Big Changes Coming to CofC’s Simons Center for the Arts

The Simons Center opened at 54 St. Philip St. in 1979 | Images via CofC

Charleston City Paper
Samantha Connors
September 7, 2021

The 42-year-old Albert Simons Center for the Arts, located at 54 St. Philip St., is getting ready for a facelift. Opened in 1979, the center was originally built to accommodate a maximum of 800 students, but with increased admissions, the Simons Center serves more than five times that number these days according to College of Charleston’s School of the Arts Dean Edward Hart.

“The Simons Center has been great, but after 40 years, it needs a little work,” he said in a press release. “Better facilities make for a better environment. Everybody wants to be in a place where it looks and feels nice, and where there’s appropriate space.”

The multimillion dollar renovation project will expand the building from 87,365 square feet to 99,000 square feet with additional classrooms and performance space.

Other new features will include larger classrooms, new seminar rooms, a two-story black-box theater, costume shop, scene shop and theater design studio, sculpture, printmaking and drawing studios, music practice rooms and more.

“This has been a long time coming and we’re delighted,” said Hart. “We are so appreciative of the College’s administration for supporting us. You know, when times are tough, very often the arts take it on the chin. And our administration has shown the foresight to really stand by us with this project, which indicates that the arts really are a priority for the College.”

Construction will begin this fall and art classes will be moved to other areas of the campus and city including the former Redux building at 136 St. Philip St., the Lightsey Center and the Calhoun Annex. Renovations are expected to be complete by spring 2023.

Liollio Architecture and HGA Design Firm are tackling the redesign of the building and plan to incorporate bright colors that allude to familiar campus features like the Towell Library’s green door and Randolph Hall’s coral colored walls.

The renovation will not only make more run for incoming students but also help the school secure its place in Charleston’s flourishing art community.

“There really isn’t an artistic institution in this town that we aren’t somehow involved with, whether it’s a direct relationship or partnership or whether it’s our graduates that are over there or our faculty members,” said Hart, referencing the college’s involvement with many major art events and venues like Spoleto Festival USA and the Charleston Gaillard Center.

“We can just go on and on, and I think it’s time for us to claim that. Charleston is an arts city and we’re at the heart of it.”

The interior will feature some familiar elements, updated

College of Charleston Arts Building Set for Multimillion-Dollar Overhaul

A rendering shows a design of what the renovated Albert Simons Center could look like from St. Philip Street. College of Charleston/Provided

By Maura Hogan mhogan@postandcourier.com
The Post and Courier
Sep 3, 2021

The College of Charleston is set to begin a multimillion-dollar renovation of the Albert Simons Center for the Arts.

It realizes a plan that was set in motion by the college years ago.

“This has been a long time coming and we’re delighted,” School of the Arts Dean Edward Hart said in a statement.

From the project’s onset, the college estimated its cost at $50 million. The arts center, which is on St. Philip Street on the college campus, will be closed for the next two years while the 42-year-old building’s renovation is completed. The renovation will upgrade classrooms and performance spaces as well as the building’s technology and infrastructure. Construction is slated to begin in late September.

The College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center for the Arts will undergo extensive renovations. File/Brad Nettles/Staff

Designed by Liollio Architecture and HGA Design Firm, the reimagined Simons Center is conceived to be inviting to students, featuring colors inspired by iconic architectural features found on campus, such as the blue-green door of Towell Library and the coral color of Randolph Hall.

“It will look brighter and I think it will be more noticeable from the street,” he said.

The work will involve 87,365 square feet, according to Brad Weiland, senior project manager for the College of Charleston’s facilities management, with the renovated Simons Center encompassing more than 99,000 square feet.

Hart points out that while the Simons Center has served the department well since opening in 1979, it was in need of an upgrade after more than 40 years. It opened with the aim of serving up to 800 students.

A rendering shows a possible design of what the renovated lobby of the Simons Center could look like, featuring large windows and tall ceilings. College of Charleston/Provided

Today, the College of Charleston said the building, which is the main hub of the School of the Arts, accommodates five times that number.

Among the key improvements will be new seminar classrooms, updated and enlarged classroom spaces and a new two-story black box theater. The School of the Arts will also benefit from a state-of-the-art costume shop, scene shop and theater design studio; new sculpture, printmaking and drawing studios; a digital lab and gallery/multipurpose room; new music practice rooms and revamped dressing room spaces.

The renovation also includes mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and updated technological systems.

Five locations around campus will house School of the Arts programs and departments during the renovation. These include Harbor Walk West, 136 St. Philip St. (the former site of Redux Contemporary Art Studio); the Lightsey Center, Calhoun Annex (172 Calhoun St./Chapel Theatre); and 329 King St. (corner of King and George streets).

A rendering shows a design of the main corridor inside the Albert Simons Center. College of Charleston/Provided

With the Recital Hall and the Emmett Robinson Theatre, located within the Simons Center, closed for the duration of the renovation, many School of the Arts performances will be held in the college’s Sottile Theatre as well as the Chapel Theatre.

Construction will run through 2022, and major completion of the building will take place in the spring of 2023, with an estimated opening for the fall 2023 semester, Weiland said.

With large windows, a modern façade and carefully chosen brick, Hart said the entrance is meant to subtly grab visitors’ attention as they make their way from the rear of Randolph Hall to St. Philip Street.

College of Charleston students visit the Albert Simons Center for the Arts in 2019. The building, located on St. Philips Street, soon will be getting a makeover. File/Brad Nettles/Staff

The building will also give added visual prominence to School of the Arts, and its role in the city of Charleston’s arts scene. It dovetails with new branding, centered on the tagline “The Artistic Heartbeat of Charleston.”

“There really isn’t an artistic institution in this town that we aren’t somehow involved with, whether it’s a direct relationship or partnership or whether it’s our graduates that are over there or our faculty members,” Hart said. 

The College of Charleston has deep connections with Spoleto Festival USA, Piccolo Spoleto, the Charleston Symphony, the Charleston Gaillard Center, the Preservation Society of Charleston, as well as many area theater and dance companies and art galleries.

“We can just go on and on, and I think it’s time for us to claim that. Charleston is an arts city and we’re at the heart of it,” Hart said.

With such an integral role in Charleston’s arts scene, the significant investment also bodes well for continued arts vitality in the years ahead.

“When times are tough, very often the arts take it on the chin. And our administration has shown the foresight to really stand by us with this project, which indicates that the arts really are a priority for the College,” Hart said.

Rick & Mary Lee Bastin Honored in Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for The Citadel's Bastin Hall

Bastin Hall, The Citadel's new school of business, was dedicated May 14. The design and construction was overseen by Liollio Architecture in association with ikon.5 architects. THS Constructors served as the general contractor for the project. Liollio is proud to have been part of this phenomenal and exciting project.

The new Bastin Hall building is a modern upgrade from the previous business school home. Originally constructed in 1922, Bond Hall has housed business school classrooms since the 1970s. “There’s a lot of state-of-the-art space here that we just didn’t have in our old building,” Dr. Michael Weeks, Dean said.

“I was a Mercedes dealer, and the CEO of Mercedes used to preach to us: ‘We need to amaze and delight our customers.’ Well, this building amazes and delights me, and it’s beyond my greatest dreams that it would come out this well,” said Rick Bastin, '65, joined by his wife Mary Lee, during a ceremony recognizing the couple’s efforts that made The Citadel's newest academic building a reality. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

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National Library Week 2021: Welcome to Your Library

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Happy National Library Week 2021! Typically the second week of April (April 4 - 10, 2021) is a time to celebrate our nation's libraries, library workers' contributions and promote library use and support.  The theme for National Library Week 2021 is "Welcome to Your Library." 

During the pandemic, library workers continue to exceed their communities' demands and adapt resources and services to meet their users' needs during these challenging times. Whether people visit in person or virtually, libraries offer endless opportunities to transform lives through education and lifelong learning.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and observed in libraries across the country each April. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate.

