Tag Archives: Urbanism

Postcard from Providence 1997

Posted on July 15, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is the 1992 column mentioned in today’s post “Let’s ruin Kennedy Plaza” in which I suggest merging the plaza with Burnside Park to form a Central Park for Providence. I also placed the bus hub under “Kennedy Park.” On … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Architecture History, Art and design, Blast from past, Preservation, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Modernism in retreat?

Posted on June 23, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is an e-mail sent by architect Marc Szarkowski to the TradArch listserv’s discussion thread, “CNU is burning,” about modernism being invited further into New Urbanism at its recent conference in Buffalo. Marc disagrees, and though I’m not buying into … Continue reading →

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Renzo Piano, constrained

Posted on June 18, 2014 by David Brussat

A friend sent me from HuffPost this image of a new “building” in Paris by starchitect Renzo Piano (what a name!), sure that it would raise my dander sky high. But while the structure certainly confirms the stupidity of modern architecture, … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Human scale in Providence

Posted on June 16, 2014 by David Brussat

Tonight I saw the documentary The Human Scale, about the work of Jan Gehl, a Dane who has sought, as I put it in last night’s post, to undo some of the damage done by modernism to the space between … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Blast from past, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

See ‘The Human Scale’

Posted on June 14, 2014 by David Brussat

That is a documentary film about the work of Jan Gehl, a Danish architect whose idea of “Life Between Buildings” encapsulates his desire, apparently, to undo some of the harm that modern planning and design have done to cities over … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture Education, Development, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Blast past: Evolution on Thayer Street

Posted on May 19, 2014 by David Brussat

Here is a column I wrote more than 20 years ago about Thayer Street and the denizens thereof. I don’t even want to begin to start reflecting on the nature of its changes since then. Many readers will have their … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Blast from past, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Life on Thayer Street

Posted on May 18, 2014 by David Brussat

My family dined al fresco on Thayer Street this evening. Thayer is the main street of Brown University on College Hill, in Providence. We arrived, sat down, got out our mobile media, and noticed a party under way on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Development, Photography, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Massengale Square, Addis Ababa

Posted on May 1, 2014 by David Brussat

An inside joke, to be sure, but check this out and then ask whether local planners have stocked up on “Street Design” yet. A major intersection in the capital of Ethiopia.

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My upcoming Jane’s Walk

Posted on April 27, 2014 by David Brussat

My first Jane’s Walk, one of seven in Providence May 2-4, takes place this coming Saturday. It is free and open to the public. Jane’s Walk is an annual global city touring festival in which citizens volunteer to guide tours … Continue reading →

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“America’s Urban Future”

Posted on April 21, 2014 by David Brussat

Vishaan Chakrabarti, a partner in the New York starchitect-wannabe firm SHoP (yes, the now almost mandatory ridiculous name), has nevertheless written an excellent piece about urban/suburban trends for the New York Times. It suggests that the feds should shift away … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Providence, Urbanism and planning | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment