This work is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) 1 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/LC2015.2015.937 Le Corbusier and São Paulo – 1929: Architecture and Landscape G. Pianca Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade de São Paulo (Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of University of São Paulo) Abstract: This article looks into Le Corbusier’s urban proposal for the City of São Paulo, as formulated during his journey to South America in 1929. It highlights the relationship between Architecture and Landscape exposed by Le Corbusier’s plan. This paper sets out to investigate the analysis that the innovative Swiss architect performed of the geography and morphology of São Paulo. It contrasts to the works and plans carried out by technicians and engineers at that time. In order to explain how Le Corbusier’ s treatment of nature and landscape differs from them, we study the extent to which Le Corbusier’s plans show design approaches, which were unusual in terms of Western History and Memory. He also looks into the relationship between Le Corbusier’s work, on the one hand, and new technological elements and changes in the visual culture at that time, on the other hand, thus seeking to highlight certain obscure spots within Le Corbusier’s work. This study aims at bringing forward some speculations and methods present in the work of Le Corbusier on cities. It deals with contradictory aspects in Le Corbusier’s work in order to deepen our understanding of contemporary urban problems. Resumen: Este artículo investiga la hipótesis de proyecto de Le Corbusier para la ciudad de San Pablo, propuesta durante su viaje a América Latina en 1929, focalizando en las relaciones entre arquitectura y paisaje. La primera cuestión analizada en este trabajo es el innovador análisis de la geografía y la morfología de San Pablo propuesto por el arquitecto suizo, que contrasta con la manera con que los técnicos e ingenieros locales desarrollaban sus propuestas en ese momento. Para explicar dicha diferencia en la manera de lidiar con la naturaleza y el paisaje, el autor de este articulo estudia como el trabajo de Le Corbusier presenta abordajes de proyecto inusuales para la Historia y la Memoria, y su relación con los nuevos elementos tecnológicos y de la cultura visual de la época, procurando así resaltar ciertos puntos oscuros en el trabajo del arquitecto. Esta discusión intenta cuestionar ciertas especulaciones proyectuales y metodologías de trabajo presentes en el trabajo de Le Corbusier sobre ciudades, utilizando sus aspectos contradictorios como modo de profundizar nuestro entendimiento de los problemas urbanos contemporáneos. Keywords: Modern Architecture; Modern Urbanism; Landscape Architecture; Le Corbusier; São Paulo. Palabras clave: Arquitectura Moderna; Urbanismo Moderno; Arquitectura Del Paisaje; Le Corbusier; São Paulo. 1. Introduction This article investigates Le Corbusier’s project for São Paulo, conceived during his visit to South America in 1929. 1 The plan opens a dialogue between Architecture and Landscape, seeking to bring new components to the 1 A considerable number of surveys, monographs and theoretical reflections about Le Corbusier’s journey to Latin America have being carried out since mid-eighties. Among them, it is worth highlighting the pioneering work of Pereira, Margareth Campos da Silva; Santos, Cecília Rodrigues dos, Le Corbusier and Brasil. São Paulo: Tessela/Projeto, 1987. The following works are also worth of mention: Martins, Carlos F., , ciudad y naturaleza. La génesis de los conceptos en el urbanismo de Le Corbusier. Doctoral thesis. Director: Adolfo Gonzalez Amezqueta. sue i uerior e Arquitectura de Madrid. Madrid, 1992; the conference: Tsiomis, Yannis (editor). Le Corbusier: Rio de Janeiro, 1929-1936. Rio de Janeiro: Centro de Arquitetura e Urbanismo do Rio de Janeiro/Prefeitura da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, 1998; and the recent exhibition of the drawings and sketches of Le Corbusier’s Conference in South America: Queiroz, Rodrigo; Segawa, Hugo, Le Corbusier, América do Sul, 1929. São Paulo: Mariantonia – Centro Universitário USP, 2012. In addition to these,