The Grove Arcade

"As we move through buildings, towns, and cities, we mentally connect visual cues from our surroundings to our needs and expectations. The satisfaction and richness of our experiences are largely the result of the ways in which these connections are made."
-Matthew Frederick

The Grove Arcade in Asheville, North Carolina, is a delight to senses- harmonious in proportion, sensuous in its details, with a interesting variety of shops and restaurants on the ground floor. The upper levels house offices and other non-retail businesses. Whether or not these businesses can survive in an internet-driven commerce will remain to be seen. Still, what a treasure to be able to buy furniture, clothing and even groceries in the same location! The opposite of suburban sprawl, its continued existence gives one hope for the future vitality of cities and urban life.