Category Archives: Architecture

More for my groaning shelf

Posted on April 14, 2019 by David Brussat

Here is the UK Guardian architecture critic Oliver Wainwright’s critique of Hudson Yards, the “largest and most expensive private real estate project in U.S. history.” His article is called “Horror on the Hudson: New York’s $25bn architectural fiasco,” and it … Continue reading →

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Sir Roger’s inevitable sack

Posted on April 12, 2019 by David Brussat

Roger Scruton’s dismissal from his chairmanship of a commission set up to bring beauty back into the discussion of British housing policy was probably inevitable. Sir Roger is a voice of reason who will not shut up, and good for … Continue reading →

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Final say on Fane design?

Posted on April 10, 2019 by David Brussat

Fane tower supporters left Monday night’s meeting in full glum after the city’s design panel recommended against approving three of four Fane requests for exemptions from zoning that could kill the project. Opponents left in full euphoria, in the belief … Continue reading →

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Block Fane tower Monday

Posted on April 7, 2019 by David Brussat

Hope Point Tower should be called Hope Punt Tower. When it comes to hope for the livability of Providence, it punts. The tower’s design goes for its second session before the Downtown Design Review Committee on Monday at 4:45 p.m., … Continue reading →

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Barf on Arc de Triomphe

Posted on April 5, 2019 by David Brussat

Christo plans to work his tragic on Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, draping it in blue fabric, but fortunately not until 2020, well after my family and I visit the City of Light, if we decide to go. The arch has … Continue reading →

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Lovely Venice in 9 minutes

Posted on March 31, 2019 by David Brussat

This beautiful travel video of Venice from Expedia lives up to the high standards of its tribe. The online travel booking service has dozens of fine videos of cities around the world that are so nice that they might make … Continue reading →

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Vid cities in ‘Fortnite’ game

Posted on March 29, 2019 by David Brussat

I’ve written several posts on the Assassin’s Creed video games, which take place in cities like Venice, Florence and London long ago. Recently, the 13-year-old son of a member of the Pro-Urb online discussion group published on his blog a … Continue reading →

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Fane tower & Hudson Yards

Posted on March 26, 2019 by David Brussat

A relic of dated 2000s thinking, nearly devoid of urban design, it declines to blend into the city grid. The Fane tower, right? That building proposed for the Jewelry District near downtown Providence? No. In fact, it’s the Hudson Yards … Continue reading →

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Copy, precedent, inspiration

Posted on March 24, 2019 by David Brussat

My friend and 2019 Bulfinch Award laureate Eric Daum recently revealed in a comment to my blog post “Cranston’s Hall Free Library” that this public library, built in 1927, must have been inspired by architect Albert Kahn’s William Clements Library, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Assassin’s Creed does Athens

Posted on March 21, 2019 by David Brussat

Here is an eight-minute video on the reconstruction of ancient Athens by game-maker Ubisoft for the latest episode (if that’s what it’s called) of Assassin’s Creed. Previous episodes have invited us into highly realistic reconstructions of Renaissance Venice and Florence … Continue reading →

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