Conservation Challenges of Modern World Heritage in the Case of Brasília: The Misalignment of Modernist Planning with Contemporary Urban Realities

Abstract

This research article critically examines Brasília, one of the most comprehensive examples of modern urban planning, within the context of modernism's theoretical foundations, the city's historical development process, and its UNESCO World Heritage status. The city, designed in line with modernism's principles of rationality, functionality, and progress, is now showing incompatibilities with social transformation, transportation dynamics, public space usage, and sustainability requirements. The study evaluates modern planning literature, archival and planning documents related to the founding of Brasília, and UNESCO monitoring and evaluation reports using qualitative content analysis methods. The findings reveal problem areas such as loss of functionality in symbolic areas such as the Monumental Axis, weakening of pedestrian-oriented design in the Superquadra settlement model, failure of public spaces to respond to social needs, and inadequacy of current planning approaches that take ecological sensitivity into account. The study demonstrates that maintaining only formal integrity is insufficient for preserving Brasília's modern heritage; a holistic conservation approach that incorporates user needs, accessibility criteria, and sustainability principles is essential. In this context, realigning modern planning principles with contemporary urban living practices is critical for both the continuity of Brasília's heritage value and the future transformation of modern cities.