Monthly Archives: July 2014

‘World Made By Hand’

Posted on July 31, 2014 by David Brussat

My column about Don Powers’ presentation at Boston’s Traditional Building Conference a couple of weeks ago, which comes amid a lengthy set of threads about real or fake building materials on the TradArch listserv, reminded Steve Mouzon (who also spoke) … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Blast from past, Books and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Column: Traditional building in a modernist world

Posted on July 31, 2014 by David Brussat

[This post is the continuation of my blog’s recent “Trad building conference” thread to No. 5. It may be read in The Providence Journal. Because the Journal online images do not “click to enlarge” I am going to run the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

World’s best sculpture

Posted on July 29, 2014 by David Brussat

No, the sculpture on display here is certainly not the best sculpture in the world, but it’s head and shoulders above most of what the artistic establishment considers the best – that is, twisted contortions of metal, symbols arrayed as … Continue reading →

Posted in Art and design, Books and Culture, Humor | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Brown engineering virus

Posted on July 28, 2014 by David Brussat

Brown University’s proposed new engineering school on Hope Street is to be designed by the modernist firm that designed the abominable new U.S. embassy in London, Kieran Timberlake. This is almost surely a disaster in the making, but not certainly … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Development, Preservation, Providence | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Biophilia and biomimicry

Posted on July 26, 2014 by David Brussat

Deep in the trenches of architecture, classicists and modernists are battling for the right to don the mantle of science. If you google “architecture biophilia” you will see a lot of stuff – including buildings – covered with greenery. That’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Column: Halt this attack on the people’s plaza

Posted on July 24, 2014 by David Brussat

[This is my weekly column in The Providence Journal, a revised version of the post “Let’s ruin Kennedy Plaza” on my blog Architecture Here and There, written on vacation the day before the July 15 groundbreaking for this unfortunate project.] … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Trad building conference 4

Posted on July 20, 2014 by David Brussat

Of course, what would these affairs be without the schmoozing with friends, and the renewal of old and forging of new professional relationships? To my retiring nature these affairs would be perfectly marvelous, yet even I found myself luxuriating in … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Trad building conference 3

Posted on July 19, 2014 by David Brussat

Two recent phrases are new to me: Lean Architecture and Makers Space. Lean architecture seems to be what it sounds like, traditional work performed by the most simple methods that can be contrived, but that embrace tradition and ornament. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Mr. Wemmick’s castle

Posted on July 19, 2014 by David Brussat

Here’s a great passage from Great Expectations, where Pip is introduced to the household of his guardian’s clerk, Wemmick: Wemmick’s house was a little wooden cottage in the midst of plots of garden, and the top of it was cut … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Culture, Humor | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Trad building conference 2

Posted on July 19, 2014 by David Brussat

When you arrive at the Back Bay station of the MBTA (and the T) you emerge onto Dartmouth Street and head toward Copley Square. Before you turn down Stuart Street to the Traditional Building Conference you behold this stretch, above, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment