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.

I’ll second that emotion!

Posted on April 12, 2016 by David Brussat

The collection of parents who wait for their kids’ school bus every morning and afternoon at our corner on Hope Street testifies to the greatness of the Vartan Gregorian Elementary School in Fox Point. This afternoon the line “I’ll second … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Books and Culture, Humor, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The politics of preservation

Posted on April 11, 2016 by David Brussat

Gail Wiesner is a real-estate agent in Raleigh, N.C., who, a couple years ago, raised concerns about a modernist addition to a neighbor’s house in her Oakwood neighborhood, a designated historic district. A more recent example, now resolved in court, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Preservation, Providence, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

John King, read your words!

Posted on April 10, 2016 by David Brussat

John King is the architecture critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. I met him maybe a decade ago at a conference and have followed his criticism since. This latest piece, “SF skyline’s new LinkedIn addition built by, for New Yorkers,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shubow to speak in Boston

Posted on April 9, 2016 by David Brussat

Justin Shubow, president of the National Civic Art Society and a leading proponent of classical architecture, is also a leading opponent of modern architecture. He and his organization, along with the Eisenhower family, have led the fight against Frank Gehry’s … Continue reading →

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The periodic table of fonts

Posted on April 8, 2016 by David Brussat

Here, from a stable of tables courtesy of the Kuriositas website of oddities, is a periodic table of typefaces. This periodic table comes last in “Fun and Interesting Periodic Table Spin-Offs,” courtesy of the Save Best for Last Dept. A … Continue reading →

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Save Peter Pan’s birthplace

Posted on April 7, 2016 by David Brussat

Moat Brae survives. Moat Brae is the 1823 house and garden in Dumfries, Scotland, where J.M. Barrie, age 8 in 1868 and playing at pirates, conceived Neverland, the land of eternal childhood. That’s the good news. Moat Brae lives – … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Other countries, Preservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ross Award laureates, 2016

Posted on April 6, 2016 by David Brussat

This year’s winners of the Arthur Ross Awards have been announced by their sponsor, the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. The institute is the leading organization in the United States fostering classical and traditional architecture and its allied arts: … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Books and Culture, Development, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Other countries, Photography, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Incense and monuments

Posted on April 5, 2016 by David Brussat

Here is the latest ancient ruin from Clayton Fulkerson, whose Greek and Roman monuments graced this blog (“Ancient temples on parade“), and Cranston’s William Hall Free Library, last November. I dined with Clay this afternoon at the Chapel Grille, also … Continue reading →

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Providence prints on parade

Posted on April 3, 2016 by David Brussat

Thursday evening I beheld the fine prints of Peter Thornton lining the walls of City Hall, showing the artist’s sweet take on the most pleasing points in Providence. There was City Hall flanked by the Biltmore, with the Westin addition … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments