The market that never existed

an analysis of the brutalist proposal for Porto Alegre's Public Market (1967)

Abstract

The 1960s and 1970s marked the period of the “Economic Miracle” in Brazil, characterized by the large production of road and infrastructure works in several cities across the country. Porto Alegre, capital of RS, experienced many of these transformations, among them, the urban remodeling project for Praça XV de Novembro, which included the demolition of the Public Market (1869) and the construction of a new market for the city. In the late 1960s, a National Competition was held to select a proposal to replace the old building. Despite the encouragement, the winning project was not implemented and yet another chapter in the history of this emblematic building fell into oblivion, resulting in incipient studies on the topic, especially in relation to the project that won first place. Therefore, the article aims to analyze and describe the award winning architectural project, seeking to examine possible connections between the work and Brazilian Modern Architecture carried out by Escola Paulista. The results demonstrate the influence of Brutalist Architecture on the project, practiced and disseminated in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul during the period. This article represents a contribution to Modern Architecture in Rio Grande do Sul and Brazil, by expanding references on the topic and offering a better understanding of the Modern Movement in the country.