Category Archives: Architecture

Corbusier in Providence?

Posted on September 15, 2014 by David Brussat

This building design was sent by the famous Andres Duany – whose firm, DPZ, helped JWU masterplan its downtown Providence campus between 1994 and 2005 – under the subject line “This could have been the Johnson & Wales building.” He … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Development, Providence | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

New Engand Diary

Posted on September 15, 2014 by David Brussat

That it is easy to park on the wrong street of the same name one town over in New England is like saying that if you don’t like the weather in New England, wait five minutes and it will change. … Continue reading →

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

Salem’s Chestnut Street

Posted on September 14, 2014 by David Brussat

Yesterday I took a house tour on Chestnut Street in Salem, Mass, sponsored by the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. Founded in 1626, Salem was the home of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The tour took us … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Photography, Preservation | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Darrell Issa wimps out

Posted on September 11, 2014 by David Brussat

A commenter on my recent blog updating readers on Frank Gehry’s proposal for a memorial to General Eisenhower points out that I relied on an incomplete report of what California Rep. Darrell Issa said of the proposal’s latest revisions. Since … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Column: Nameless building on Dorrance Street

Posted on September 11, 2014 by David Brussat

Last week’s column, “The mathematician vs. the modernists,” was my last hurrah as an employee of the Providence Journal. I didn’t know that as I finished writing it around 9 on Tuesday morning. Otherwise I might have written something decked … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Under Western Eyes

Posted on September 10, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is a passage from Joseph Conrad’s book about revolutionaries of early 20th century Russia (though the book is mostly set in Geneva, a refuge for those feeling discomfort under the czar). Razumov, who has just met a fellow agitator … Continue reading →

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In defense of Zaha?

Posted on September 10, 2014 by David Brussat

It has emerged that news stories last June out of Qatar, where Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid has a commission to build a stadium to host soccer’s World Cup in 2022, falsely asserted that hundreds of itinerant construction workers had died … Continue reading →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Other countries | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

WTC blues

Posted on September 8, 2014 by David Brussat

The Guardian has published a lengthy article, “1 World Trade Center: How New York Tried to Rebuild its Soul,” by Jason Farago. He bemoans the lost opportunity of the World Trade Center. But he does not mention what that lost … Continue reading →

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Guggensinki scandal?

Posted on September 7, 2014 by David Brussat

It’s far too early to say whether the design for the proposed Guggenheim museum in Helsinki will prove scandalous in its design, but entries for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s first international museum design competition are due on Wednesday, Sept. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art and design, Development | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Ike memorial update

Posted on September 6, 2014 by David Brussat

Frank Gehry has agreed to remove the two smaller of three giant screens, or as he calls them, tapestries from his design for a memorial on the Washington Mall to Dwight Eisenhower. It appears that the central sculptural plaza would … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments