Finding Spivey Hall - Its Pretty Side Faces the Lake

"Nobody" went to Morrow, Georgia until they built Spivey Hall.

It's a bold claim: "one of the finest facilities...in the nation..." and there is so much that fascinates about this small auditorium in Morrow, Georgia, south of the cultural centers of metro Atlanta.



Spivey Hall is a 392 seat concert hall completed in 1991 at Clayton State University. On June 29 I went to a free 11am concert culminating a choral workshop, about 60 voices accompanied by piano and organ. Brief expert commentary: They rocked!. Spivey Hall rocked.

I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the concert hall. You can find some here. So I'll show you a bit of the outside so you won't be surprised when you visit.


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Clayton State University is a low slung campus in a park overlooking lakes and ponds. Spivey Hall's curvy side faces Swan Lake. The curve houses the lobby and grand stair. The stage is on the street-side. The music school connects on the south.


This is Spivey Hall from the street. It does not express itself on the outside.


It's rather a shock, I didn't expect a brick box. But this is above average for the backside of a theater though most backsides face the back.


You really need the sign.


You enter to the back-left, there's a porte-cochère next to the comfortable entry.


The entry is on the second floor. The lake side is a glass wall, though it's hard to see the lake though the trees.


The entry is a balcony overlooking the grand lobby, the stair, and the lake.


They set up the lobby for an after concert buffet.

 
From the stair you pick up all the design themes, lake to the left, lyre themed balustrade, black marble floors (but not in the auditorium), faux-painted colossal pink columns, crystal sconces, blue rectangles on the walls.


The lobby feels bigger than it is.


It's quite comfortable, it's open with many cozy comers and niches. The outgoing and the wallflowers can feel good in here.


This is the view as you exit the auditorium seeing through the lobby to the lake.


I walked out to see the lake side. But it's so grown up you really can't see the pretty side very well.

Now that you can find your way I suggest you visit next Saturday for a Sacred Harp sing: Community Singing and Potluck Luncheon: Saturday, July 20, 10AM - 4PM. It's free.

Morrow, Georgia's Classical Niches with Urns

The Morrow First United Methodist Church (1967) is the best building on this stretch of Jonesboro Road, a rather pleasant, practical, sparse, green, burger, nail-care, big box road along the tracks.


Its portico has two fine niches with urns. I'm at a loss about why these are so appealing to me but there you go.

Morrow has Spivey Hall and Clayton State University but you can't see them from the road and they aren't designed for show.

Morrow has two important if unexpected side by side moderns: The National Archives at Atlanta and The Georgia Archives.Both are warehouses fronted by impressive facades activated with modern facade pizazz. They catch my eye but don't make me care.


Wren-Gibbs style churches are everywhere. But there's SOMETHING about First Methodist. I couldn't figure it out when I was driving 45. So I stopped for a minute last Saturday.

William R. Tapp Jr. Architect Associates used some fine if modest detailing in 1967. Mr. Tapp, 1922-2011 was a Georgia Tech alum who designed a lot of buildings around here though this is my first encounter. His name is carved into a niche plaque.


The design "money" is in the portico...


...and in the niches. Isn't it amazing how the urn's shadows and reflections color and shade the niche.

Perhaps I'll do Morrow First Baptist another day. It's on Lake Harbin.


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