Category Archives: Video

Diss the Chicago Biennial!

Architectural personages have been mulling the Chicago Architectural Biennial. It is the first such extravaganza to be held in the World Capital of Architecture. Chicago is also the Windy City. That comment is an example of “deep structure,” or meta … Continue reading

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Shostakovich in Leningrad

I just read a passage so astonishing about Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7 (“The Leningrad Symphony”) that I must pass it along. It is about how the Soviets got a score for the newly written music to Leningrad during the siege. … Continue reading

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“Rightsizing” Providence

The King’s Cathedral, a church in Olneyville whose motto is “Where Everyone Is Royalty,” and its leader Bishop Jeffrey Williams hosted the inaugural session of this year’s “Beyond Buildings” symposium of the Providence Preservation Society. “Beyond Buildings” rubs me wrong, … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Development, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Haunted houses in America

GTECH headquarters is certainly the scariest building in Providence, even with the recent relocation there of Capital Grille (from Union Station!), following in the brave footsteps of Ruth’s Chris Steak House. But GTECH is not haunted. It is scary. Not … Continue reading

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Sweet breather at the BPL

Took the MBTA up to Boston yesterday evening to a meeting of the New England chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. After emerging from the Back Bay stop into Dartmouth Street, there is always the difficult choice … Continue reading

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Into London’s age of grit

It suddenly occurred to me that, having done a post on the beautiful Renaissance digital imagery of the video game “Assassin’s Creed II” – it was called “Gaming the Renaissance” – I should check out “Assassin’s Creed I.” I just … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Blast from past, Book/Film Reviews, Other countries, Urbanism and planning, Video | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Portland’s imposing Old Port

Portland’s Old Port Exchange district was bustling with tourists on Sunday morning as Billy and I drove up and down its streets in search of parking. Finding no place, we ended up touring Congress Street on foot instead, taking too … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Blast from past, Development, I-195 Redevelopment District, Photography, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning, Video | Leave a comment

Berlin Palace, Penn Station

Germany is rebuilding the Berlin Palace, the Berliner Schloss, at an expected cost of €590 million or $665 million, a half or a third of the estimated price of rebuilding Penn Station in New York, which itself is considered understated … Continue reading

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Gaming the Renaissance

A fascinating interview in ArchDaily of Colombian architectural historian Maria Elisa Navarro, of McGill University, who advised creators of the video game “Assassin’s Creed II,” opens up new vistas for the classical revival. Millions of young people play these video … Continue reading

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Authenticity in placemaking

As part of its 30th anniversary celebration, the Providence arts collaborative AS220 gathered several expert “placemakers” under the deep atrium sky of the Callendar, McAuslan & Troup Building (1873, 1892). Called the Peerless Building now after the last in a … Continue reading

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