital
Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima, has a fan-shaped urban plan: radial avenues radiate from the Civic Center Square, a format inspired by the axes of Paris and Washington — Photo: Boa Vista City Hall/Press Release
Between 1944 and 1946, the engineer Darcy Aleixo Derenusson redesigned Boa Vista, drawing inspiration from the plans of Paris and Washington.
He created a radial, fan-shaped layout, with avenues radiating from the Civic Center Square.
The project prioritized ventilation, spaciousness, and visual harmony, making Boa Vista one of the most organized and balanced capital cities in the country.
With information from Home and Garden.
