Bairro Alto - Architecture

Architecture

In addition to being formed in an orthogonal layout, the construction in the Bairro Alto used new construction techniques for the time: the transition from buildings built in wood to those completed in stone masonry.

The older homes in the bairro, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries are characteristically two types: low buildings with two storeys (main and first floor), square, asymmetric with small windows and sills; and buildings that were long and narrow, consisting of three floors with windows balconies and aligned spans. The first type, from the rural architectural tradition, were generally substituted for the second (which allowed a higher rate of occupation), with examples surviving to this day. The second type, which are more common, are, nonetheless, infrequent (with the exception existing along the Rua da Atalaia. From the natural typological evolution, and growth in the resident population during the 17th century, each of these types served the necessities of its inhabitants, and as a result, there were alterations to the layouts and facades overtime.

Although the 1755 earthquake did not result in great damage to the Bairro, there are examples of Pombaline-era frame system employed in some of these buildings. The Pombaline building of the period is characterized by a four-storey block with differentiated windows. The facade is recognized by a symmetry made possible by a central staircase, with two opposite sets, and the windows in the mansard roofs. By the beginning of the 19th century, the Pombaline style gave way to a simplification and enhancement of the Pombaline-era buildings.

While, generally, the gaioleiro-style reinforcement of the buildings are not common, many of the Pombaline buildings were redesigned in keeping with the design asthetic of the time. The construction of palacettes in this Romanticism style, resulted from a collage of the French asthetic influences, identified primarily in the north and east of Bairro Alto, and especially in the area of São Pedro de Alcântara, where the Palacete Laranjeiras is the best example. This was a period that emphasized the facade of teh buildings, with large verandas Apresentam uma forte valorização da fachada, with protruding balconies, fine gratings, frames spans over worked masonry and the application of curved lines, especially in the design of courtyards and windows along street corners. At the same time, there some buildings were constructed to house workers, organized into villages or in courtyards, such as the Pátio do Tijolo (literally, the Yard of Bricks). These were multi-family buildings, usually two to three storeys in height, with a high occupancy and little space.

Architectural influences from the 20th century are limited, and restricted to a few points.