Author Archives: David Brussat

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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.

London’s Tin Pan Alley, RIP

RIP? So it appears, to the eyes (and supposedly the ears) of many. A deep source sent me an article from Britain’s Evening Standard headlined (in part; it was an almost endless “hed”) “Kinks Star Slams ‘Soulless’ Denmark Street Redevelopment.” … Continue reading

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How does tower still stand?

Its bell is gone but somehow the tower along the main road through Amatrice survived the magnitude 6.2 earthquake that hit central Italy early Wednesday morning. At least 267 souls perished. Some of these mountain villages hit may never revive.In … Continue reading

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From atop Rubik’s Cube

Here are some shots through the grand windows of the 11th floor meeting room of the old Brown Rudnick law firm, a space now belonging to Brown University, which kindly allowed me up to shoot a shot for my book … Continue reading

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Sketches by David Macaulay

Strolling along the RISD embankment during WaterFire last Saturday, I stumbled upon “The Way Macaulay Works,” an exhibit of the work of David Macaulay, the prolific illustrator and creator of books about how buildings, cathedrals and other places are built. … Continue reading

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The Great Wall of China

Who knew that it ended at the sea? It does, at the Yellow Sea, just athwart what we now call the Korean Peninsula. It is over 13,000 miles long, running from east to west. I do not know how successful … Continue reading

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Ugliest house in Vancouver?

Some Vancouverites are upset over the house to the left in the photo above. “Vancouver’s Most Hideous Urban Design for 2016: Why residents are up in arms over this house,” reads the headline in The National Post. So why are … Continue reading

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In search of Russell Warren

Through my correspondent Peter Van Erp, Corinne Barber of the Rhode Island Historical Society has made it known that the Society will be digitizing drawings and other documents of Russell Warren, the celebrated 19th century Rhode Island architect. He is … Continue reading

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Lovely rough-hewn brick

Beauty is not always symmetrical, or smooth or polished. Neither is nature. Some of the most beautiful buildings have a sort of rough-hewn quality, often provided gratis over the years by time and weather. The matter came up yesterday when … Continue reading

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Pictures of Rio de Janeiro

There is very little to complain of in the category of Olympic stadiums at Rio this year. The structures all appear to have mastered the urge to look like something other than arenas for sport. No bird cages, no bubble … Continue reading

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The next Blackstone battle?

The headline refers to the failed effort, in 2014, to divide up the Granoff estate. The property behind it, 25 Balton Rd., has the same dark cloud gathering over it. Many people are familiar with the Bodell mansion from having … Continue reading

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