Monthly Archives: March 2018

Rebuild the Roman Forum

Posted on March 17, 2018 by David Brussat

Last October I described a master’s thesis on how to plan for a restoration of the Roman Forum – center of civic life in the capital of the Roman empire. The author, Eric Stalheim, was the first graduate of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Preservation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Battering Battersea Station

Posted on March 15, 2018 by David Brussat

Owen Hatherley has denounced a large development around the historic Battersea Power Station, in London. I cannot read his piece because it is behind the paywall of The Architects’ Journal. But I do have the next best thing – its … Continue reading →

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Still allowed to like Meier?

Posted on March 14, 2018 by David Brussat

I had absolutely no idea, two weeks ago when I wrote my post “Ha ha ha ha! Seriously?,” that its two subjects, Pritzker Prize architect Richard Meier and the late female architect Natalie de Blois, are connected. No, de Blois … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Sledding near Dutch Emb.

Posted on March 12, 2018 by David Brussat

With snow bearing down this evening, ready to whack New England starting early tomorrow morning, thoughts naturally turn to sledding down hills while young. Or, rather, memories of same. My friends and I used to sled at Cal Hill, behind … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Old Video | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sources of modern silliness

Posted on March 11, 2018 by David Brussat

Nikolaus Pevsner (1902-83) wrote some of the pathbreaking works of architectural history that form the belief system of modern architecture today. The Sources of Modern Architecture and Design is one, which I am reading again for the first time in … Continue reading →

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

Ross Award winners of 2018

Posted on March 9, 2018 by David Brussat

The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art has just announced this year’s Arthur Ross Award laureates. Unlike the Bulfinch Awards of the New England chapter (also just announced) and other regional ICAA awards programs, which honor specific works, the ICAA’s … Continue reading →

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Chinese Gordon’s Khartoum

Posted on March 8, 2018 by David Brussat

I have just completed Lytton Strachey’s Eminent Victorians without finding much if anything to quote about architecture beyond what I conveyed in my post “The special beauty of decay.” Strachey contemplates four Victorians – Cardinal Manning, Florence Nightingale, Thomas Arnold … Continue reading →

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The sinister self-driving car

Posted on March 7, 2018 by David Brussat

The Atlantic has a very interesting article, “How Self-Driving Cars Will Threaten Privacy,” by Adrienne LaFrance. It actually ran a couple of years ago, and looks forward to the convenience of life with a self-driving car. The car will listen … Continue reading →

Posted in Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Mighty pen on Penn Station

Posted on March 5, 2018 by David Brussat

In “Mighty Penn,” The New Criterion has a brilliant extended reflection on the idea of rebuilding Pennsylvania Station, in New York City, as it was originally designed in 1903 by Charles Follen McKim of McKim Mead & White. Many facts … Continue reading →

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See ‘Lost Prov’ in Barrington

Posted on March 2, 2018 by David Brussat

Next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., the Barrington Public Library will host what may turn out to be my final public lecture about my book, Lost Providence. Only private talks have been scheduled for now from here on out, but at … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Lost Providence | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments