Category Archives: Architecture

Hellblog: To quoin a frieze

Posted on August 29, 2016 by David Brussat

I am about to place a new blog on my “Blogs I Follow” list. It is the blog of the British architectural cartoonist Louis Hellman, called “Hellblog,” and comes to me from Malcolm Millais, the irrepressible author of Exploding the … Continue reading →

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London’s Tin Pan Alley, RIP

Posted on August 27, 2016 by David Brussat

RIP? So it appears, to the eyes (and supposedly the ears) of many. A deep source sent me an article from Britain’s Evening Standard headlined (in part; it was an almost endless “hed”) “Kinks Star Slams ‘Soulless’ Denmark Street Redevelopment.” … Continue reading →

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How does tower still stand?

Posted on August 26, 2016 by David Brussat

Its bell is gone but somehow the tower along the main road through Amatrice survived the magnitude 6.2 earthquake that hit central Italy early Wednesday morning. At least 267 souls perished. Some of these mountain villages hit may never revive.In … Continue reading →

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From atop Rubik’s Cube

Posted on August 24, 2016 by David Brussat

Here are some shots through the grand windows of the 11th floor meeting room of the old Brown Rudnick law firm, a space now belonging to Brown University, which kindly allowed me up to shoot a shot for my book … Continue reading →

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Sketches by David Macaulay

Posted on August 23, 2016 by David Brussat

Strolling along the RISD embankment during WaterFire last Saturday, I stumbled upon “The Way Macaulay Works,” an exhibit of the work of David Macaulay, the prolific illustrator and creator of books about how buildings, cathedrals and other places are built. … Continue reading →

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The Great Wall of China

Posted on August 22, 2016 by David Brussat

Who knew that it ended at the sea? It does, at the Yellow Sea, just athwart what we now call the Korean Peninsula. It is over 13,000 miles long, running from east to west. I do not know how successful … Continue reading →

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In search of Russell Warren

Posted on August 19, 2016 by David Brussat

Through my correspondent Peter Van Erp, Corinne Barber of the Rhode Island Historical Society has made it known that the Society will be digitizing drawings and other documents of Russell Warren, the celebrated 19th century Rhode Island architect. He is … Continue reading →

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Lovely rough-hewn brick

Posted on August 18, 2016 by David Brussat

Beauty is not always symmetrical, or smooth or polished. Neither is nature. Some of the most beautiful buildings have a sort of rough-hewn quality, often provided gratis over the years by time and weather. The matter came up yesterday when … Continue reading →

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Pictures of Rio de Janeiro

Posted on August 16, 2016 by David Brussat

There is very little to complain of in the category of Olympic stadiums at Rio this year. The structures all appear to have mastered the urge to look like something other than arenas for sport. No bird cages, no bubble … Continue reading →

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Delft tunnel in Amsterdam

Posted on August 14, 2016 by David Brussat

Amsterdam does everything it can to make it fun for walkers. You can see naked ladies in shop windows. Even the new tunnel from its central train station for pedestrians and bicyclists, called the Cuyperspassage, is bedecked with 46,000 blue … Continue reading →

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