Lecture by Associate Professor David Spooner

Associate Professor | UGA College of Environment+ Design

Learn more about David Spooner

“Discovering the Small Town Feeling” explores the rural built environment and the sentimental responses it generates. This feeling is often associated with the strong social ties among residents and the relaxed lifestyle found in rural areas. This presentation introduces a different perspective: the layout, design, and configuration of small towns significantly contribute to their unique “feeling.” Small towns feel smaller, slower and shorter than their urban counterparts. The compact nature of small towns promotes higher levels of social interaction, and their architectural facades often appear familiar and friendly. To truly understand the essence of a small town, one must experience it by moving through it. Understanding a place requires seeing the cumulative effect associated with a sequence of views – the views we experience while walking.