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News

Filtering by Category: Learning Environments

National Library Week 2021: Welcome to Your Library

Mez Joseph

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.

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categories Architecture, Celebration, Community, Education, Honoring, Learning Environments, Library, News, Regional
tags RichlandLibrary, accessfreely, #sthelenalibrary, southcounty, southcountylibrary, southcountyregionallibrary, charlottemecklenburg, richlandballentine, richlandblythewood, richlandstandrews, richlandwheatley, ccpl, charlestoncountypubliclibrary, CitadelMilitaryCollege, thecitadel, daniellibrary, citadeldaniellibrary, sthelenalibrary

STUDIOLLIO

Mez Joseph

#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.

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categories Architecture, Community, Education, Higher Education, Learning Environments, Local, Regional, Staff
tags studiollio, clemson, ClemsonArchitecture, #ClemsonUniversity, clemsonarchitecturecenter, clemsonarchitecturecentercharleston, CACC, CityofCharleston, Charleston, CharlestonSC

USCB Hilton Head Hospitality Management Campus Featured in Local Life Magazine

Mez Joseph

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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categories Architecture, Community, Education, Global, Higher Education, Learning Environments, Local, News, Regional
tags HiltonHead, HiltonHeadSC, USCBeaufort, USCBHH, USCBHiltonHead, USCB, beaufort, beaufortsc, bluffton, blufftonsc, local, locallife, locallifemagazine, education, highered, highereducation, style, fashion, fashionshoot, design, architecture, islandlife, islandliving, USC, UniversityofSouthCarolina

19 SLIDES FOR 2019: LIOLLIO YEAR IN REVIEW

Mez Joseph

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!

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categories Architecture, Awards, Celebration, Charity, Community, Conference, Construction, Education, Healthcare, Health & Wellness, Ground Breaking, Grand Opening, Elevation, Global, Higher Education, Historic Preservation, History, Holiday, Honoring, Library, Learning Environments, Local, News, Office Fun, Regional, Ribbon Cutting, Senior Center, Staff
tags 2019, holidays2019, yearinreview, 2019yearinreview, newyear

Richland Library St. Andrews - AIA Charleston Juror Comments

Mez Joseph

“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
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categories Architecture, Awards, Celebration, Community, Regional, Education, Learning Environments, Library
tags AIA, aiacharleston, Awards, designawards

Jury Comments: 2019 AIA South Carolina Design Awards

Mez Joseph

(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/

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categories Architecture, Awards, Celebration, Community, Health & Wellness, Healthcare, Education, Learning Environments, Library, Local, News, Regional
tags AIA, AIAColumbia, aiacharleston, aiasc, aiasouthcarolina, Awards, designawards, RichlandLibrary, StAndrews, TownofJamesIsland, JamesIslandSC, JamesIslandTownHall, VAMC, CharlestonVAMC, RalphHJohnsonVAMedicalCenter, SCA, SCAMagazine, Architecture, ContextCultureCollaboration, Jury, JuryComments

Liollio Principal Andy Clark featured in USCB Hilton Head Newsletter

Mez Joseph

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

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categories Architecture, Awards, Celebration, Community, Education, Global, Higher Education, Learning Environments, Local, News, Staff
tags USCB, USCBHH, USCBeaufort, USCBHiltonHead, HiltonHead, HiltonHeadSC, hospitality, hospitalitymanagement, culinary, culinaryarts, highereducation, highereducationdesign, newsletter, GreenGlobes, GreenBuildingInitiative

2019 AIASC DESIGN AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Mez Joseph

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.

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categories Architecture, Awards, Celebration, Conference, Education, Health & Wellness, Healthcare, Learning Environments, Library, Local, News, Regional, Community
tags AIA, AIASC, aiasouthcarolina, SouthCarolina, aianational, Awards, Design, DesignAwards, Conference, 2019, Event, Opportunities, ContextCultureCollaboration, AIAColumbia, Columbia, Charleston, CharlestonSC, aiacharleston, #richlandlibrary, DepartmentofVeteransAffairs, Veterans, JamesIslandSC, townofjamesisland, jamesislandtownhall, jamesisland

USCB Hilton Head Island Hospitality Management Campus Awarded Two Green Globes

Mez Joseph

Liollio Principal & Higher Education Design Leader, Andy Clark, AIA, LEED AP, was recently invited by Campus Dean Dr. Charlie Calvert to give a lecture to his students on the sustainable design principles utilized for the new University of South Carolina Beaufort, Hilton Head Island Hospitality Management Campus. In 2018, the Liollio project was awarded two Green Globes for New Construction, certified by the Green Building Initiative as demonstrating excellent progress in reduction to environmental impacts. Kudos to the students on a great discussion about sustainable design practices and being good stewards of the environment. Liollio was honored to formally present USCB with the Green Globes plaque in recognition of their commitment to sustainability. For more information regarding GBI, visit thegbi.org

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categories Architecture, Awards, Community, Education, Global, Higher Education, Learning Environments, Local, News, Regional, Staff
tags GBI, GreenBuildingInitiative, GreenGlobes, AIA, HigherEducation, USCB, USCBeaufort, USCBHH, HiltonHead, NewConstruction

College of Charleston set to embark on a $50M renovation of major campus building

Mez Joseph

The College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center for the Arts will undergo extensive renovations beginning in the spring of 2020. Brad Nettles/Staff - Brad Nettles bnettles@postandcourier.com

By Adam Parker aparker@postandcourier.com
The Post & Courier
Aug 18, 2019

The College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center, home to the School of the Arts, will undergo a $50 million makeover next year.

What will the final product look like? No one knows. 

The team at Liollio Architecture has been reconceiving the interior of the 80,000-square-foot Simons Center for a few years now, but no clear exterior designs have been produced yet “because there’s no agreement on what outside should look like,” said Valerie Morris, dean of the School of the Arts.

A few broad concepts are clear: The building needs a better main entrance and lobby; it needs to complement the adjacent Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, which opened in 2010; and it needs to fit into the campus aesthetic.

Incoming freshmen at the College of Charleston visit the Albert Simons Center for the Arts on Monday, August 12, 2019. The building, located on St. Philips Street, soon will be getting a makeover. Brad Nettles/Staff - Brad Nettles bnettles@postandcourier.com

The modern red brick building on St. Philips Street sits at the end of a campus thoroughfare and is highly visible. The new design should acknowledge the need to create a welcoming front door and public space, and to connect with adjacent buildings, said Liollio lead architect Jennifer Charzewski.

“We want a design that celebrates the creativity of the arts,” she said.

When the College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center was built 40 years ago, around 800 students made use of the building. Today, that number is more like 5,000.

The availability of the building’s performance venues helped convince Gian Carlo Menotti in the mid-1970s to locate Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston. As a result, the Simons Center quickly became “one of the primary places the public interacts with the college,” Charzewski said.

The building’s renovation has been a long time in the making. 

In 1994, the college introduced plans to upgrade the School of the Arts facilities and engaged architect Robert Stern to oversee the effort.

He conceived a neoclassical structure to match Randolph Hall across the street, but the Board of Architectural Review wanted something more modern, recalled Morris, the school’s dean. Then, residents of the neighborhood and others insisted on Stern’s approach. In the end, the college engaged Stevens & Wilkinson, which operated out of Columbia, to complete the $27 million project.

By then costs had gone up, so officials divided the School of the Arts renovation effort into two projects. The Simons Center would have to wait for the completion of another big renovation project: the $80 million Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center and Physicians Auditorium.

But all’s well that ends well, Morris said. The Joint Bond Review Committee late last month approved the plan to finance the renovation project with $45 million in proceeds from the issuance of academic and Administrative Facilities bonds. Another $5 million will come from nonrecurring state appropriations, revenues from college fees and, mostly, capital project institutional funds.

A woman makes her way down the second floor hallway of the College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center for the Arts on Monday, August 12, 2019. Brad Nettles/Staff - Brad Nettles bnettles@postandcourier.com

Student fees and tuition are not expected to go up because of the project, according to the college, although the Capital Improvement Fee, which is derived from a portion of tuition, has been increased three times in the last five years, from $781 per student per semester to $878 per student per semester.

Morris said she expects to move out of the Simons Center next summer and use the Harbor Walk buildings near the S.C. Aquarium for administrative offices, classrooms and more. The Chapel Theatre on Calhoun Street, Sottile Theatre on George Street and local church sanctuaries will provide performance space while the three Simons Center venues are shut down.

(Meanwhile, the Sottile Theatre is also undergoing renovation. It closed in February for $4.7 million in stage upgrades, and is slated to reopen in time for the 2020 Spoleto Festival.)

The revised interior of the Simons Center will include a new black box theater, state-of-the-art classrooms and upgraded infrastructure components such as bathrooms, HVAC and power stations. Heating and cooling problems will be resolved, along with the mold issue, Morris said.

Charzewski said the project also will upgrade mechanical and electrical systems while incorporating sustainable energy and flood protection. 

The renovation, she said, will change the face of the St. Philip Street corridor. Liollio is partnering on the renovation with Minneapolis-based HGA Architects, which specializes in arts, education and civic projects.

The courtyard at the College of Charleston’s Albert Simons Center for the Arts fronts St. Philip Street and likely will be transformed by the upcoming renovation project led by Liollio Architects. Brad Nettles/Staff - Brad Nettles bnettles@postandcourier.com

Rodney Lee Rogers, an adjunct theater professor, said the new black box theater — a small, square performance space — will provide welcomed flexibility. The smaller, malleable venue will enable students to rehearse more easily, to experiment and to stage their own plays, Rogers said. 

“I think a black box for training is the most versatile kind of set-up you can have,” he said. “You can do a lot of things quickly ... and it’s more about performance.”

It’s great to have the Sottile Theatre and access to other big stages in town, but that’s not what students need most, Rogers said.

“For most actors, they’re going to be cutting their teeth in more adaptive smaller spaces, because they’re not going to get into the bigger spaces for a while.”

Currently, the Simons Center is about 80,000 square feet, Charzewski said. The project team will renovate 65,000 square feet, rebuild 15,000 square feet and add 10,000 square feet.

The third and final state-level review conducted by the State Fiscal and Accountability Authority on Aug. 13 was the last hurdle cleared, she said. The city’s Board of Architectural Review will have a chance to scrutinize the plans.

The work likely will begin in the summer of 2020 with the temporary relocation of the art school, followed by a groundbreaking in the fall of 2020, according to Paul Patrick, chief of staff to the president. School officials hope the project will be finished in time for the 2022-23 academic year.

Meanwhile, the College of Charleston will consider other pressing capital projects, President Andrew Hsu said. A campus that’s 250 years old needs constant attention, he noted.

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categories Architecture, Community, Education, Learning Environments, Local, News
tags CollegeofCharleston, Charleston, highereducation, SimonsCenter, arts, performingarts, architecture, education

2019 Annual Meeting for the Friends of South Carolina Libraries

Mez Joseph

Liollio’s Jennifer Charzewski and Jane Thompson enjoyed attending the 2019 Annual Meeting for the Friends of South Carolina Libraries at the impressive Florence SC Main Library last week. Jennifer participated in a joint panel discussion with Tina Gills from Richland Library that highlighted the pre-planning and design approach to St. Andrews Library and Ballentine Library, as featured in the 2018 Library Design Showcase. The main theme of the panel discussion was how a collaborative team effort between library, community, and designers can result in creative solutions (large or small) that address the unique cultural aspects of each library and can help create destination features – rooted in the identity of each community.

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categories Architecture, Community, Conference, Learning Environments, Library, Local, Regional
tags library, libraryjournal, LibraryDesignSowcase, FriendsofSCLibraries, Richland, #richlandlibrary

USCB's Hilton Head Campus Allows Students to Study Hospitality Management in a World-Class Setting

Mez Joseph

With world-class golf, tennis, boating and accommodation facilities, beaches, creeks and marshes, excellent dining and nightlife, arts and cultural centers, and environmental and historical educational sites and programs, the Hilton Head region offers the ideal learning laboratory for hospitality studies and for enjoying your time at the University. Graduates of the Hospitality Management Program will be prepared to build successful careers in the booming tourism industry.

The 40,000 SF campus on the south end of the island is equipped with a production kitchen, beverage lab, tiered classroom design and high-tech offices. The campus will provide education and hands-on experience to students, allowing them to join the workforce while they study, and then stay for a career.

"Hilton Head is a superior environment for hospitality education," said USCB's Hospitality Management Dean Charles Calvert. "So for students to be able to come to our school, to study but also apply that theory to practice in the work environment is transformative for their educational careers."

Liollio Architecture is honored to have been part of this important and amazing project in association with our friends at Bialosky Cleveland and Fraser Construction. We would like to thank all on the team who made this possible. Browse images of the new University of South Carolina-Beaufort Hilton Head Hospitality Management Campus above - Photography by Richard Leo Johnson of Atlantic Archives.

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categories Architecture, Community, Education, Grand Opening, Higher Education, Learning Environments, Local, Ribbon Cutting
tags architecture, highereducation, hospitality, USCBHH, USCB, USCBeaufort, HiltonHead, ContextCultureCollaboration

Illuminating the Future: Library as Beacon

Mez Joseph

Browse selected images from Liollio's portfolio of library and educational learning environments. A very special thank you to Richland Library in Richland County SC. Featured projects include Richland Library Ballentine, St. Andrews and Blythewood, College of Charleston Science Building, Charleston Progressive Academy and Hip Hop Architecture Camp®️. Select images courtesy of Richland Library.

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categories Architecture, Community, Education, Global, Library, Learning Environments
tags accessfreely, library, #librarydesign, Architecture, education, learningenvironments, context, culture, collaboration, ContextCultureCollaboration