View. Liollio’s recent Library work here.
Learn more about National Library Week and the American Library Association here.

Liollio Architecture Awarded Two 2020 AIA South Carolina Design Awards

Thank you AIA South Carolina for honoring two of our projects: City of CharIeston & Roper St. Francis Healthcare's Louis Waring, Jr. Senior Center with an AIA SC New Construction Merit Award, and; SCPRT's South Carolina Welcome Center Replacement in Hardeeville SC with an AIA SC New Construction Citation Award! Congratulations to all of this year's award recipients and all the talented architects, designers, artists, and engineers!

Liollio Architecture Awarded 2020 AIA National Healthcare Design Award

Visit the AIA National Website: 2020 Healthcare Design Awards - Click Here.

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Liollio Architecture is honored to announce that the American Institute of Architects has recognized Liollio’s design of the Hampton County Health Clinic in Varnville, SC with a 2020 AIA National Healthcare Design Award.

““This project brings dignity, hope, and joy to the community it supports.””

— Jury comment

This facility serving two rural South Carolina communities reflects the region’s faith in its future. The new facility, a joint venture between county and state agencies, replaced an outdated, 50-year-old structure. Given the site’s location in a former railroad town, simple materials and massing were employed to evoke the boxcars that used to roll through. Inside, patient care areas are divided between clinical care and care for women, infants, and children. Each features its own service corridor and waiting areas, all with ample natural light that enhances the environment for patients facing potentially difficult diagnoses. Privacy was a key factor in determining the program and organization of the clinic’s spaces. At the new facility’s ribbon cutting ceremony, the team noted a shift in perception and mood, confirming it had delivered a modest but noble clinic reflective of the community’s emboldened spirit.

““Functional and understated, it is a fantastic little jewel box made of simple forms and modest materials...It is wonderful to see such thoughtful care and attention given to a rural community health facility. It is a building they can take pride in.””

— Jury comment

Liollio Architecture Welcomes Cameron Foster

Cameron Foster Associate AIA

Liollio Architecture is pleased to welcome Cameron Foster to its design studio. Originally from Richland WA, Cameron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2010. After his service in the military, he fulfilled his aspiration of studying architecture and went on to obtain his Bachelor of Science in Architecture at Portland State University and his Master of Architecture at Clemson University.

Cameron is passionate about community-based, sustainable, and innovative design and the influences of academia on architecture. He has a strong appreciation for architecture that is restored or re-used in order to facilitate progressive cultivation of community, while maintaining historic and cultural value. Upon joining the Liollio team, Cameron’s work has consisted of Community and Healthcare projects. Cameron enjoys the beach, traveling, sports, and spending time with his wife and dogs. The Liollio team celebrates Cameron’s achievements and welcomes him to its studio.

STUDIOLLIO

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#Studiollio - In the Fall of 2019, Liollio Principals Andy Clark and Jennifer Charzewski co-taught a firm design studio as lecturers for Clemson University’s School of Architecture at the Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston. Students experienced an academic design studio through the lens of a professional teaching studio.  The studio explored the City of Charleston and it’s grappling with change due to climate, technology, population, economics and mobility. Students investigated critical issues with a focus on how design can improve resiliency and cultural connectivity within a city.

A vibrant city is a living, breathing organism, and the civic infrastructure and architecture connect the identity, aspirations, and human story of the occupants to each other and to the past, present, and future. Architecture is intrinsically linked to landscape architecture and site in a hybrid conversation, rather than two separate entities. Similarly, the infrastructure that connects and moves people should participate in this hybrid conversation, and can reveal the opportunities that exist to grow in healthy ways.

Programmatically, Charleston is also confronting a tenuous balance between the tourism industry which undergirds the city’s economy, and the desire to be a livable city for all residents. Whereas development in housing, retail, food service, and offices is booming, it is often the cultural institutions and public parks that really bring a city to life and give it depth and a voice to residents.

