AN ARCHITECTURAL DISASTER TOO

News reports in the past few weeks have been dominated by stories of tragic human suffering and governmental incompetence in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Less prominent has been information about the architectural toll, which also concerns the unique character of historic New Orleans. To what degree the city will recover that character remains uncertain, but the architecture will be not only a measure of the recovery of New Orleans, but also part of the reason to make the effort.

THE ARTIST AND THE GEOMETER

French architect Pierre Debeaux was known as an uncompromising artist, a rigorous geometer, and a passionate master builder, crafting innovative forms out of conventional building materials. The Jacques Vion firehouse, built in the city of Toulouse, France in the late 1960s, remains one of his major works and a prime example of his mature style. Next week author Stéphane Gruet will show us this remarkable building.