Ernesto Walter’s Structural Inventiveness in the Praça dos Tribunais Superiores in Brasília: A Structural Art Analysis

Abstract

Structural inventiveness resides at the intersection of architecture, structure, and construction. It is important to recognize the symbolism expressed by structures and, above all, to understand the context in which engineers and architects conceptualize and design works that are identified as structural art. This paper examines the structural inventiveness of the Annex I building of the Regional Federal Court of the 1st Region [TRF; Tribunal Regional Federal da 1a Região], formerly the headquarters of Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court [TSE; Tribunal Superior Eleitoral], located in the Praça dos Tribunais Superiores in Brasília. Annex I was designed by architect Nauro Jorge Esteves and engineer Ernesto Guilherme Walter, both of whom worked with Oscar Niemeyer during Brasília’s construction. In particular, Ernesto Walter’s design process has not been sufficiently investigated, and this research highlights his structural inventiveness. Documentary research and computer modeling reveal the close relationship of the building’s structure with its plastic form, and how the designers’ joint architectural and structural decisions made possible its bold structural elements. Although it is not a listed heritage site, Annex I is a modernist building that merits preservation in light of its historical and cultural importance in Brasília. The preparation of a Conservation Plan should be based on the recognition of the building’s cultural significance.