119. Mussolini's Ballroom, or, The Leopards Ate My Face
MAR 31, 202650 MIN
119. Mussolini's Ballroom, or, The Leopards Ate My Face
MAR 31, 202650 MIN
Description
<p>Intro: “S.P.Q.R.” by This Heat</p><p>Discussed:</p><p><a href="https://paulgoldberger.com/">Paul Goldberger</a></p><p>“<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/13/opinion/culture/white-house-ballroom-trump.html?searchResultPosition=1">Trump Will Destroy Washington if It’s the Last Thing He Does</a>,” New York Times, March 13, 2026</p><p>More Times<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/03/29/upshot/white-house-ballroom.html"> analysis</a> on the White House ballroom plans</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law">Godwin’s Law</a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Speer">Albert Speer</a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Henry_Latrobe">Benjamin Latrobe</a></p><p>Alternate venues, that would not require a new ballroom at the White House:</p><ul><li><a href="https://nbm.org/">National Building Museum</a></li><li><a href="https://www.eventsatmellon.com/">Mellon Auditorium</a></li></ul><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moynihan_Train_Hall">Moynihan Train Hall</a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulles_International_Airport">Saarinen's Dulles Airport design</a> </p><p>“<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-trump-demolish-rebuild-washington/">Fedlandia</a>” – a plan to rebuild 230 acres of Federal downtown Washington</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7046638/2026/02/14/lawsuit-trump-takeover-dc-golf-course/?searchResultPosition=2">East Potomac Golf Links</a> Trump takeover plan, and the resistance</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Garden_of_American_Heroes">National Garden of American Heroes</a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Christopher_Columbus_%28Baltimore%29">Christopher Columbus statue, Baltimore</a></p><p>White House ballroom architects</p><ul><li><a href="https://mccreryarchitects.com/">James McCrery</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/21/us/politics/trump-ballroom-architect.html?searchResultPosition=1">Shalom Baranes</a></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-31/trump-says-triumphal-arch-construction-to-begin-in-two-months">Arc de Trump</a> – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Shubow">Justin Shubow</a></p><p>Suit <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/23/nx-s1-5757505/kennedy-center-trump-lawsuit">against Kennedy Center renovations</a></p><p>Mamdani’s <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/mamdani-pitches-sunnyside-yards-housing-project-trump-queens/6470480/?utm_source=copilot.com">Trump-whispering</a> to get funding for the Sunnyside Yards overbuild</p><p><a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150521848/design-proposals-for-trump-s-dulles-international-airport-overhaul-include-zaha-hadid-architects-adjaye-associates-grimshaw">Dulles Airport overhaul proposals</a></p><p>Original Dulles Airport <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_lounge">mobile lounges</a></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Foster_Dulles">John Foster Dulles</a></p><p>Trump offer to release Gateway Tunnel funds <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-asked-dulles-penn-station-named-exchange-gateway-money-released-rcna257708">in exchange for naming Penn Station after him</a></p><p><a href="https://cbs12.com/news/local/palm-beach-international-airport-rename-representative-brian-mast-bill-would-codify-president-donald-j-trump-international-airport-name-and-seek-code-djt">Renaming of Palm Beach airport</a>, after Trump</p><p><a href="https://www.weissmanfredi.com/projects/25-u-s-embassy-in-new-delhi-india">Renovation and expansion of the US Embassy in Delhi, India</a> (Edward Durell Stone > Weiss Manfredi)</p><p>Penn Station reconstruction under Trump:</p><ul><li><a href="https://gothamist.com/news/trump-weighs-moving-madison-square-garden-for-penn-station-rebuild-sources-say">Move Madison Square Garden</a>?</li><li><a href="https://media.amtrak.com/2026/03/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-and-amtrak-announce-progress-on-new-york-penn-station-transformation/">AECOM joint venture to lead project management</a></li><li>ASTM + HOK + PAU Plan: <a href="https://www.6sqft.com/new-penn-station-overhaul-proposal-adds-vishaan-chakrabarti-to-design-team/">Keep MSG, remove Hulu Theater</a></li></ul><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moynihan_Train_Hall">Moynihan Train Hall</a></p><p><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ballpark-paul-goldberger/1129614867">Ballpark: Baseball in the American City</a></p><p>FIFA Sites include:</p><ul><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette_Stadium">Gillette Stadium</a>, Foxborough, MA</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrowhead_Stadium">Arrowhead Stadium</a>, Kansas City, MO</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoFi_Stadium">SoFi Stadium</a>, Inglewood, CA</li><li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Stadium">AT&T Stadium</a>, Arlington, TX</li></ul><p>Chuck Klosterman: “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_%28book%29?utm_source=copilot.com">Football</a>” as a “hyperobject”</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Siro">Milan San Siro</a> (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza)</p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Stadium">NY Jets plan for West Side stadium</a></p><p>Upcoming Goldberger book (11/17/2026): “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/720345/the-imperfect-city-by-paul-goldberger/">The Imperfect City: Design, Serendipity, and the Real Life of Cities</a>”</p><p>--</p><p>Outro: “The Leopards Ate My Face,” by Franchesca Ramsey</p><p> </p>