The architecture of the eye

Posted on July 3, 2018 by David Brussat
Screen Shot 2018-07-03 at 9.22.23 PM.png

Le Corbusier and his famous thick round glasses. (Chandigarth Bytes)

Above are the specs that protected the eyes of Le Corbusier from the world. He and I have one thing in common: poor vision. That is about to change.

A week from tomorrow I will undergo cataract surgery. My vision has grown less acute in recent years, and can no longer be sharpened just by getting an even stronger lens for my glasses. So I need an operation. As I prepare to go under the knife, I say “Bring it on!” I’ll be able to see a cornice again.

Modernists among my readers should not bother to pray that my new clarity of vision causes a road-to-Damascus moment and a conversion to modern architecture. My devotion to architecture that features embellishments worth looking at will only be strengthened by this medical procedure.

I’ve heard from many people that the procedure is routine and the results are almost always satisfying. If anyone has any recommendations about cataract surgery, please let me know. In a week my blog might become less visible for a few days, but that will heal as well. Maybe I will post a few short videos in advance to tide readers over this rough patch.

As for Corbu, his bad architecture arose not from his poor vision but from his location on the autistic spectrum, according to recent scientific research. Too bad ophthalmologists have not yet developed a cure for corbuvision.

About David Brussat

This blog was begun in 2009 as a feature of the Providence Journal, where I was on the editorial board and wrote a weekly column of architecture criticism for three decades. Architecture Here and There fights the style wars for classical architecture and against modern architecture, no holds barred. History Press asked me to write and in August 2017 published my first book, "Lost Providence." I am now writing my second book. My freelance writing on architecture and other topics addresses issues of design and culture locally and globally. I am a member of the board of the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, which bestowed an Arthur Ross Award on me in 2002. I work from Providence, R.I., where I live with my wife Victoria, my son Billy and our cat Gato. If you would like to employ my writing and editing to improve your work, please email me at my consultancy, dbrussat@gmail.com, or call 401.351.0457. Testimonial: "Your work is so wonderful - you now enter my mind and write what I would have written." - Nikos Salingaros, mathematician at the University of Texas, architectural theorist and author of many books.
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19 Responses to The architecture of the eye

  1. Pingback: The architecture of the eye II | Architecture Here and There

  2. Michael Tyrrell says:
    July 6, 2018 at 1:05 pm

    Good luck with the surgery David.

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  3. petervanerp says:
    July 5, 2018 at 10:19 am

    Good luck, David! I hope you end with vision as sharp as your pen!

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  4. Tapestry Communications says:
    July 4, 2018 at 9:33 am

    My 91 year old aunt just had both eyes done, a few months apart – and as she stated, “why the hell did you let me wait so long”? Best of luck…

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  5. steve bass says:
    July 4, 2018 at 4:39 am

    Best wishes!

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  6. A Subscriber says:
    July 4, 2018 at 2:07 am

    A Dupre ditto, Dave! All the best!

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  7. Victoria Somlo says:
    July 3, 2018 at 11:44 pm

    💕. Your cataract surgery will go smoothly, my love! 💕

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  8. Judith Dupre says:
    July 3, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    Priceless: Modernists among my readers should not bother to pray that my new clarity of vision causes a road-to-Damascus moment and a conversion to modern architecture.

    Wishing you a quick recovery!
    Judith

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