Cultural significance and the case of economic squares Lúcio Costa

Abstract

Cultural significance is widely discussed when addressing the issue of heritage preservation. It refers to the set of values and meanings that one or more elements have for people and communities, exposing their potential importance over time, in addition to expressing how and why something is significant and deserves attention. This article aims to present, through a significance assessment, issues related to the rescue of the cultural significance and the credible heritage interest of the Quadras Econômicas Lúcio Costa (QELC), a project by architect and urban planner Lucio Costa located in the Federal District. In a brief description, the QELC was inaugurated on July 29, 1987, and is made up of four blocks with a lozenge urban design, three-story apartment blocks with stilts, trees, and local businesses. This urban proposal was initially designed for the city of Alagados, in Salvador, in 1972. However, it was not built on the site and the project, dubbed "urban pre-molded", was used for the context of expansion in Brasília. Structurally, the article is divided into four parts. In the first, initial and related concepts on the cultural significance and its consequences will be addressed. In the second, there will be a brief presentation of the housing context of the Pilot Plan of Brasilia and the emergence of the idea of economic blocks. The third brings the characterization and current situation of the QELC. In the end, based on the technical and social visions, a basis of criteria will be established to help understand the values of the place and establish references for a future declaration of significance, a strong argument for safeguarding the property. It is hoped that this assessment will bring new perspectives to the QELC project so that the competent bodies can recognize and preserve their values. It is believed that this work can contribute to the reflections on the conservation of modern heritage in Brasilia and the importance of this preservation also outside its tipping perimeter.