Peter Coffman
@petercoffman.bsky.social
Architectural Historian; Supervisor of History & Theory of Architecture program @carleton.ca. https://carleton.ca/aah/people/peter-coffman/ Photographer. Pilgrim. Occasionally a writer. Chief of Staff to two cats. Photos mine unless otherwise credited.
Pinned
I’m getting ready to co-teach our new course on Canadian architecture.
So, What *is* Canadian architecture?
Well, it’s a long story. Or rather, *many* long stories.
So, What *is* Canadian architecture?
Well, it’s a long story. Or rather, *many* long stories.
Reposted by Peter Coffman
Read. Books shape you, change you, inform you. My mother gave me lots of books that opened my imagination, and urged me to travel.
I couldn’t get this book on E form, so I got an old fashioned hard cover, and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands and read it in one go. ❤️
I couldn’t get this book on E form, so I got an old fashioned hard cover, and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands and read it in one go. ❤️
January 12, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Read. Books shape you, change you, inform you. My mother gave me lots of books that opened my imagination, and urged me to travel.
I couldn’t get this book on E form, so I got an old fashioned hard cover, and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands and read it in one go. ❤️
I couldn’t get this book on E form, so I got an old fashioned hard cover, and I can’t wait to hold it in my hands and read it in one go. ❤️
Reposted by Peter Coffman
Thank you, Ottawa Citizen, for publishing my op-ed today on the financial crisis that municipalities across the country are facing due to aging infrastructure.
To read the story, please visit the Ottawa Citizen web site and look for the Opinion section.
@OttawaCitizen.com
To read the story, please visit the Ottawa Citizen web site and look for the Opinion section.
@OttawaCitizen.com
January 10, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Thank you, Ottawa Citizen, for publishing my op-ed today on the financial crisis that municipalities across the country are facing due to aging infrastructure.
To read the story, please visit the Ottawa Citizen web site and look for the Opinion section.
@OttawaCitizen.com
To read the story, please visit the Ottawa Citizen web site and look for the Opinion section.
@OttawaCitizen.com
a dispassionate and unequivocal assessment from an expert. "When the state kills first and invents the threat afterward, it is not policing, it is death squad behavior."
🧵In my expert opinion as a researcher of vehicle ramming attacks, what has been publicly described in the video evidence does not support the claim that Renee Nicole Good was attempting a deliberate ramming attack when she was shot in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. 1/7
January 8, 2026 at 10:24 PM
a dispassionate and unequivocal assessment from an expert. "When the state kills first and invents the threat afterward, it is not policing, it is death squad behavior."
Reposted by Peter Coffman
My column on Renee Nicole Good and the miserable, wretched souls trying to justify the actions of an ICE agent who shot her dead:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
January 8, 2026 at 5:16 PM
My column on Renee Nicole Good and the miserable, wretched souls trying to justify the actions of an ICE agent who shot her dead:
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...
Reposted by Peter Coffman
Reposted by Peter Coffman
It is at this point the USA fixes itself or falls.
At least four videos show what really happened when ICE shot a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday. DHS has established itself as an agency that cannot be trusted to live in or present reality.
DHS Is Lying To You About ICE Shooting a Woman
At least four videos show what really happened when ICE shot a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday. DHS has established itself as an agency that cannot be trusted to live in or present reality.
www.404media.co
January 7, 2026 at 10:48 PM
It is at this point the USA fixes itself or falls.
Four days into 2026, and I already need a timeline cleanse.
Here are some nice arches in the Real Alcázar in Seville.
May the path ahead be this smooth, for all of us! Or at least, smoother than it currently looks.
Here are some nice arches in the Real Alcázar in Seville.
May the path ahead be this smooth, for all of us! Or at least, smoother than it currently looks.
January 4, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Four days into 2026, and I already need a timeline cleanse.
Here are some nice arches in the Real Alcázar in Seville.
May the path ahead be this smooth, for all of us! Or at least, smoother than it currently looks.
Here are some nice arches in the Real Alcázar in Seville.
May the path ahead be this smooth, for all of us! Or at least, smoother than it currently looks.
I’ve seen this cartoon every year since 2021. And every year I think, incorrectly, that this will be the last year it has any bite….
January 4, 2026 at 12:14 AM
I’ve seen this cartoon every year since 2021. And every year I think, incorrectly, that this will be the last year it has any bite….
Reposted by Peter Coffman
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
January 3, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Marco Rubio is reportedly saying Maduro will stand trial in US courts.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Which means it’s now the US administration’s position that US courts can hold foreign presidents, but not the US president, accountable for crimes.
Reposted by Peter Coffman
::pounds table:: i love specialized knowledge!!!
