Category Archives: Preservation

Why preserve? PPS speaks

I caught today’s “plenary” lecture by Why Preservation Matters author Max Page, and the “In the Moment” panel discussion that followed. Page kicked off a day of panels and tours for the Providence Preservation Society‘s “Why Preserve” symposium with an … Continue reading

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Symposium: Why preserve?

The Providence Preservation Society will be hosting a symposium on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 3-4, on the whys and wherefores of historic preservation. The focus will be, to some degree, on the empty Industrial Trust Bank Building, where the symposium … Continue reading

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London’s Tin Pan Alley, RIP

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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Fallen angel in Charleston

As mayor of Charleston, S.C., for some 40 years, Joe Riley was a hero to the preservation movement. But lately he has hopped in bed with preservation’s nemesis, modern architecture. An article from 2015 on the website Next Cities, “Southern … Continue reading

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Hitler’s revenge on America

The journal Places has published, as the inaugural installment in its Future Archive series of forgotten writing of the past century, a 1968 essay for Art in America by Sibyl Moholy-Nagy called “Hitler’s Revenge.” The essay is introduced by Despina … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Providence PVDfest today!

We adventured into downtown Providence late this afternoon for PVDfest, the city’s second annual international arts festival (last year’s shindig was the Providence International Arts Festival – deemed too big a mouthful). Day was grayish but without any seeming threat … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Landscape Architecture, Photography, Preservation, Providence, Rhode Island, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Degrading Paris newsstands

My correspondent in Paris, Mary Campbell Gallagher, warns that its mayor, Anne Hidalgo, wants to replace the city’s historic newsstands with a new version of greater spaciousness but lesser gloire. In its relative mildness, this initiative seems to contradict almost … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Other countries, Preservation, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shubow’s fine Bulfinch talk

Justin Shubow’s recent talk in Boston, the first annual Bulfinch Awards Lecture, was delivered in the afternoon before that evening’s gala, thrown by the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art to celebrate the eight Bulfinch … Continue reading

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How to keep Portland weird

Portland, Ore., is a city so satisfied with itself that it can afford to enjoy a TV show, Portlandia, that makes fun of its foibles. And of course, foibles are easily fobbed off. They are not actual problems. Most cities … Continue reading

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Humor, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Shots of first full WaterFire

Last night was the first full WaterFire of the season here in Providence. I generally visit rather late, when the crowds have drawn down and parking is easy, well, easier. The lead-off photo above, taken by WaterFire volunteer photographer Jim … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Books and Culture, Development, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Photography, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments