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.

Architecture and happiness

In “Why the ‘happiest’ cities are boring,” John Kay of the Financial Times makes a series of very important distinctions between happy cities and great cities, and in doing so he challenges most of the reigning official definitions of happiness … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Books and Culture, Development, Other countries, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mod dorms bite the dust

Perhaps the worst-looking project proposed for the I-195 corridor has been abandoned. It is hard to say whether this is good news or bad news, given Rhode Island’s need to develop the land. How nice it would be to read … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Development, I-195 Redevelopment District, Preservation, Providence, Providence Journal, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Understand the Victorian

Stephen Bayley, the architecture critic for the Telegraph, has written “Some Victorian buildings should be left to die.” He is correct, but some is a vague word, to say the least. “All modernist buildings should be left to die” is … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Books and Culture, Development, Preservation | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

How not to “rebrand” R.I.

Rooting around online in search of a website for the Metamorphosis dance troupe I saw in Pawtucket on Saturday afternoon, I came across what seems to me a perfect example of how not to “brand” Rhode Island. The pitch is … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, I-195 Redevelopment District, Preservation, Providence, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Shock dance at Bucket fest

On Saturday afternoon, Billy, Victoria and I attended a dance performance, part of the ongoing annual Pawtucket Arts Festival. The event was held at the Episcopal Church of St. Paul, which we toured, noting that next year will be its … Continue reading

Posted in Art and design, Rhode Island, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pawsox stadium talks dead?

News flash! State Rep. Aaron Regunberg has sent out an email blast announcing that negotiations between the state and the owners of the PawSox have ended without a deal and that the Providence waterfront ballpark idea is dead. I have … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Development, I-195 Redevelopment District, Landscape Architecture, Providence, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Staff surrounds Eiffel Tower

Unforgettable forgotten moments from the past are pictured in this romp called “Unrocognizable Paris: The Monuments that Vanished,” on the blog MessynessyChic.com. The well-illustrated piece recalls when the Champ de Mars was filled with monuments made of “staff,” a mixture … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Old Video, Other countries, Photography, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shubow tilts BIG WTC tower

Justin Shubow, president of the National Civic Art Society and a monthly contributor of architecture criticism to Forbes.com, has hit his stride. His latest essay, Towering Infernal, written for the Weekly Standard, is about the last building planned at Ground … Continue reading

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

High tech on I-195 corridor

“Display could light former 195 land” Find the typo in the headline above. … Give up? The letter b in “blight” was accidentally dropped. The headline should have read “Display could blight former 195 land.” Seriously, the headline, which appeared … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, I-195 Redevelopment District, Preservation, Providence, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Travels to Martha’s Vineyard

An invitation from my friend Steve O’Rourke to join him “en seminar” at Martha’s Vineyard, where he has lectured every year for the past two decades and more, relieved me of a life omission: I’d never been to the Vineyard. … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Photography, Preservation, Urbanism and planning, Video | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments