One of the most extraordinary things about Salt Lake City is that you can land at its airport and then, in 20-30 minutes, you’re in the mountains looking at landscapes like this: By my estimation, this makes it the most accessible big city and mountain… Read More
Witold Rybczynski and I clearly do not have the same taste in architecture. But he raises an interesting point about the relationship between architecture and art in this recent post. Here’s an excerpt: In the name of renouncing the past—and denouncing anything that smacks of… Read More
I came across the above photo this morning. If you can’t see it, click here. It’s a photo of the Koblick House in Los Angeles designed by Richard Neutra and Gregory Ain for art professor Harry Koblick. Built into the hills of Silver Lake in… Read More
This week it was announced that US president Joe Biden has revoked a number of Presidential Actions, one of which is Executive Order 13967 — Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture. Signed on December 18, 2020 by former president Trump, the order, which I wrote about… Read More
These sketches tell you everything you need to know about the recently completed Stairway House by Nendo Studio. The house is setback from its south property line as a result of the surrounding context. A south-facing green space is then introduced, preserving one of the… Read More
Here is an interesting topic for debate. This week the NY Times reported that a non-profit group called the National Civic Art Society has drafted an executive order that would make classical architecture the default style for all federal buildings in the United States. The… Read More
In the 1940’s, Juscelino Kubitschek invited Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer to design a new planned suburb north of Belo Horizonte called Pampulha. Kubitschek was mayor at the time and Niemeyer was a young modernist architect in his 30’s. This was the start of an important… Read More
Architect I.M. Pei died this week in New York City. He was 102. Being a centenarian is noteworthy enough. He was born in Hong Kong in 1917. I would love to join that club. Imagine how much change he experienced throughout his life. But, of… Read More
Brazil has been on my travel bucket list for many years, if not decades. Whenever I tell someone that they often ask me why that is the case. In addition to its breathtaking natural beauty, sunny beaches, beautiful people, and lively culture, Brazil is also… Read More
São Paulo, and Brazil more broadly, are near the top of my list of places that I want to visit. Starting in the 1930s, Brazil became an early adopter of modern architecture with projects like the Ministry of Education and Health Building. It was one… Read More
BRANDON DONNELLY 