Charleston is home to many preeminent programs and buildings for the visual and performing arts, and includes an aquarium, a history museum, and a children’s museum. However, there is a notable absence of a museum or center for nature and science –which are both integral to life in the Lowcountry and to supporting workforce development and STEM education.

The design projects provided the students with an opportunity to investigate these ideas and opportunities, further refine their critical and strategic approach in an iterative design process across a variety of scales, and develop requisite design and presentation communication skills. As a firm-led studio, the unique perspective of a practicing firm provided opportunities to intersect the academy with practice, including connecting students to professional mentors and enriching the firm with academic investigation.

USCB Hilton Head Hospitality Management Campus Featured in Local Life Magazine

LOCAL Life is about living well in the Lowcountry. Stories are everywhere: intriguing people and places, food and fashion, culture and creativity, homes and health. These stories embody our local style and sophistication with a southern twist. Eloquently written words and stunning photography capture the local essence in a way that educates, entertains and engages locals who are inspired and want more.

LOCAL Life Magazine, a publication celebrating the stories, culture, and people that make Hilton Head, Beaufort & Bluffton SC unique, showcases the University of South Carolina-Beaufort's Hilton head Hospitality Management Campus as a backdrop to a fashion shoot, while providing details on the building’s design. Visit www.locallifesc.com for more.

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19 SLIDES FOR 2019: LIOLLIO YEAR IN REVIEW

As 2019 comes to a close, we take a look back at all of the wonderful people, places and events that made this year special. Thank you to all who’ve made 2019 a year to remember! Here is a look back at some of the events that helped shape our year. Comment, share and enjoy!

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING LIOLLIO!

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Whether you are just joining us or have been a fan from the beginning -- THANK YOU for following Liollio Architecture’s blog! Here are some of the pets of Liollio -- our four-legged, furry fan club. 💜 Cheers to another great year! More photos to come…

James Island Town Hall - AIA Charleston Juror Comments

“The lovely scale and cohesive materiality and great detailing contribute to this beautiful project. It definitely contributes the right character to the corner it occupies. The strong simplicity of this project conveys a clear sense of welcoming stability for the community. The single shutter and stacked window composition was a delightful and playful reference to history; the familiarity of vernacular indicates comfort for the community and individual user regardless of its public forum.”

— AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards Juror

Richland Library St. Andrews - AIA Charleston Juror Comments

“From a sustainability standpoint, this project made great use of modest shell. The jury appreciated the use of natural daylight and integration of landscape. The design incorporates smart and simple moves that transformed the previous building, creating an engaging and inviting solution.”

— AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards Juror

Hampton Health Clinic - AIA Charleston Juror Comments

“We hope that this building sets a trend for the neighborhood. It definitely makes the most of the site and we appreciate the circulation, daylight and overall plan of this modest building. The exterior detailing also makes the most of the material palette and budget. We appreciated the strength conveyed by the design, creating a sense of safety and comfort.”

— AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards Juror

SCPRT Fort Mill Welcome Center - AIA Charleston Juror Comments

“The plan of this center organized a tricky access problem, and balanced the need to have a front door presence with the nighttime access in a way that we thought was very hospitable. The exterior materials were wonderfully varied and had a compelling origin story. The roofline, daylight and detailing illustrated craft and care....and the porch swing looks like just the ticket! We appreciated the subtlety of the steel detailing as well as the spacious uplifting feel of the interior.”

— AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards Juror

James Island PSD Groundbreaking Ceremony

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James Island PSD Fire Station 1 Headquarters Groundbreaking Ceremony was held Monday morning. The new fire station has officially begun construction and will relocate current Fire Station 1, built in 1961. The new Fire Station 1 Headquarters site will provide better fire coverage on the Island and an updated workspace for crews. Liollio would like to thank everyone who came out to celebrate, including the dedicated and hardworking project team - James Island Public Service District, SouthCon Building Group, 4se Engineering, ADC Engineering, RMF Engineering, and G. Robert George & Associates. Thanks to all for such a wonderful event! Visit our website and the James Island Public Service District's site for more info and updates: www.jipsd.org

Jury Comments: 2019 AIA South Carolina Design Awards

(Clockwise from top left) James Island Town Hall, An Outdoor Room: Department of Veterans Affairs, and Richland Library St. Andrews.

The American Institute of Architects, SC Chapter announced the 2019 AIASC Design Chapter Awards on September 26 in Columbia SC. Liollio was honored with three awards; Honor Award in New Construction - James Island Town Hall, Merit Award in New Construction - Richland Library St. Andrews, and Citation Award in New Construction - An Outdoor Room: Department of Veterans Affairs.

Jury comments:
“This small project is like a beautiful piece of modern jewelry that says – quite clearly – that these veterans deserve the investment in the healing power of the outdoors AND of good design.”
− An Outdoor Room: Department of Veterans Affairs

“The idea of “build less” is such powerful stewardship of the community’s resources. This design leverages a small addition for great impact and a successful response to the client’s goals.”
− Richland Library St. Andrews

“Simple, elegant orchestration of the two buildings provides excellent zoning, clear sense of public and semi-public spaces and a strong potential for public engagement.”
− James Island Town Hall

Liollio celebrates our clients, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Richland Library and the Town of James Island! View the SCA Magazine for this year’s winning projects: aiasc.org/scadigital/

Liollio Principal Jennifer Charzewski Delivers AIA South Carolina Equity in Architecture Update

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As Chair of the AIA South Carolina Equity in Architecture Committee, Liollio Principal, Jennifer Charzewski, AIA, LEED AP, provided a state-wide update following the Keynote address by Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA, NOMA, IIDA, LEED AP, who is the Director of Global Diversity for Perkins & Will. The Equity Committee has worked through the year to develop a strategic plan and Jennifer shared the draft Vision, Mission, and Strategic Goals. We look forward to continuing our work with the committee! Liollio’s Sarah Glass and Liz Corr also participated in the strategic planning retreat, along with committee representatives from across the State, representing multiple firms.

Liollio Principal Andy Clark featured in USCB Hilton Head Newsletter

Read USCB Hilton Head Hospitality Management’s current newsletter by clicking on the image above or following this link: https://bit.ly/2mKWSxu

Want to make sure you receive our future newsletters? Get on the list: www.eepurl.com/ggn8vT

2019 AIASC DESIGN AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

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The American Institute of Architects, South Carolina Chapter (AIASC) recently announced the 2019 recipients of the annual AIASC Design and Chapter Awards, which encourages and recognizes design excellence throughout South Carolina, and promotes public awareness of the role architects play in shaping the quality of life in their communities. Awards were presented on Thursday, September 26, 2019 in Columbia SC. This year’s design awards were given in New Construction, Residential Design, Adaptive Reuse, Historic Preservation and Interior Architecture to projects located in communities throughout the state. 

Other chapter awards presented this year included:
The Community Collaboration Award – bestowed upon programs, institutions, or individuals who advance the public understanding and appreciation of design in the built environment, or for a project exhibiting exceptional engagement of the community in the design process.
The Patron Award – bestowed upon elected officials, public administrators, or community leaders who contribute to the development of laws, regulations, or policies that affect architecture, or the public’s perception of architecture, as an important part of our environment, life-style, and heritage.
The Social Justice Award – given to an individual or group that has demonstrated the power of a participatory design process to eliminate inequities in the built environment and for distinguished work embodying social responsibility to actively address relevant issues.

Liollio would like to congratulate Richland Library on being awarded with both The Patron Award and The Social Justice Award! We would also like to join in celebrating with our clients, the Town of James Island SC, Richland Library, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, for being awarded an Honor Award in New Construction for James Island Town Hall, a Merit Award in New Construction for Richland Library St. Andrews, and a Citation Award in New Construction for An Outdoor Room: Department of Veterans Affairs.

Liollio is honored for the recognition of our work and collaboration with outstanding clients and project teams. Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners and design teams for their exceptional project submissions! View the SCA Magazine for this year’s winning projects: aiasc.org/scadigital/ view the SCA Magazine.