Category Archives: Urbanism and planning

Krier on cities’ skyscraperitis

Posted on January 10, 2017 by David Brussat

According to the headline writers at BD magazine, Britain’s leading journal of architecture, the takeaway from Leon Krier’s new essay there is “It doesn’t matter if skyscrapers are designed by world-class architects or hacks – they’re destroying our cities.” I … Continue reading →

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When there’s no there there

Posted on December 27, 2016 by David Brussat

The headline on this post is supposed to refer to Gertrude Stein’s famous line about Oakland – “There’s no there there.” The Huffington Post has an essay that tries to show, rather absurdly, that Stein did not mean to denigrate … Continue reading →

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A visit to East Greenwich

Posted on December 10, 2016 by David Brussat

The other day I paid a brief visit to East Greenwich, one of Rhode Island’s most lovely towns. Main Street has long been a charming rendition of civic life, ever a pleasure to drive through or, better yet, stop and … Continue reading →

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900 pages on WTC rebuild

Posted on December 2, 2016 by David Brussat

I am remiss in not having been aware, until yesterday, of Columbia University emerita professor Lynne Sagalyn’s 900-page book on the politics and economics of rebuilding the World Trade Center after 9/11. It is called  Power at Ground Zero: Politics, … Continue reading →

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“Three towers of evil”?

Posted on November 30, 2016 by David Brussat

A critic of the three towers proposed for the Jewelry District in Providence, city council president Luis Aponte, calls them the “three towers of evil.” Well, that’s a little much. “Foe dubs proposed Providence high-rises ‘towers of evil,’” by Associated … Continue reading →

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Jane Jacobs at Ada Books

Posted on November 21, 2016 by David Brussat

The photo shows the late Jane Jacobs sitting on a stool at the White Horse Tavern, in Greenwich Village. On Saturday evening, I saw Jane Jacobs sitting on a table at Ada Books. She was in the form of a … Continue reading →

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Tower with, not against Prov

Posted on November 20, 2016 by David Brussat

Unsurprisingly, the Providence Journal editorialized today in favor of the three residential towers, dubbed Hope Point Towers, proposed by New York developer Jason Fane. On the same day, in “Man behind Providence high-rise proposal has gotten well connected,” ace reporter … Continue reading →

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Towering towers in La Prov?

Posted on November 15, 2016 by David Brussat

A New York development firm with offices in the Rockefeller Center has proposed to build three residential towers, in phases, rising 33, 43 and 55 stories up from the vacant Jewelry District land where Route 195 used to be. All … Continue reading →

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Vote’s “style wars” tea leaves

Posted on November 9, 2016 by David Brussat

It’s hard to say, to say the least, what, if anything, Donald Trump’s victory may mean for architecture. It is easier to imagine that a Hillary Clinton win would have meant more of the same for how we build. Trump … Continue reading →

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Transport official on beauty

Posted on November 3, 2016 by David Brussat

On my ballot next Tuesday I will write in John Hayes for president. Dammit! He is ineligible. He is a member of Parliament, and now Britain’s minister for transport, newly appointed by Prime Minister Theresa May, successor to David Cameron … Continue reading →

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