Monthly Archives: November 2018

Mayor Elorza’s brave veto

Posted on November 30, 2018 by David Brussat

To the surprise of most observers, Mayor Elorza vetoed the Providence City Council’s approval last week of legislation to raise by a factor of six the 100-foot height limit on Parcel 42 of the Route 195 corridor. That legislation, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Providence Journal | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Moore’s attack on Scruton

Posted on November 28, 2018 by David Brussat

One of the Scepter’d Isle’s leading architecture critics, Rowan Moore of the Observer, has crafted an utterly despicable if entirely predictable attack on Sir Roger Scruton. Sir Roger is the British government’s choice to head a panel to bring beauty … Continue reading →

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

Veto the tower, Mr. Mayor

Posted on November 26, 2018 by David Brussat

I wrote a letter to Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza today [Monday]. I sent it by email and then hand-delivered another copy tucked inside my book Lost Providence, where I inscribed the title page in his honor. “Delivered with the sincerest … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Scruton’s first beauty volley

Posted on November 23, 2018 by David Brussat

As I mentioned in “Sir Roger’s hunt for beauty,” Roger Scruton has been appointed chairman of a commission to promote beauty in British housing policy. Naturally, all those who are opposed to beauty in architecture are on the warpath against … Continue reading →

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

The big boxes of the future

Posted on November 21, 2018 by David Brussat

A few days ago some interesting photographs landed in my email inbox as part of an online discussion of big-box retail and its design, a subject near and dear to my heart, as I have watched the evolution of suburban … Continue reading →

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

Seek the bottom of beauty

Posted on November 16, 2018 by David Brussat

The headline of Joanne Ostrow’s article in the Denver Sun got my attention: “Is Denver’s contemporary architecture killing us?” Leaving aside that Denverites are not the only victims of modern architecture, the answer offered to Ostrow by the subject of … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HQ2 twofers and Providence

Posted on November 14, 2018 by David Brussat

Two major eastern cities have won the HQ2 sweepstakes, and you have to wonder whether the twofers – Long Island City and Crystal City, outside Manhattan and D.C. – both realize they got half a loaf. How soon will it … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Sir Roger’s hunt for beauty

Posted on November 11, 2018 by David Brussat

Sir Roger Scruton, the British philosopher and advocate of classical beauty and architecture, has been named chairman of a commission called Building Better, Building Beautiful to advise Britain’s government on issues of beauty in housing policy. This is fabulous news. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Committee’s Fane flip-flop

Posted on November 9, 2018 by David Brussat

Learning nothing in its latest public hearing that it did not already know, the Ordinance Committee of Providence City Council reversed itself on Thursday to recommend that the council neuter the city’s zoning laws. It voted three to one to … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More on ‘Making Dystopia’

Posted on November 7, 2018 by David Brussat

A book whose vile subjects have grown used to shucking off well-framed attacks for decades, and yet whose stranglehold on establishment thinking has loosened in recent years, is naturally offended by what could be their coup de grâce. So it … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Books and Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments