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.

PawSox to Providence?

There once was a team in Pawtucket. To consider the merits of moving the Boston Red Sox Triple-A team to Providence, one must first swallow the vile pill of stealing the team from neighboring Pawtucket, which needs economic stimulus more … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Development, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The classical vernacular

These capitals above by Portuguese architect Raul Lino (1879-1974), with more shots linked to down below, were sent by Malcolm Millais, author of Exploding the Myths of Modern Architecture (2009), as an antidote (I think) to the snow in Providence, … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Blast from past, Other countries | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

On “Cognitive Architecture”

Ann Sussman will be in Boston on Tuesday evening to discuss her book Cognitive Architecture. She will speak at an event sponsored by the New England chapter of the Insitute of Classical Architecture & Art beginning at 6 in the … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Art and design, Books and Culture, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Another battle in Charleston

A developer in Charleston proposes to rip down an ugly modernist tower of 14 stories, built in 1949, and replace it with three mostly four-story buildings that reflect the city’s historic architecture. You’d think preservationists there would favor that. Instead, … Continue reading

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Corbusier invades New York

Le Corbusier, a founder of modern architecture, traveled in 1935 on his first trip to America. A Frenchman born in Switzerland, he thought New York City would receive him like a god and was mistaken. Here I am pleased to … Continue reading

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“Design for a Living Planet’

In their newly published book, subtitled “Settlement, Science and the Human Future,” authors Michael Mehaffy and Nikos Salingaros argue that human well-being, indeed survival here on Earth, requires replacing our overly mechanized, technologized way of life with patterns of living … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Books and Culture, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Laurel, Hardy and the girl

Originally posted on Architecture Here and There:
Note architecture in clip from Laurel and Hardy film. (emmanuelevening.org) My friend Lee Juskalian sent me a video that reminds me of a video from Gizmodo.com that I posted as “Painted girl evolves,”…

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Laurel, Hardy and the girl

My friend Lee Juskalian sent me a video that reminds me of a video from Gizmodo.com that I posted as “Painted girl evolves,” with the excuse that the stop-motion painting of the face of a girl named Elvis Schmoulianoff had … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Humor, Old Video | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lurking behind this facade

Originally posted on Architecture Here and There:
Old facade of a new business in Bucharest. (boredpanda.com) Behind this stern but elegant classical façade – in Bucharest! – lurks one of the most astonishing and effective mixtures of the old and…

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Imber’s nimble AIA tag

Architect Michael Imber is well known among classicists in America. His practice in Texas ranges from classicism touched with a coy creativity to a Mission style elegantly reflecting its Southwest influences. He has become increasingly perturbed at the state of … Continue reading

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