3 Urban Utopias Explored in New Architecture Exhibition in Brazil

Stéphan Rossignol, mayor of La Grande-Motte, traveled to Brazil to visit the Utopias Urbanas exhibition at the Alliance Française in Brasilia.

The event highlights the architectural links between La Grande-Motte, Brasilia, and Chandigarh, emphasizing their shared origins as cities planned in their entirety before construction.

The mayor is accompanied by Jérôme Arnaud, director of the local tourism office, and deputy Thierry Bouvarel. The exhibition, which is hosted in a building designed by Oscar Niemeyer, features the work of photographer Stéphane Herbert. His images provide a comparative look at the three cities, which were conceived during distinct periods of the 20th century: Chandigarh in 1953, Brasilia in 1960, and La Grande-Motte in 1968.

The exhibition serves as a platform to examine how these three cities—Chandigarh designed by Le Corbusier, Brasilia by Oscar Niemeyer, and La Grande-Motte by Jean Balladur—addressed common urban planning goals.

The project explores how these “manifesto cities” continue to influence modern discussions regarding human interaction within urban environments, landscape integration, and light. Students from the Montpellier architecture school have contributed to the project, creating original works that bridge the gap between these historical utopian designs and contemporary urban challenges.

For the municipal delegation, the trip is intended to strengthen ties between La Grande-Motte and its Brazilian counterparts. This visit follows previous exchanges where Brazilian representatives were hosted in the French seaside town, as well as meetings between the mayor and the Brazilian ambassador to France. The city aims to use its specific architectural heritage, characterized by Jean Balladur's "solar pyramids," to drive tourism and international recognition.

There is a discrepancy in the reported end dates for the exhibition at the Alliance Française of Brasilia. While one report states the exhibition remains open until December 15, another lists the closing date as December 5, 2026. The installation is located at SEPS Q. 708/907, Conjunto A, in the Asa Sul district of the city.

The Utopias Urbanas exhibition remains on display at the Alliance Française in Brasilia through December 2026.