Monthly Archives: November 2016

America gets its dome back

Posted on November 17, 2016 by David Brussat

It has been disconcerting if not downright depressing to see the dome of the United State Capitol shrouded in scaffolding these past two years. Ditto the Washington Monument when it was being repaired. Unlike the great obelisk, no calls to … Continue reading →

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Towering towers in La Prov?

Posted on November 15, 2016 by David Brussat

A New York development firm with offices in the Rockefeller Center has proposed to build three residential towers, in phases, rising 33, 43 and 55 stories up from the vacant Jewelry District land where Route 195 used to be. All … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, I-195 Redevelopment District, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tour of superior courthouse

Posted on November 11, 2016 by David Brussat

A while back, R.I. Supreme Court Justice Gilbert Indeglia, whom I’d met after giving a talk on architecture in Kingston, near URI’s main campus, a couple of years ago, invited me to tour the Providence County Courthouse. I’d been there … Continue reading →

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Vote’s “style wars” tea leaves

Posted on November 9, 2016 by David Brussat

It’s hard to say, to say the least, what, if anything, Donald Trump’s victory may mean for architecture. It is easier to imagine that a Hillary Clinton win would have meant more of the same for how we build. Trump … Continue reading →

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First kill all the bureaucrats

Posted on November 8, 2016 by David Brussat

Let’s see if I have this correct: The 110-year-old Christ Church on West 36th Street, in Manhattan’s Garment District, was purchased by a developer who wanted to save the facade to be incorporated into the design of a new hotel. … Continue reading →

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Pix of Moran’s Samaritaine

Posted on November 7, 2016 by David Brussat

Last night I posted on Connor Moran’s elegant counterproposal for the Rue de la Rivoli side of La Samaritaine, the famous Paris department store. The Notre Dame grad, a native of Naperville, Ill., who now works for Ferguson & Shamamian, … Continue reading →

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Which way will Paris go?

Posted on November 6, 2016 by David Brussat

Two items regarding the direction of Paris. First is a plea from architectural theorist Leon Krier that Paris’s Mayor Hidalgo find someone other than Dominique Perrault to redesign the portion of the Ile de la Cité (site of Notre Dame … Continue reading →

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Comments on my PPS post

Posted on November 5, 2016 by David Brussat

Because many readers do not read the comments section of a blog, I am publishing two comments from eminent theorists who have read my blog post “Why preserve? PPS speaks.” They are from Steven Semes, a Notre Dame professor of … Continue reading →

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In like a rat, out like Jonah

Posted on November 5, 2016 by David Brussat

As I was searching for the original photo of old Penn Station hanging at the existing Penn Station, shown by Max Page at the Providence Preservation Society’s symposium on Friday, I stumbled across this hilarious cartoon on batmangotham city.net. It … Continue reading →

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Why preserve? PPS speaks

Posted on November 4, 2016 by David Brussat

I caught today’s “plenary” lecture by Why Preservation Matters author Max Page, and the “In the Moment” panel discussion that followed. Page kicked off a day of panels and tours for the Providence Preservation Society‘s “Why Preserve” symposium with an … Continue reading →

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