Assessment of small town form and patterns

Overall physical growth in this country is characterized by homogeneity or a lack of connection with its surroundings. Designers and planners need to develop a way to combat homogeneity in future growth. In order to do this, we must look closely at an area to provide context for new development proposals. Small towns are becoming more attractive to people looking for a place to live. Therefore, these areas are experiencing rapid growth. There is a need for a method that can be used to assess the physical forms and patterns of small towns. The information generated by this method can be used by designers to preserve the existing character of small towns. The method being proposed is a series of questions designed to prompt the observer to discover three characteristics of a particular town of interest: its sense of place, its landscape vernacular, and its physical components. The use of the assessment method is demonstrated through two case studies. These studies provide examples of the type of information that can be discovered concerning small towns. The assessment method uncovers three important issues. First is the need to provide context for proposed design. Secondly, it shows the need to integrate new technology and techniques with the existing physical structure of a place. Lastly, this method illustrates the importance of assessing small town form and patterns when proposing new growth.