Wavy canopy
On the island.
Thaismay — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thaismay — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thaismay — CC BY-SA 4.0 · ELVIO GUSMÃO SANTOS — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thaismay — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Casa do Baile, the «Ball House», is an architectural landmark in Belo Horizonte designed by Oscar Niemeyer, part of the UNESCO-listed «Pampulha Modern Ensemble», the buildings raised around Lake Pampulha in the 1940s that are among Niemeyer's first works in his signature curving style. It opened in 1943 as a restaurant and dance hall for popular entertainment, though its life in that role was short. It was one of the projects commissioned by Juscelino Kubitschek, then the city's mayor, to make the lake district a leisure area, and in 1942 he hired the young Niemeyer, who used the flexibility of reinforced concrete to draw flowing curves, influenced by Le Corbusier but in his own way. The building sits on a small artificial island in the lake, reached by a short bridge, its wavy canopy following the island's own outline. After years of other uses it reopened in 2002 as a centre for architecture and design, hosting changing exhibitions, and entry is usually free. Pair it with the outside of the São Francisco chapel, the former casino and the Kubitschek house on a tour around the lake.
On the island.
Niemeyer tour.
Changing.
Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima, Lake Pampulha, Belo Horizonte
Pampulha Modern EnsembleThe Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban project around the artificial Lake Pamp13 minutes walk4.8
Museu Casa KubitschekOn the shore of Lake Pampulha stands the weekend house Oscar Niemeyer designed f13 minutes walk4.8
Mineirão StadiumThe Mineirão, officially the Governador Magalhães Pinto Stadium, is Belo Horizon17 minutes walk4.6A centre for architecture and design since 2002, with changing exhibitions; entry is usually free.