Monthly Archives: August 2017

Mom rendered as a building

Posted on August 31, 2017 by David Brussat

I tried in my last blog, “The architecture of the wife,” earlier today, to link to a column I wrote in 2004 to honor my late mother, Mona Brussat, and downloaded from the archive of the Providence Journal. It didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Lost Providence | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The architecture of the wife

Posted on August 31, 2017 by David Brussat

A sonnet would be more romantic, perhaps, but let me try combining, just for today, my blog, Architecture Here and There, and my dear wife, Victoria. Today marks our tenth anniversary. This evening I will be taking her out to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Culture | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

History survives in Houston

Posted on August 30, 2017 by David Brussat

For many people, I suppose, Houston brings to mind tall glass towers sitting cheek by jowl with small gas stations and grandfathered (if not exactly grandfatherly) shops. Its historic character was submerged long before Hurricane Harvey. Zoning is a free-for-all … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Salingaros’s ‘conscious cities’

Posted on August 29, 2017 by David Brussat

Last night’s Lost Providence book launch concluded with a stimulating series of exchanges regarding the nature of architecture and the allure of cities. I mentioned the work of mathematician Nikos Salingaros at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Culture, Lost Providence, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Lost Prov” blasts off today

Posted on August 28, 2017 by David Brussat

Today is the day my book Lost Providence goes on sale. At least a hundred people have already pre-ordered it from History Press/Arcadia Publishing, and that was as of two weeks ago. The official launch of the book will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Preservation, Providence | Tagged , , , , | 30 Comments

Classicism in La-La Land

Posted on August 27, 2017 by David Brussat

You’d think that a simpatico of sorts might naturally have developed between classical architecture and the city of Los Angeles, home of Hollywood and its beautiful stars.  Doesn’t beauty love beauty? Apparently not. I suspect many celloid beauties like to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

“Lost Providence” update

Posted on August 24, 2017 by David Brussat

Lost Providence will go on sale this Monday, August 28. Symposium Books on Westminster Street in downtown will throw the first book launch that same day, starting at 6 p.m. I will give a short introduction, read a chapter, take … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Culture, Lost Providence | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Old mods hard-wired to ugly

Posted on August 23, 2017 by David Brussat

The two buildings above say all that needs to be said, really, about why traditional architecture is superior to modern architecture. Still, it is crucial to understand why modern architecture emerged in the first half of the last century, and … Continue reading →

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

Out with the new, in with …

Posted on August 22, 2017 by David Brussat

A new apartment building planned for Westminster Street outside of downtown, well beyond Route 95, is going through the design process. The Journal’s story, “5-story building gets go-ahead in Providence” describes tough going for the developer, Michael Lemoi, whose project … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Development, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

‘Live’ blogging the eclipse

Posted on August 21, 2017 by David Brussat

We are not going anywhere for the eclipse. We are going to view it from our backyard, sitting in patio chairs, without special glasses. Are you alarmed? No, we are not going to look directly at the sun passing behind … Continue reading →

Posted in Art and design | Tagged , , | 7 Comments