Blog

Twenty-first century brutalism

Brutalist architecture is having a bit of a moment in the public consciousness. A surprisingly favourable one. I've long heard buildings like UW's Math & Computer building or U of T's Robarts Library described as oppressive, faceless, and institutional. I've always associated the style with a …

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Faith in the system

We want to believe that the systems and institutions that govern our lives are mostly good. We want to believe that if we just keep our noses clean, we have nothing to fear. It's a lie you tell yourself because it's easier to ignore systemic injustice than to do something about it -- that is, …

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No Guardians at the Gate Book Review

Bob Burtt
A short investigative reporting work on Elmira's water contamination crisis. Facts on facts on facts, until the reader is so submerged it's hard to figure out what's going on anymore. The presentation of the problem is quite clear and dire, but what do we do about it?

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Losing the internet

When I was fifteen years old, I came across a web design forum called Open Source Web Design (OSWD) and fell in love with the community there. Members would create XHTML/CSS templates that anyone could use for free. We gave feedback on each others' designs, chatted about trends in the industry, and …

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