Jerry Cooper - Atlanta’s Transformation in the Late 1950s and ’60s

Jerry Cooper is a living piece of Atlanta’s architectural history. In this episode, the founder of Cooper Carry reflects on nearly a century of life and design — from his early years at Georgia Tech and a formative Fulbright scholarship in Rome, to helping shape some of Atlanta’s most influential buildings and developments. We talk about Atlanta’s transformation in the late 1950s and ’60s, the rise of suburban office parks, garden apartments, and mixed-use projects, and how developments like Riverbend, Cumberland Mall, Piedmont Center, and Executive Park helped define a generation of growth. Jerry also shares how he thinks about real estate cycles, why phased development matters, and how Cooper Carry stayed relevant through decades of change. From designing the College of Architecture at Georgia Tech to integrating buildings with the Chattahoochee National Forest, reimagining corporate campuses, and pioneering pedestrian-focused places like Underground Atlanta and Mizner Park, this conversation is about architecture built to last — and to mean something. 🎥 Watch the full episode for a rare, firsthand look at architecture, development, and the evolution of Atlanta. Big thanks to our sponsors for supporting this series: ✨ Songy Highroads – songyhighroads.com ✨ Corporate Environments – corporateenvironments.com ✨ USA Cabling – usacablingtech.com If you’re looking for commercial real estate in Atlanta, give me a call — I’d love to connect. ⏱️Timestamps 0:00–3:06 Intro + Early Life 3:06–4:09 Sponsorship Break 4:09–7:23 Architectural Influences 7:23–12:38 Early Career & Turning Points 12:38–13:16 Sponsorship Break 13:16–15:52 Rome, Fulbright & Going Independent 15:52–19:54 Atlanta’s Growth & Early Projects 19:54–20:36 Sponsorship Break 20:36–26:00 Civil Rights, Cities & Sprawl 26:00–30:54 Suburban Growth & Cooper Carry 30:54–37:27 Residential & Early Commercial Work 37:27–40:51 Garden Apartments & Riverbend 40:51–45:54 Mixed-Use & Corporate Expansion 45:54–51:50 Market Cycles & Legacy Projects 51:50–54:55 Designing with Purpose 54:55–1:06:28 The Future of Cooper Carry 1:06:28 Outro More info: https://linktr.ee/timwright.cre