Great film, but Anglo-Norman masonry would never have looked like that. The ashlar blocks would have been smaller, and the mortar joints thicker. And of course it would all have been whitewashed with false mortar joints painted on.
@jamestaite.bsky.social might have more to add….
@jamestaite.bsky.social might have more to add….
Dec 29th 1170 - The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered.
📽️📅 Depicted in Becket (1964)
📽️📅 Depicted in Becket (1964)
December 29, 2025 at 4:56 PM
::pounds table:: i love specialized knowledge!!!
Speaking of #ThomasBecket (and who isn’t, on the 855th anniversary of his martyrdom?), this stained glass window in @cburycathedral.bsky.social was long thought to be a nearly contemporary portrait of him. Alas, Rachel Koopmans has shown it to be a C20 forgery by Samuel Caldwell.
December 29, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Speaking of #ThomasBecket (and who isn’t, on the 855th anniversary of his martyrdom?), this stained glass window in @cburycathedral.bsky.social was long thought to be a nearly contemporary portrait of him. Alas, Rachel Koopmans has shown it to be a C20 forgery by Samuel Caldwell.
Great film, but Anglo-Norman masonry would never have looked like that. The ashlar blocks would have been smaller, and the mortar joints thicker. And of course it would all have been whitewashed with false mortar joints painted on.
@jamestaite.bsky.social might have more to add….
@jamestaite.bsky.social might have more to add….
Dec 29th 1170 - The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered.
📽️📅 Depicted in Becket (1964)
📽️📅 Depicted in Becket (1964)
December 29, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Great film, but Anglo-Norman masonry would never have looked like that. The ashlar blocks would have been smaller, and the mortar joints thicker. And of course it would all have been whitewashed with false mortar joints painted on.
@jamestaite.bsky.social might have more to add….
@jamestaite.bsky.social might have more to add….
855 years ago Monday, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket was hacked to death inside his own cathedral.
If you want to mark the anniversary, you can always listen to my 2-part podcast with Dr. John Jenkins (U of York) on the life, death and cult of Thomas.
carleton.ca/aah/2021/hta...
If you want to mark the anniversary, you can always listen to my 2-part podcast with Dr. John Jenkins (U of York) on the life, death and cult of Thomas.
carleton.ca/aah/2021/hta...
HTA Podcast: Medieval Chats, Episode 4 - Art and Architectural History
The Life, Death and Cult of Thomas Becket: A Conversation with Dr. John Jenkins Canterbury Cathedral, from the East. I vividly recall watching the movie
carleton.ca
December 29, 2025 at 4:01 AM
855 years ago Monday, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket was hacked to death inside his own cathedral.
If you want to mark the anniversary, you can always listen to my 2-part podcast with Dr. John Jenkins (U of York) on the life, death and cult of Thomas.
carleton.ca/aah/2021/hta...
If you want to mark the anniversary, you can always listen to my 2-part podcast with Dr. John Jenkins (U of York) on the life, death and cult of Thomas.
carleton.ca/aah/2021/hta...
A few weeks ago, I created a redacted version of a final exam to help students prepare for it. My first idea was to highlight text I needed to conceal in black, then export to PDF. But it occurred to me that highlighting covered text, but didn’t eliminate it. 1/3
www.cbc.ca/news/world/e...
www.cbc.ca/news/world/e...
How internet sleuths are un-redacting some of the Epstein files | CBC News
While Democratic legislators, victims of Jeffrey Epstein and their lawyers have complained about the number of blacked-out pages and passages in the files released by the U.S. Department of Justice, ...
www.cbc.ca
December 27, 2025 at 3:46 PM
A few weeks ago, I created a redacted version of a final exam to help students prepare for it. My first idea was to highlight text I needed to conceal in black, then export to PDF. But it occurred to me that highlighting covered text, but didn’t eliminate it. 1/3
www.cbc.ca/news/world/e...
www.cbc.ca/news/world/e...
Reposted by Peter Coffman
On December 25, 2025, after the Christmas Mass, the bells of Strasbourg Cathedral rang out beneath a perfectly blue sky.
One quiet minute to capture the joyful spirit of Christmas in the city. 🔔
One quiet minute to capture the joyful spirit of Christmas in the city. 🔔
December 25, 2025 at 3:36 PM
On December 25, 2025, after the Christmas Mass, the bells of Strasbourg Cathedral rang out beneath a perfectly blue sky.
One quiet minute to capture the joyful spirit of Christmas in the city. 🔔
One quiet minute to capture the joyful spirit of Christmas in the city. 🔔
I received the most touching Christmas message from my employer this morning. I feel so valued.
December 25, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I received the most touching Christmas message from my employer this morning. I feel so valued.
