After independence in the 1800s architectural influence expanded from Portugal and to a degree also Europe to include a more international style. These influences came primarily from France and the United States, but by 1900, Brazil had created numerous adaptations of these styles to the degree of having created their own unique style. Despite this growth and slow transformation, Brazil continued to adopt structures and styles from abroad and rarely was the country in a financial position to undertake large construction projects.
In the 1900s the country began to build in much greater numbers, especially in their rapidly expanding cities. Art Deco was popular in the 1920-1930s in Brazil, especially in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Campina Grande, and others. Perhaps one of the most famous Art Deco pieces in the world is in Rio de Janeiro: the huge Christ the Redeemer statue that stands high above the city.
Throughout the early 1900s not everything was built in Art Deco and often times buildings may have been inspired by Art Deco, but were truly Brazilian in every other way. In the 1940s, Rio de Janeiro built the Santos Dumont Airport, the Ministry of Education, and large housing complexes. At this same time cities like Sao Paulo were also growing rapidly and the buildings that date from this time period are numerous.
This building boom continued through the 1900s and was again focused in the cities as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and even Salvador became modern cities. The best place to this style without much interruption is Brasilia. The new capital was essentially constructed from the ground up with urban planning and buildings all done in the modern and post-modern styles. Nearly all of the government buildings are modern structures, but many public structures are just as impressive, especially the city's cathedral.