Author Archives: David Brussat

Unknown's avatar

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.

Nod of the Royal Oak

As a board member of the New England Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, I am greatly pleased to learn that the ICAA has received the 2014 Heritage Award of the Royal Oak Foundation. The Foundation is … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Mansion envy, circa 1912

Frankly, I don’t see anything wrong with the house pictured above (check out the urchins of wealth in Central Park). The mansion at 960 Fifth Ave. and East 77th, in Manhattan, was built in 1910 by Sen. William Clark (D-Mont.), … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Humor | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Quoins on the shop floor

There are many categories of architecture porn. (I hasten to say that’s a good thing.) One of my favorites is long lists in prose of ornamentation. So I was, shall we say, charmed to read architect Joel Pidel’s recent thread … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Providence No. 1 U.S. city

This is big, folks! Listen up! Travel + Leisure, the top magazine of its kind, has ranked Providence No. 1 in its list of best U.S. cities. “5 Reasons to Visit Providence” is here, and it is a joy to … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Conflict at the Frick

  Andrew Reed, nephew of the classical revival’s late champion Henry Hope Reed, has asked me to post a petition to save the Frick Gallery from its proposed renovation. I wrote back that I was at odds with myself over … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Preservation | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

South Street Seaputz?

Why does no one seem upset that the venerable South Street Seaport, in New York City, is about to be zapped and tricked out as a squat Miesian glass box, courtesy of SHoP, one of the world’s worst architectural firms? … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Development, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Victory in Charleston

On the heels of a major setback for modernism’s assault on Paris – its city council voted narrowly against it on Monday – comes an even bigger victory against a similar assault in Charleston, S.C., where Clemson University has withdrawn … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Development, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Character versus reputation

Last night’s City Plan Commission meeting over the fate of the Granoff estate pitted the Blackstone Neighborhood Association’s lawyer, Bill Landry, against the Granoff’s lawyer, Tom Moses, a former director of the city’s planning office. Does the law require more … Continue reading

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

Wisdom of the Bulfinch

Last week I attended the fifth annual ceremony at Charles Bulfinch’s Massachusetts Statehouse honoring the awards named in his honor by the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. The usual crowd of people was there … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Development, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Good news from Paris!

Bravo! The city council of Paris has voted narrowly to reject the proposal for a skyscraper in the city center. Le Tour Triangle, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, lost an 83 to 78 vote. Mayor Hidalgo, a Socialist, immediately … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Development, Other countries, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments