Photo post: Lapa Sandwich
I never know quite how to feel when I see this scene in Lapa. Part of me is happy that the little fellow survived, another part of me feels sad that these huge, ugly blocks were put here in the first place.
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Humm, looks like a heavenly turkey filling threatened by marmite. And yes, sometimes we can’t just all get along.
I had that same basic sentiment recently. Many of the streets in Ilheus are still cobblestone. Recently, the street I live on, one of the cobblestone ones, was resurfaced with asphalt. And on a Sunday oddly enough. My feelings at seeing this fait accompli were and still are very mixed. On the one hand, I understand that a modern surface like asphalt is more cost effective from a maintenance perspective, and that is a positive for taxpayers. Also, asphalt is much smoother and more uniform than cobblestone and thus less wearing on tires and vehicles in general – another positive, for people who use that street regularly. But on the other hand, seeing that black blanket of asphalt that now completely covers the cobblestones under it, as if they were never there in the first place, it made me feel a little sad. Every single cobblestone was cut from a bigger stone, and put in it`s place with working men`s hands and their tools of the trade, in essence creating a stone memorial and an almost living link to another time. Probably took months to create that street initially. And in one day, a half dozen men with their giant machines came in and asphalted over that still functional street, almost in the blink of an eye burying both a memorial to another time and a tribute to the men whose sweat and blood went into creating it. I think we need to be very careful about blindly putting progress over tradition.
I agree Carlos – my street in Santa Teresa is also cobbled and from what I can tell, it looks like it was covered over with asphalt some point in the past, but then uncovered (presumably after a protest from locals). Taxis hate coming up the narrow, steep, cobbled streets and I know asphalt would be more practical, but the neighbourhood just wouldn’t be the same without it.
Like many people, I have fond memories of Santa Teresa. Grandma (Vovo) Albertina used to live on a cobbled street (Almirante Alexandrino), not far from Largo do Guimaraes.. Served by a network of bondinhos (trams), Santa Teresa and its quiet streets lined with XIX century houses was a bubble of tranquility in Rio and survived in splendid isolation throughout the XX century.to be discovered in the late 1990s by a host of artists and bohemians who turned it into a sort of local Montmartre. These new arrivals lured the locals away from the beaches of the Southern Zone to the hill to rediscover long-forgotten Santa Teresa and its charms.
Cobblestone streets have always been part of that charm, but most of it would be lost if the cobbles were paved over. Santa Teresa homeowners should seek to persuade city councilmen of the need to preserve history. If is bad enough that bondinhos were taken out of service. Paved streets would deprive Santa Teresa of the style that has defined it for over a hundred and fifty years. Anna Lucia.
I would venture to guess that the taller buildings are more sustainable (or less unsustainable) than the shorter one. This because of scale all around (more people sharing the same hydraulic system, water tank, eletrical installations, etc). The greatest downside here perhaps isn´t the overall area the structure expends but the lack of detailing on the facade – which basically indicates that the buyers aren`t very concerned about aesthetics. I think the best way to counter this is by way of competition. We can all notice that the small structure is nice to look at, regardless of understanding why, so if a developer would just take that into account perhaps he or she could introduce detailing and find it to be financially worthwhile. I would definitely pay more for something with character. I say developers should consult craftsmen that specialize in restoration, and ask them for a hand (pun intended).
Hmmm, but in the real world people want houses they can actually afford which means cheaper buildings without all that ornamentation. I guess it’s a challenge that all town planners face, but here in Rio a quick walk along Leblon and Ipanema beach will show that they haven’t shown much interest in balancing affordability with aesthetics.
Maybe its just me, but I think there is something really spectacular about the way these building look. Its the ultimate old meets new. I see growth and movement and oh so much history when I look at your pic. It isnt something that I would see here in Australia.
Hi Anna – it’s definitely an arresting sight isn’t it? I always stop and look at it because the contrast is so dramatic. I guess that contrast actually accentuates the good things about the nice old building in the middle. But those new ones? It’s hard to find anything nice to say about them! :)
To Anna´s point notice how Vince Clarke describes the same kind of constrast, but in musical composition (tension and release).
“Contrast” I meant to write.
Look at it this way: the contrast gives us an interesting photo op. It gives us something to ruminate about. It challenges us. It pisses us off. It makes us think and wonder.
That’s a great way of looking at it David – well said!