Tag Archives: Rem Koolhaas

Entitling Historical Concepts

Posted on August 13, 2021 by David Brussat

Most architectural firms have names listing one or more partners, McKim Mead & White being a chief example familiar to classicists. In recent times some firms have chosen names seemingly designed to impress you with their creativity, such as SHoP … Continue reading →

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Is Wuhan China’s Chicago?

Posted on April 24, 2020 by David Brussat

Wuhan, the Chinese city where the Wuhan virus originated, is sometimes called “The Chicago of China” for its size (pop. 11.8 million), its central location, its setting on the Yangtze River and its historic buildings and its modern architecture. Here … Continue reading →

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Romance and the style wars

Posted on December 10, 2019 by David Brussat

On Sunday I saw the 1959 film The Diary of Anne Frank and, in its depiction of Anne’s friendship with the son of another family hiding with the Franks in the attic of a Dutch row house in Nazi-occupied Holland, … Continue reading →

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Brown shifts, saves 5 houses

Posted on February 20, 2018 by David Brussat

Breaking news! Brown has just issued an announcement that it will shift its proposed performing arts center a block north, saving four historic buildings from demolition. The new site, between Angell and Olive streets rather than Waterman and Angell, requires … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

“Let’s you and him fight!”

Posted on January 5, 2018 by David Brussat

That was my first reaction to this essay by Aaron Betsky criticizing Rem Koolhaas, two icons of modernism. In “The BASEST form of architecture,” Betsky takes aim at Koolhaas’s installation (meaning a temporary gallery) in what may be the world’s … Continue reading →

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Review: “If Venice Dies”

Posted on October 29, 2016 by David Brussat

By the time I was half finished reading If Venice Dies, I was proclaiming its virtues to anyone who would listen. It was to be another of my bibles. But, although the book, by Italian art historian Salvatore Settis, starts … Continue reading →

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Ugliest house in Vancouver?

Posted on August 20, 2016 by David Brussat

Some Vancouverites are upset over the house to the left in the photo above. “Vancouver’s Most Hideous Urban Design for 2016: Why residents are up in arms over this house,” reads the headline in The National Post. So why are … Continue reading →

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Oh, to be in, um, China!

Posted on February 22, 2016 by David Brussat

It seems the People’s Republic of China has finally followed through on its maximum leader’s threat a year and a half ago to bar goofiness from its architecture. I penned a post, “Xi a Chinese visionary?” expressing my pleasure, or … Continue reading →

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

Betsky waxes nostalgic

Posted on December 4, 2015 by David Brussat

Aaron Betsky, regular columnist of Architect, mouthpiece of the American Institute of Architects, sees, in “Starchitects: The Next Generation,” the old guard of modern architecture being muscled aside by a new guard, who are winning big commissions and beginning to … Continue reading →

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Diss the Chicago Biennial!

Posted on November 19, 2015 by David Brussat

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 →

Posted in Architects, Architecture, Architecture Education, Architecture History, Art and design, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments