by Ross Cann AIA RA | Mar 4, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Historical, Newport Architect Spotlight, Newport Spotlight
(Colorized) Breakers designed by Peobody & Stearns (1878) Even today Newport is filled with Gilded Age mansions. But many of the grand houses that once existed from that time have been lost over time and still others have been replaced with different mansions,...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Feb 11, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Historical, Newport Spotlight, Sustainable Design
West Facade (Courtesy of The Chanler) Perched above Newport’s first beach at the entry to famous Cliff Walk, The Chanler at Cliff Walk is more than just a luxury hotel; it is a model for the adaptive reuse of a historic structure. Originally known as Cliff Lawn, this...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Feb 4, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Historical, Newport Spotlight, Sustainable Design
There are two types of mansions in Newport, Rhode Island: those prominent buildings located along Bellevue Avenue, which seek to showcase their grandeur to the public, and those along the winding Ocean Avenue that are located on large secluded lots and largely hidden...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Jan 28, 2026 | Architectural Design, Articles, Guide, Historical
Sainte Chapelle (Paris, France, Built 1248) People often think of architecture as the “background” of our lives, but to architects, buildings are complex systems and artistic creations. Just as a novelist uses syntax to convey plot or a composer...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Jan 14, 2026 | Architectural Design, Architectural Historian Spotlight, Articles, Historical, Newport Spotlight
During the Gilded Age, Newport, Rhode Island, transformed from a quiet summer retreat into a glittering stage for America’s “industrial royalty.” At the center of this transformation was the Vanderbilt family and the houses they built and owned. While...
by Ross Cann AIA RA | Nov 12, 2025 | Architectural Design, Architectural Historian Spotlight, Historical, Newport Architect Spotlight, Newport Spotlight, Professional
After a five-year hiatus, the Newport Symposium, a longstanding scholarly tradition for the Preservation Society of Newport County (PSNC) since 1993, returned to the community this past spring with a one-day session focusing on the Italian influence on the mansions of...
