Monthly Archives: January 2015

The Times eyes Charleston

Posted on January 30, 2015 by David Brussat

The ship of state is famously hard to turn. One oped criticizing modern architecture does not a candidate for membership in the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art make. The New York Times remains a stalwart of the establishment on … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Development, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Parsing fraud and timidity

Posted on January 29, 2015 by David Brussat

Two examples of modern architecture in deep perspiration came across my desk today. First came Robert Ivy‘s tremulous three minutes of AIA video advice – “Hello, everyone. This is Robert” – to rattled architects, and second came Norman Weinstein‘s fraudulent … Continue reading →

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The Mehaffy/Salingaros way

Posted on January 29, 2015 by David Brussat

Here is a set of related passages from my early reading in Design for a Living Planet: Settlement, Science and the Human Future, by Michael Mehaffy and Nikos Salingaros. I will offer a more comprehensive review when I’m done reading … Continue reading →

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‘Legendary’ Moshe Safdie

Posted on January 28, 2015 by David Brussat

Actual text from the Boston Design Guide Blog: Legendary architect Moshe Safdie recently won the 2015 Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects for his 85 amazing, awe-inspiring futuristic designs. If Moshe Safdie is a legend, then what does … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Humor, Photography | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Stan Aronson, RIP

Posted on January 28, 2015 by David Brussat

Rhode Island has lost one of its longtime leading lights. Stanley M. Aronson, M.D., a giant of medicine in the Ocean State, a founder of the Brown University medical school, and a contributor of commentaries to the Providence Journal’s oped … Continue reading →

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The landscapers’ gentility

Posted on January 27, 2015 by David Brussat

The American Society of Landscape Architects plans to turn its headquarters, on Eye Street in Washington, into a “world-class” Center for Landscape Architecture. Shudders ran up my spine as I saw the article that said so, by an anonymous contributor … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ode to snow in Providence

Posted on January 27, 2015 by David Brussat

Here is a column written in anticipation of what the weatherman assured us would be on the ground in time for its publication in the Journal a week and 15 years ago today: Ode to winter in Providence A FRESH … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Blast from past, Providence | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Betsky at Taliesin . . . Duck!

Posted on January 26, 2015 by David Brussat

Amusing to hear that modern architecture’s ranter-in-chief, Aaron Betsky, has been hired as dean of the School of Architecture at Taliesin West – in Scottsdale, Ariz – where Frank Lloyd Wright spent his final years as an architectural provocateur. How … Continue reading →

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Klaustoon klaustrophobia

Posted on January 23, 2015 by David Brussat

I’ve just put Klaustoons on my “Blogs I Follow” list. Here are two, one about the Walkie-Scorchie by Rafael Viñoly, who did the Birdshitcatcher Building (the Watson Center) on Thayer Street in Providence, and the other about Rem Koolhaas. The … Continue reading →

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A few words about breasts

Posted on January 21, 2015 by David Brussat

It would be shameful if Blaine Brownell’s essay “The Disruptive Nature of Architectural Innovation” in Architect, the voice of the AIA, were the last word on disruption as a strategy of innovation in architecture. He complains that “experimentation in architecture … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment