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.

Postcard from Providence

Originally posted on Architecture Here and There:
View of Kennedy Plaza from the “Narragansett Plaza.” (marriott.com) Here is the 1992 column mentioned in today’s post “Let’s ruin Kennedy Plaza” in which I suggest merging the plaza with Burnside Park to…

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A new Kennedy Plaza plan

A new plan for Kennedy Plaza is described in this morning’s Providence Journal. “Kennedy Plaza plan envisions ‘true civic heart’,” by Donita Naylor and Jacqueline Tempera, describes a proposal that makes a lot of sense. It does not seem to … Continue reading

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Mom rendered as a building

I tried in my last blog, “The architecture of the wife,” earlier today, to link to a column I wrote in 2004 to honor my late mother, Mona Brussat, and downloaded from the archive of the Providence Journal. It didn’t … Continue reading

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The architecture of the wife

A sonnet would be more romantic, perhaps, but let me try combining, just for today, my blog, Architecture Here and There, and my dear wife, Victoria. Today marks our tenth anniversary. This evening I will be taking her out to … Continue reading

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History survives in Houston

For many people, I suppose, Houston brings to mind tall glass towers sitting cheek by jowl with small gas stations and grandfathered (if not exactly grandfatherly) shops. Its historic character was submerged long before Hurricane Harvey. Zoning is a free-for-all … Continue reading

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Salingaros’s ‘conscious cities’

Last night’s Lost Providence book launch concluded with a stimulating series of exchanges regarding the nature of architecture and the allure of cities. I mentioned the work of mathematician Nikos Salingaros at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His … Continue reading

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“Lost Prov” blasts off today

Today is the day my book Lost Providence goes on sale. At least a hundred people have already pre-ordered it from History Press/Arcadia Publishing, and that was as of two weeks ago. The official launch of the book will be … Continue reading

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Classicism in La-La Land

You’d think that a simpatico of sorts might naturally have developed between classical architecture and the city of Los Angeles, home of Hollywood and its beautiful stars.  Doesn’t beauty love beauty? Apparently not. I suspect many celloid beauties like to … Continue reading

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“Lost Providence” update

Lost Providence will go on sale this Monday, August 28. Symposium Books on Westminster Street in downtown will throw the first book launch that same day, starting at 6 p.m. I will give a short introduction, read a chapter, take … Continue reading

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Old mods hard-wired to ugly

The two buildings above say all that needs to be said, really, about why traditional architecture is superior to modern architecture. Still, it is crucial to understand why modern architecture emerged in the first half of the last century, and … Continue reading

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