Reposted by Peter Coffman
It is EXHAUSTING not only being made responsible for coming up with new kinds of assignments for our students; it's also tedious reading op-eds that suggest the core problem is a crisis in teaching. But, as Chris and I lay out here, this isn't a crisis in teaching; it's an attack on learning.
"We envision a resistance that is...a repudiation of the efficiencies that automated algorithmic education falsely promises: a resistance comprising the collective force of small acts of friction."
"How to Resist AI in Education" by me & @cnygren.bsky.social
www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
"How to Resist AI in Education" by me & @cnygren.bsky.social
www.publicbooks.org/four-frictio...
Four Frictions: or, How to Resist AI in Education - Public Books
We are calling for resistance to the AI industry’s ongoing capture of higher education.
www.publicbooks.org
December 24, 2025 at 7:39 PM
It is EXHAUSTING not only being made responsible for coming up with new kinds of assignments for our students; it's also tedious reading op-eds that suggest the core problem is a crisis in teaching. But, as Chris and I lay out here, this isn't a crisis in teaching; it's an attack on learning.
Reposted by Peter Coffman
I don't have a specific story at the top of my head, but the experience of picking up a loose piece of paper and realizing when you get to the end of the page that you now know something about the past that literally no other living person knows?
Unbeatable.
Unbeatable.
I think we need a mega thread of everyone's craziest archive stories.
December 23, 2025 at 1:52 AM
I don't have a specific story at the top of my head, but the experience of picking up a loose piece of paper and realizing when you get to the end of the page that you now know something about the past that literally no other living person knows?
Unbeatable.
Unbeatable.
@thatericalper.com on the new(ish) book of photographs by the wonderful David Woodhead, frequented collaborator with my late, great friend Oliver Schroer.
David Woodhead explores the golden era of Canadian folk in his new book 'Evidence of Ecstasy: David Woodhead's musical journey in photographs' featuring Stan Rogers. Grab this photographic journey today. zurl.co/x4ucq
David Woodhead Captures the Magic of Musicians in 'Evidence of Ecstasy' - That Eric Alper
Photographer and musician David Woodhead offers a stunning visual narrative of the Canadian independent music scene with his new book ‘Evidence of Ecstasy: David Woodhead’s musical journey in photographs’. This collection serves as a rare window into the 1970s and 80s folk world by featuring intimate black and white images from recording studios and legendary […]
zurl.co
December 22, 2025 at 9:49 PM
@thatericalper.com on the new(ish) book of photographs by the wonderful David Woodhead, frequented collaborator with my late, great friend Oliver Schroer.
Hintonburg just got even better. Solomon’s Oven opened last night. I’ve only tried a couple of their dips and their baklava, but so far so great!
solomonsoven.ca
solomonsoven.ca
Solomon's Oven | Discover Fresh Bakes - Visit Now
Visit Solomon's Oven, the only place in Ottawa with authentic Middle Eastern baked Saj, quick bites, and family meals. Experience their fresh meals today!
solomonsoven.ca
December 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Hintonburg just got even better. Solomon’s Oven opened last night. I’ve only tried a couple of their dips and their baklava, but so far so great!
solomonsoven.ca
solomonsoven.ca
Reposted by Peter Coffman
The complete Bayeux Tapestry has finally been released and proves that Bishop Odo had absolutely nothing to do with the illegal Norman invasion of England.
December 20, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The complete Bayeux Tapestry has finally been released and proves that Bishop Odo had absolutely nothing to do with the illegal Norman invasion of England.
I recall being in a university classroom when the prof broke the news to us: the evidence around 2nd-hand smoke had become too compelling to ignore, so he would no longer allow smoking in the classroom. Seems like another century. Come to think of it, it was….
I lived thru the end of public smoking. Early in my career I presented to city councils who were smoking, in front of audiences who were smoking.
Smoking in restaurants, airplanes, hospitals…
All of that seems insane now, but it was very controversial when we DID change it.
We CAN change things.
Smoking in restaurants, airplanes, hospitals…
All of that seems insane now, but it was very controversial when we DID change it.
We CAN change things.
It’s crazy that people used to be able to just smoke cigarettes wherever they wanted
December 20, 2025 at 5:48 PM
I recall being in a university classroom when the prof broke the news to us: the evidence around 2nd-hand smoke had become too compelling to ignore, so he would no longer allow smoking in the classroom. Seems like another century. Come to think of it, it was….
Happy 182nd birthday to one of greatest stories ever written. A Christmas Carol was released on December 19, 1843, and sold out by Christmas Eve.
December 19, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Happy 182nd birthday to one of greatest stories ever written. A Christmas Carol was released on December 19, 1843, and sold out by Christmas Eve.
My breakfast had its very own Shroud of Turin.
December 16, 2025 at 3:53 PM
My breakfast had its very own Shroud of Turin.