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.

The driverless car fiasco

Driverless cars are fast becoming the next big thing, with timelines for their arrival collapsing at breakneck speed. They remind me of the Minions. Craaashhh! The website grist.org has an article by Katie Herzog called “No One Wants Driverless Cars … Continue reading

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The vandals own the gates

Here is sad news from sculptor Walter Arnold, who reports on an act of vandalism in Chicago. He writes: Eric J. Nordstrom continues documenting the destruction of the Charles Sumner Frost-designed Public Life Insurance Building in Chicago. He took this … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Canada’s best new buildings

Here, in order of presentation in Canadian Architect, the journal of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, are this year’s winners of the biennial Governor General’s Medals in Architecture. No private houses here – this year’s program celebrates architecture “In … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Other countries, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Review of Siegel’s new book

Charles Siegel’s fascinating little book The Humanists Versus the Reactionary Avant Garde warmed my cockles with its picture of Norman Foster’s Gherkin – 30 St. Mary Axe, on Leadenhall Street – thrusting aggressively above a traditional London streetscape. I thought … Continue reading

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Bad trad betters bad mod

Another modernist building for Providence? Ugh! Here we go again. I could throw up my hands and settle with a sigh. After all, the crossroad that would host more blight, Washington Street and Service Road 7, is already marred by … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Providence, Providence Journal, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Cafe Pushkin comes alive

No doubt inspired by photographs of mahogany antiques crammed with romantic abandon into a lovely building in downtown Providence (see my post “Tilden-Thurber memories“), Malcolm Millais, author of Exploding the Myths of Modern Architecture, has sent me a tale, in … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Books and Culture, Interior Design, Other countries, Preservation, Uncategorized, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tilden-Thurber memories

The Tilden-Thurber Building, erected in 1895, designed by Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, of Boston, was sold last week but remains, so far as I can tell, as it was built, inside and out. Stanley Weiss, the local developer and fine … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Books and Culture, Development, Interior Design, Photography, Preservation, Providence, Providence Journal, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Photos of South Main St.

*** Spent some time this afternoon along South Main Street, parallel to the Providence River between downtown and College Hill. Had camera, did shoot. To set the scene, in the shot at the top of this post, looking north along … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Photography, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Miniatures, near and afar

Clay Fulkerson, designer and sculptor of miniature temples, sent me a photo of his latest temple, a Baroque incense burner, shortly after I posted a video of pencil lead sculptures by Salavat Fidai, which elicited from Andrew Reed a photo … Continue reading

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A job for new bridge group

The Providence Journal reports that a new organization, Building Bridges Providence, has been formed to push for progress on the long-delayed pedestrian bridge to connect the I-195 development land and its two parks on either side of the Providence River. … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, I-195 Redevelopment District, Preservation, Providence, Providence Journal, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments