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Shaped like an airplane when seen from above, the Plano Piloto (Pilot Plan) is the name of the original design for the city conceived by Lúcio Costa. The plan had four basic features: well-ventilated housing near green spaces; work spaces that were separate from housing; spaces for cultural activities near residential space; and the separation of vehicle and pedestrian pathways.
The Eixo (pronounced eye-shoo) Monumental, the "fuselage" portion of the plan, is lined with government buildings, museums, monuments, banks, hotels, and shops. It runs roughly from the Praça do Cruzeiro to the "cockpit," or the Praça dos Três Poderes. Intersecting the Eixo Monumental to form the Plano Piloto's "wings" is the Eixo Rodoviário. In and around the two main axes are streets and avenues that connect still more residential and commercial areas, parks and gardens, and the Lago Paranoá, formed by a dam built about 16 km (10 miles) southeast of the Plano Piloto. Along the outer shores of this lake, new neighborhoods are sprouting at a fast pace.
A few blocks from the Instituto Histórico and Geográfico is City Park or Parque da Cidade Dona Sarah Kubitschek, a collaborative effort by Costa, Niemeyer, and Burle Marx. Locals say the park is the largest city park in the world. Bright lights and the reassuring presence of security guards make an evening walk, run, or bike ride along a path more agreeable than ever. There are also playgrounds and fair rides for the young.
