ABSTRACT
In 1953, the Congress instructed the administration to select a site by 1955. A year later, the aerial photographic and interpretation company of Cornell University
professor Donald Belcher was hired to pinpoint a suitable site. The firm recommended one based on its topography, soil qualities, rainfall and winds. It has porous soil and summer rainfall, and is located at an altitude of a little over 1000 metres with a relative humidity varying between 55% and 86% over the course of the year. In 1956, with the site selected, Congress authorized the formation of a company NOVACAP (Nova Capital) to proceed with the development of Brasília. Its only shareholder was the Brazilian Government. The whole process of development was pushed ahead by President (1956-61) Juscelino Kubitschek (see Figure 7.2) and some see the city as a monument to him.
