Files
Abstract
William L. Ramsey, Jr.'s 1959 thesis for a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture proposes a site development plan for The Scott Valley Shopping Center in rapidly expanding northeast Atlanta, Georgia. The plan outlines a 430,310 square foot building group, featuring a central mall running East-West parallel to North Decatur Road Extension, with six adjoining malls providing access to parking areas. The design addresses site challenges such as a general slope from Southwest to Northeast requiring substantial fill, a 32-foot grade change for parking, and a creek at the property's east end. Key design solutions prioritize ease of maintenance, access, traffic flow, and adequate parking, incorporating elements like lowered grade parking areas for optimal views and access, an efficient drainage system, and strategic planting of trees and shrubs for aesthetic appeal and screening. The center also boasts a contemporary design with squares and rectangles in the mall planning, asphalt block paving to reduce glare, and Cherokee flagstone in the central court, aiming to create an attractive and pleasant environment for shoppers. The thesis additionally provides background on the emergence and development of shopping centers, discussing types, population movement to suburbs, increased family income, the rise of "one-stop" shopping, and factors influencing site selection, acknowledging the rapid growth and evolution of integrated mall designs in the mid-20th century.