Brandon DonnellyCanada must become a global superpower
The silver lining to the US starting a trade war with Canada and regularly threatening annexation is that it has forced this country out of complacency. Indeed, I'm hard pressed to remember a time, at least in my lifetime, when patriotism and nationalism has united so much of Canada. According to a recent survey by Angus Reid, the percentage of Canadians expressing a "deep emotional attachment" to the country jumped from 49% in December 2024 to 59% in February 2025. And as further evidence of...
Brandon DonnellyThe bank robbery capital of the world
Between 1985 and 1995, Los Angeles' retail bank branches were robbed some 17,106 times. In 1992, which was the the city's worst year for robberies, the number was 2,641. This roughly translated into about one bank robbery every 45 minutes of each banking day. All of this, according to this CrimeReads piece by Peter Houlahan, gave Los Angeles the dubious title of "The Bank Robbery Capital of the World" during this time period. So what caused this? Well according to Peter it was facil...
Brandon DonnellyThe story behind those pixelated video game mosaics in Paris
If you've ever been to Paris, you've probably noticed the small pixelated art pieces that are scattered all around the city on buildings and various other hard surfaces. Or maybe you haven't seen or noticed them in Paris, but you've seen similarly pixelated mosaics in one of the other 79 cities around the world where they can be found. Or maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about right now. Huh? Here's an example from Bolivia (click here if you can't see...
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Brandon DonnellyCanada must become a global superpower
The silver lining to the US starting a trade war with Canada and regularly threatening annexation is that it has forced this country out of complacency. Indeed, I'm hard pressed to remember a time, at least in my lifetime, when patriotism and nationalism has united so much of Canada. According to a recent survey by Angus Reid, the percentage of Canadians expressing a "deep emotional attachment" to the country jumped from 49% in December 2024 to 59% in February 2025. And as further evidence of...
Brandon DonnellyThe bank robbery capital of the world
Between 1985 and 1995, Los Angeles' retail bank branches were robbed some 17,106 times. In 1992, which was the the city's worst year for robberies, the number was 2,641. This roughly translated into about one bank robbery every 45 minutes of each banking day. All of this, according to this CrimeReads piece by Peter Houlahan, gave Los Angeles the dubious title of "The Bank Robbery Capital of the World" during this time period. So what caused this? Well according to Peter it was facil...
Brandon DonnellyThe story behind those pixelated video game mosaics in Paris
If you've ever been to Paris, you've probably noticed the small pixelated art pieces that are scattered all around the city on buildings and various other hard surfaces. Or maybe you haven't seen or noticed them in Paris, but you've seen similarly pixelated mosaics in one of the other 79 cities around the world where they can be found. Or maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about right now. Huh? Here's an example from Bolivia (click here if you can't see...
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Brandon DonnellyIn support of simplicity
Support Brandon Donnelly
Brandon DonnellyIn support of simplicity
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"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." I'm not exactly sure who this quote is attributed to -- maybe Einstein -- but regardless, I love it. I'm a big fan of simplicity.
I have a cookbook in my kitchen by Jamie Oliver where each recipe contains no more than 5 main ingredients. There's a picture of the 5 ingredients, a picture of the final product, and a short explanation about how to make it. It's my favorite cookbook (and also my only cookbook).
When I go to a restaurant I prefer to see a short menu rather than a long menu. Not only because it's easier to make decisions that way, but because I have little confidence that a restaurant with an interminable menu can make that many terrific dishes all at once.
And in architecture school, I remember being taught that every design project should really only have one principal idea. If you have two ideas, that's probably one too many. Distill it down. Clarify the idea that you're trying to communicate.
Because here's the thing about simplicity: it's usually more work to make things as simple as possible, but not simpler. It takes effort. It takes iterations. Whether that be in cooking, design, or in writing.
But once you've got it, simplicity is a beautiful thing. And it also greatly increases the chance that somebody will actually remember the message that you're trying to get across. Five ingredients. A short menu. And one architectural idea. That's all it might take.
Photo by Jakub Dziubak on Unsplash
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." I'm not exactly sure who this quote is attributed to -- maybe Einstein -- but regardless, I love it. I'm a big fan of simplicity.
I have a cookbook in my kitchen by Jamie Oliver where each recipe contains no more than 5 main ingredients. There's a picture of the 5 ingredients, a picture of the final product, and a short explanation about how to make it. It's my favorite cookbook (and also my only cookbook).
When I go to a restaurant I prefer to see a short menu rather than a long menu. Not only because it's easier to make decisions that way, but because I have little confidence that a restaurant with an interminable menu can make that many terrific dishes all at once.
And in architecture school, I remember being taught that every design project should really only have one principal idea. If you have two ideas, that's probably one too many. Distill it down. Clarify the idea that you're trying to communicate.
Because here's the thing about simplicity: it's usually more work to make things as simple as possible, but not simpler. It takes effort. It takes iterations. Whether that be in cooking, design, or in writing.
But once you've got it, simplicity is a beautiful thing. And it also greatly increases the chance that somebody will actually remember the message that you're trying to get across. Five ingredients. A short menu. And one architectural idea. That's all it might take.
Photo by Jakub Dziubak on Unsplash
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