Monthly Archives: September 2014

Column: Nameless building on Dorrance Street

Posted on September 11, 2014 by David Brussat

Last week’s column, “The mathematician vs. the modernists,” was my last hurrah as an employee of the Providence Journal. I didn’t know that as I finished writing it around 9 on Tuesday morning. Otherwise I might have written something decked … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Under Western Eyes

Posted on September 10, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is a passage from Joseph Conrad’s book about revolutionaries of early 20th century Russia (though the book is mostly set in Geneva, a refuge for those feeling discomfort under the czar). Razumov, who has just met a fellow agitator … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Culture, Other countries | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In defense of Zaha?

Posted on September 10, 2014 by David Brussat

It has emerged that news stories last June out of Qatar, where Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid has a commission to build a stadium to host soccer’s World Cup in 2022, falsely asserted that hundreds of itinerant construction workers had died … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Other countries | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

WTC blues

Posted on September 8, 2014 by David Brussat

The Guardian has published a lengthy article, “1 World Trade Center: How New York Tried to Rebuild its Soul,” by Jason Farago. He bemoans the lost opportunity of the World Trade Center. But he does not mention what that lost … Continue reading →

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Guggensinki scandal?

Posted on September 7, 2014 by David Brussat

It’s far too early to say whether the design for the proposed Guggenheim museum in Helsinki will prove scandalous in its design, but entries for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s first international museum design competition are due on Wednesday, Sept. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Development | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Ike memorial update

Posted on September 6, 2014 by David Brussat

Frank Gehry has agreed to remove the two smaller of three giant screens, or as he calls them, tapestries from his design for a memorial on the Washington Mall to Dwight Eisenhower. It appears that the central sculptural plaza would … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The Cotton District

Posted on September 5, 2014 by David Brussat

Not sure how this place eluded my classical radar, but Starkville, Mississippi, home of Mississippi State, has a neighborhood called the Cotton District, between the downtown of the city of 23,000 and its university campus. Wikipedia calls it the nation’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Column: The mathematician vs. the modernists

Posted on September 4, 2014 by David Brussat

Science and modern architecture have gone hand in glove for decades. Buildings of steel and glass are filled with high technology to protect office space and living space from sun and climate. Hermetically sealed cartoon futurism must be scientific, right? … Continue reading →

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Glasgow fire update

Posted on September 3, 2014 by David Brussat

The good news is that in addition to money flowing in to repair the Glasgow School of Art that nearly burned down this spring, school officials seem firmly inclined to restore to the original state both the school building, most … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Preservation | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Living under bridge now

Posted on September 3, 2014 by David Brussat

Seriously, it’s not that bad, but your architectural correspondent was in fact laid off yesterday from his job at the Providence Journal. A newspaper chain recently purchased the paper. Tomorrow’s column will be my last for the Journal. I will … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments