WE ARE CHARLESTON
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We Are Charleston! Thank you Charleston County School District for this beautiful short video. God bless our city, county & state. #CharlestonStrong
News
Inspired By: KUOKKALA CHURCH
Mez Joseph
The commission for the Kuokkala Church was won through an invited competition organized in 2006 asking to design a building which could become a focal point of the Kuokkala suburban neighbourhood in Jyväskylä in order to foster the identity of the neighbourhood as a community of its own. The competition brief asked for offering different functions for the parish, such as the church hall, the parish centre and a community centre, and joining them in an innovative continuum by arranging them into a structure with a strong recognizable shape, creating a “church that looks like a church”.
For the competition, OOPEAA, operating under the name of Lassila Hirvilammi at the time, submitted a proposal entitled KIDE. It was a sculptural building containing all desired functions within one single recognizable shape, contemporary, yet rich in historical allusions. A dialogue of contrasts between the exterior and interior architecture is manifested in the material choices. The roof and walls of the church are covered with overlapping tiles of Spanish slate, with wood and copper-covered entrance details that give the building a sense of warmth and scale. Other primary outer surfaces are clad in Finnish granite. Wood, mainly Finnish spruce, plays a central role in the interior spaces creating a warm atmosphere. Ceiling and floors are made of carefully selected local radially sawn spruce. The church ceiling is a combination of glue laminated timber framing with a wooden grid shell construction that unites the sacral spaces into one entity. The shape of the interior wooden grid, fixed on the primary structure, recalls Gothic cathedrals and relies on the knowledge of the masters of handcrafted building methods.
The church and parish meeting halls can be combined into one large sacral space with adjoining youth facilities. A gallery between the halls houses the organ and the cantors’ offices. The sacral spaces are placed in the middle of the building and the service spaces (sacristy, storage spaces, kitchen, lobby) are located in a zone around them.
For more info, please visit OOPEAA.
Charleston Progressive Academy Wins Two Awards at Recent CCSD Board Meeting
Mez Joseph
At Charleston County School District’s recent Board Meeting, held August 10, 2015, two separate awards, the 2015 South Carolina Historic Preservation Honor Award and the AIA South Carolina Merit Design Award, were presented to Liollio Architecture by Deputy for Capital Programs Jeff Borowy for an outstanding renovation of historic Charleston Progressive Academy. Mr. Bill Lewis and Mr. Michael Bobby were also recognized for overseeing this project.
AIA South Carolina Merit Design Award for Adaptive Reuse/Renovation -Charleston Progressive Academy: The intent of this award is to recognize thoughtful interventions that create a synergy between old and new construction. The Adaptive Reuse/Renovation Award Category is for built projects that include rehabilitation or adaptive reuse. This award recognizes the best renovation or addition to a structure that is not intended to be a faithful historic restoration. Eligible projects begin with a pre-existing building, structure, object or site that incorporates an intervention that is clearly intended to compliment or contrast with the original subject building. It is not necessary that the project be within South Carolina.
Juror comments included:
…The courtyard is the whole story – an inspired response to a corner lot by creating a contained activity space surrounded by buildings full of light and energy…
…The character of the original portion of the building is obviously respected here – and improved to meet current requirements…
…The new elements are respectful to the original – the framing of the original entrance helps remind the neighborhood of their special school building. It is obviously well loved…
2015 Honor Award - South Carolina Historic Preservation – Charleston Progressive Academy
The Honor Awards celebrate successful and exemplary historic preservation projects around the Palmetto State. This award is sponsored by The State of South Carolina, The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, and South Carolina Archives & History Center, and presented by Lt. Governor Henry McMaster at a ceremony in the State House on June 5th, 2015.
David Dewees, Associate AIA, at our University of South Carolina Beaufort Charrette
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David Dewees, R2D2, C3PO (From left to right)
How Neumann/Smith Architecture Is Redesigning Detroit, One Building at a Time
Mez Joseph
If you ever needed evidence that the best architectural solutions for a city can be provided by local firms, you needn’t look much further than Detroit. The most populous city in the state of Michigan has been through some extraordinarily tough economic times in recent decades, and when designing structures to catalyze its regeneration in the coming years, architects who understand the complexities of the city’s checkered history are surely best placed to help. Read the WSJ article here.
Spotlight On: Jennifer Charzewski
Mez Joseph
With more than 10 years of experience in the world of architecture, Jennifer Charzewski, AIA, LEED AP, an Associate Principal at Liollio, believes that “architecture is about people, about creating and defining the spaces in which we live. Jennifer was recently awarded as one of Charleston’s Forty Under 40 by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. We sat down for a short Q&A with this month’s Spotlight On feature.
Where did you grow up?
Mostly rural south Texas, outside of Houston, and later the suburbs of Houston.
How long have you lived in Charleston and what brought you here?
I moved to Charleston from Minneapolis in 2007. My husband Jarod took a teaching position in the Sculpture Department at the College of Charleston, so back to the South I came!
What area of town do you live in?
We love living on the peninsula, on Race Street near the Greek Church - great access to all of our favorite parts of downtown, and truly great neighbors!
What is your favorite thing in your house?
Our kitchen - we renovated it ourselves a few years ago, and I love to cook.
Who or what inspires you?
My husband Jarod - he is so driven in his work, yet he always makes time for people, and he has this great attitude and great world view - he's accepting, spontaneous, and very very funny. His love for our kids is a joy.
What is your favorite country you have traveled to and why?
It would have to be Italy, partially because I was able to live there for three months in school - it gets in your bones. I love the language, the people, the natural and urban environments, the art, the history, and most of all the food! Like many others, I have a piece of my heart in Castiglion F'no.
What do you like on your pizza?
Pepperoni, extra cheese, garlic, and artichoke hearts.
How do you take your coffee?
I don't - I hate coffee!
What is your favorite food?
Artichokes - fresh, whole, steamed.
What is your least favorite food?
Mushrooms. No, blue cheese. Gag.
Do you play any instruments?
Piano
What song is at the top of your most played list (be honest)?
Currently, "Everything is Awesome!" - although that's by my son Jack's choice, not mine! It's catchy though.
What is an ordinary thing that you are incredibly good at?
Math
What is an ordinary thing that you are incredibly bad at?
Parallel parking
If you were an animal, what kind would you be?
Dolphin - I love being in the water. And they seem to have a lot of fun.
What is an interesting fact that most people don’t know about you?
I've broken my right collarbone three times - the first was jumping out of a swing when I was 9 or 10. The second two came in quick succession when I was maybe 15 or 16 - playing touch football and then falling off my bed. My collarbone is super lumpy and crooked, although it has been smoothing out over the years, which is pretty strange. I haven't broken any other bones (so far), which is surprising because I can be pretty clumsy.
If you weren’t an architect, what would you be?
I've always had a desire to train working dogs. This is strange, since I have two cats and have never had a dog. I just love seeing working dogs in action, and can easily romanticize the idea of what it might be like to raise and train them. So that, or the classic "travel + food writer."
What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
Easily the people - it's a family for sure, and I care very deeply about everyone I work with. I love the camaraderie and passion we share, and I love that we have a lot of fun and infuse a lot of humor in our day to day. I also love that we are so earnest about our approach to our clients and our work - truly striving to deliver great projects and constantly challenging ourselves to be better and better.
Inspired By: Marcel Breuer
Mez Joseph
You never know where architectural design inspiration may come from. Fashion, art, music, nature, technology, or today’s subject: furniture. “Marcel Lajos Breuer was a Hungarian-born modernist, architect and furniture designer who’s known as being one of the “masters of Modernism”. He had a particular fascination with modular construction and simple forms, he even helped to develop unit construction, a combination of standardised units to form a technically simple but functional complete unit. A lot of this comes from his studies at the Bauhaus where he was a student and teacher for many years.”
Take a look at some of his famous furniture designs here.
August Liollio Supper Club
Mez Joseph
We had a delicious Italian meal last night at Michael Edwards' house! Everyone visited one of three Italian cities depending on our table. Within the span of 4 hours in one night, we were lucky enough to visit Rome, Venice and Florence. The topic of conversation was office culture - the ambience was inspiring. We all came together for dessert and coffee to hear what each city's dinner conversation was about. Our favorite quote of the evening..."culture is everything."
DESIGN DETAILS: THE PINEAPPLE - A SYMBOL OF HOSPITALITY
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Known as the princess of fruits and the symbol of hospitality, the pineapple has become a prevalent motif in architecture, statuary and interior decoration, as well as a delight within the culinary world.
Pineapples are thought to have originated centuries ago in South America. On the Caribbean Island now known as Guadeloupe, it is believed that a fateful interaction with Columbus on his second voyage to the New World began the journey of this exotic fruit to European shores. Despite the challenges of growing fruit that thrived in tropical climates, by the mid 1600s pineapples were being produced in Hot Houses in Holland and England. The pineapple emerged as an honored and coveted gift presented by royalty to distinguished members of society. Named for its sweet taste and resemblance to the pinecone, the pineapple became a prized delicacy that spread throughout Europe and eventually, America.
Since Colonial times in America, the pineapple has endured as a symbol of welcome and hospitality. Its popularity brought forth a thriving trade that developed in the late 1600s and early 1700s, strengthening the pineapple as a status symbol. Serving pineapple at the dinner table was reserved for special occasions and honored guests. History states that American sea captains, upon returning from a voyage, would place the prized fruit on display outside their homes as a signal of their homecoming. This is perhaps the origin of the pineapple as an element of greeting, which evolved into more permanent adornment of exterior spaces that we see today. The pineapple became an iconic emblem of the 20th Century, embellishing pediments and architecture to offer a warm welcome with its distinctive form.
Pineapples used as architectural motifs can be seen throughout downtown Charleston adorning homes, gates, gardens and more. Perhaps the most iconic example is the Pineapple Fountain at Charleston Waterfront Park. Boasting a distinct pineapple-inspired design, this fountain has become one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. The Pineapple Fountain is definitely a must-see for visitors, and was recently deemed one of the 13 Most Incredible Fountains In The World.
A special thanks to Kristin via houseappeal.wordpress.com for all the fun facts regarding the history of the pineapple.
Charleston Magazine's 40th Anniversary Issue
Mez Joseph
Liollio is proud to be a part of the official 40th Anniversary issue of Charleston Magazine (August). Happy Anniversary Charleston Magazine! Wishing you many more years of success. Be sure to check out Liollio's spread on page 16-17. View Digital Magazine>
Inspired BY: "Cardboard Cathedral" Christchurch, New Zealand
Mez Joseph
The February 2011 Christchurch earthquake (magnitude 6.3) inflicted crippling damage on the Christchurch Cathedral which was the symbol of the city. In response to this situation, a new temporary cathedral was designed. Paper tubes of the equal length and 20 ft containers form triangular shape. Since geometry is decided by plan and elevations of the original cathedral, there is a gradual change in each angle of paper tubes. This cathedral, which has a capacity of 700 people, can be used as an event space and a concert space. There was a media conference in Christchurch on 31st of July, 2011. View website>
473 King Street c.1880 Exterior Restoration
Mez Joseph
473 King Street is a preservation project Liollio & Palmetto Construction Group are currently working together on. It is an exterior restoration of one of upper King Street’s remaining Single House Shopfront Buildings, c.1880.
Southwest Opens New Ticket Counter at CHS
Mez Joseph
Southwest Airlines opened its new ticket counter at Charleston International Airport — another step in the airport’s ongoing $189 million Terminal Redevelopment and Improvement Project.
The new check-in counter is adjacent to the consolidated security checkpoint, which opened in April. The old Southwest ticket counter will be renovated for Delta Air Lines. Delta’s move this fall will complete the ticketing hall renovations.
JetBlue and United Airlines were the first to move to renovated ticket counters in December, followed by American Airlines, US Airways, Porter Airlines and Silver Airways in March.
Through construction, the airport terminal will grow from approximately 330,000 square feet to 429,000 square feet.
Most of the terminal renovation is expected to be complete by the end of the year. Work on the Concourse A renovations,including a clerestory feature, will be completed in early 2016.
Inspired by: Gigon/Guyer Architekten Project - Museum Liner Appenzell
Mez Joseph
The museum building, dedicated to the oeuvre of Appenzell artists Carl August Liner and his son Carl Walter Liner, belongs to the category of the monographic museum. However, the rooms are not designed to house particular paintings by either of these two artists, but rather, are dimensioned to accommodate changing presentations of the work of father and son as well as exhibitions of contemporary art. The rooms are therefore more general than specific in nature. They are quiet, simple spaces that seek neither to exaggerate nor to compete with the works of art. They show a minimum of detail, have bright walls, poured concrete floors, and are illuminated by daylight coming in through windows set in the gabled roof overhead.
The dimensions of the rooms are relatively small to provide a concentrated and focused ambience for the individual paintings. The total exhibition area is divided into ten rooms, each measuring between 30 and 50 m2 in size. The varying size of the rooms is generated by an asymmetrically positioned wall running the length of the building as well as intersecting axes that define the spaces in decreasing size from south to north. The alignment of the doorways from room to room may be straight or shifted, allowing visitors to follow a direct or a meandering course through the museum. Two windows offer a view outdoors and facilitate orientation within the building. A small reading room and a room for slide and video presentations are placed at the north end of the building - that is, in the middle of the museum tour. The architectural opener for visitors is the spacious lobby with a counter for tickets and sales. As the first and largest room in the museum, it also functions as a place for receptions and lectures.
The building is constructed using in-situ concrete and aerated concrete masonry. Due to the massive construction and the north-orientated roof-lights only minimal climate control is necessary in the galleries. The vestibule projecting from the building volumetry is made of exposed concrete, illustrating the materiality and compactness of the construction on the exterior.
The illumination of the exhibition spaces, whose gables vary in height and breath, results in a 'zigzag form’ in the building volumetry. It reminds one, in a distant way, of the rows of gable roof buildings in the Appenzell villages, as well as of the more regular sawtooth roof forms of industrial and agricultural buildings. The roofs are clad in sandblasted sheets of stainless steel in order, on the one hand, to attain a diffusion of the reflected light, while on the other hand, a neutrality of the colour temperature. The facades are clad in the same material. The overlapping cladding and its shimmering grey colour show a distant resemblance to traditional Appenzell architecture with its shingled facades.
Visit the Gigon/Guyer Architekten Website.
Outside our Window
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Summer afternoon shower
Inspired By: Carlo Scarpa 1906-1978
Mez Joseph
Carlo Scarpa was born in Venice on June 2, 1906, the son of an elementary school teacher. At the time of his death in 1978 at the age of 72, Carlo Scarpa was at the height of his fame and influence. His buildings and projects were being studied by architects and students throughout the world, and his decorative style had become a model for architects wishing to revive craft and luscious materials in the contemporary manner.
It is in the Castelvecchio Museum in Verona that Carlo Scarpa's delicate handling of ancient buildings comes to its highest achievement. Here floor patterns and materials interact to form a tactile play of pliant versus hard surfaces The new is held apart from the old by reveal joints and spatial slots that function as miniature conceptual "moats," and each work of art is lovingly held up to view by a stand or a bracket that is almost human in its anthropomorphic configuration.
Carlo Scarpa resisted the postmodern and neorationalist influences of the 1970s, preferring to elaborate a decorative system derived from the materials of modern architecture used in a craft tradition. Carlo Scarpa was in constant touch with his artisans, and his drawings were revised almost daily to reflect a preindustrial attention to old methods of construction.
For more info, click here.
Shem Creek Saturday
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It was a busy day out on Shem Creek this weekend!
Outside Our Window
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Sunday evening sunset!
Liollio's Seth cantley Featured in 2015 Locals Issue of Canoe & Kayak Magazine
Mez Joseph
Congratulations to Liollio's Seth Cantley, who was just featured in the 2015 "Locals Issue" of Canoe & Kayak Magazine!
LIOLLIO WELCOMES MARY TRAN, KENDALL ROBERTS & ERIN LANE
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Mary Tran has joined the Liollio Design Studio. Mary received a BFA in Interior Design from the University of Georgia and a Master in Architecture from Clemson University. Kendall Roberts has joined the Liollio Design Studio as well. Kendall completed both his Undergraduate and Graduate studies in Architecture at Clemson University, during which he completed a semester in Barcelona at the Barcelona Architecture Center through Clemson’s Fluid Campus Program. Erin Lane has joined our firm as Administrative Assistant. Erin has been an Administrative Assistant in the industry for 14 years and brings that history of knowledge in the design and building industry with her to this position at Liollio. Liollio Architecture has maintained offices in Charleston SC since 1956. With a design focus on public architecture, our firm offers architecture, interior design, programming, historic preservation and master planning services throughout the southeast.