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.

Parthenon’s “Deep Frieze”

Posted on April 25, 2014 by David Brussat

Daniel Mendelsohn’s essay about the Parthenon (and what the Parthenon “means”) in the April 14 issue of The New Yorker made a deft grab for my heart. Ever since I demonstrated my ability, in grade school, to sit and listen … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Book/Film Reviews | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Arnold and Alice

Posted on April 24, 2014 by David Brussat

The Arnold Building had a serious fire in, I think, 2007. Its owner, Pat Cortellessa, who once ran for mayor against Buddy Cianci, lacked sufficient insurance to undertake repairs. This past year the Arnold was taken by eminent domain and … Continue reading →

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

Eyed by Anne Boleyn

Posted on April 24, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is a passage from Bring Up the Bodies, the second, following Wolf Hall, of Hilary Mantel’s trilogy (the third is yet to be published) on Henry VIII’s romantic life. In this passage, seen from the perspective of protagonist Thomas … Continue reading →

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Column: Build a real memorial to Eisenhower

Posted on April 24, 2014 by David Brussat

The horizon keeps receding for Frank Gehry’s notion of what a memorial to Dwight Eisenhower should look like. The other day his design was rejected by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) for narrowing the view corridor down Maryland Avenue … Continue reading →

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Philip Johnson’s Nazi decade

Posted on April 23, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is a brave piece by Matt Novak for the Paleofuture page of Gizmodo, reprinted at Archinect. It is about the designer of two buildings on the campus of Brown University, in Providence: the Albert and Vera List Art Building … Continue reading →

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

“America’s Urban Future”

Posted on April 21, 2014 by David Brussat

Vishaan Chakrabarti, a partner in the New York starchitect-wannabe firm SHoP (yes, the now almost mandatory ridiculous name), has nevertheless written an excellent piece about urban/suburban trends for the New York Times. It suggests that the feds should shift away … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Wings: Frank Lloyd Wrong

Posted on April 20, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is episode 129 of the TV show Wings, “Good-bye, Frank Lloyd Wrong,” about when a couple is offered a free house shaped like a 7 by a famous architect. The episode is here.

Posted in Architecture, Humor | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Proposed Czech national library

Posted on April 20, 2014 by David Brussat

A friend, commenting on the proposed intermodal center for Queens a few posts back, said he could not imagine anything more ridiculous. I asked him whether he’d ever seen the proposal for a new Czech national library in Prague. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Other countries | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Which stadium “is” Qatar?

Posted on April 17, 2014 by David Brussat

  Which stadium better “reflects Qatari design and culture”? One of the two has been anointed by the nation’s top sports commission, whose chairman declared that it does reflect the nation’s culture; the other is one of several designs whose … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Humor, Other countries | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Column: Dr. Downtown’s stroll with Dr. Street

Posted on April 17, 2014 by David Brussat

Dear Dr. Downtown: Please tell us about your “walkabout” last weekend with the author of Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns — Strolling in Stratford. Well, the doctor thought that Dr. Street (aka John Massengale, New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Humor, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment