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1640 Meeting Street Road, Suite 202
Charleston, SC, 29405
United States

8437622222

For 70 years, Liollio has provided sustainable architecture, interior design, and historic preservation for public projects. We are an award-winning architecture firm located in Charleston, SC, who value subtle & restrained design, rooted in context, culture & collaboration. 

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News

Wood Utilization + Design Institute Conferences at Clemson University

Mez Joseph

Pat Layton, director of the Clemson University Wood Utilization and Design Institute talks about the Forest Products Industry in South Carolina.

Jennifer Charzewski and Elissa Bostain recently spoke at three conferences hosted by Wood Utilization + Design Institute at Clemson University. The conference was about sustainable building in South Carolina utilizing wood. Jennifer and Elissa spoke about the use of wood in the new South Carolina State Welcome Centers in Fort Mill and Hardeeville, which South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT) is currently replacing. The presentation covered how the use of wood at several scales helps make a connection between the past and the future, our state identity, local sense of place, the familiar and the new, tourism and state industry. From the concept of welcome centers as the “front porch” of the state to the execution of details, wood is an integral component to the design process and ongoing construction of these case study projects. Read the article here.

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categories Construction, Community
tags #sustainablility, #wood, #sustainablebuilding, #southcarolina, #woodutilization

SPOTLIGHT ON: AARON BOWMAN, ARCHITECT

Mez Joseph

Liollio is pleased to announce the addition of Aaron Bowman, AIA, LEED AP to our firm. Aaron is an architect who uses his professional training to build community. A graduate of Clemson University, he has over 10 years of professional experience working in South Carolina on both commercial and residential projects of all scales. We recently sat down for a Q&A with our newest team member.

How long have you lived in Charleston?
A little over 3 years

What area of town do you live in?
James Island - close enough to bike to work!

Where did you grow up?
I am originally from a small town in East Tennessee called Elizabethton. I moved to South Carolina when I came to Clemson to study Architecture. After finishing, my wife and I lived and worked in Greenville for almost 10 years before moving to Charleston.

Do you have any brothers and/or sisters? Where do you fall in the “line-up”?
I am the youngest in my family. The rest of my family lives in Tennessee. My parents are still in Elizabethton and I have two older brothers who live in Knoxville and Memphis.

Are you married? Do you have children?
Yes, this June will be our 10th Anniversary. We have a three year old son, named Blake, who is basically “wide open” at all times. It is exhausting but rewarding in many ways.

What are the top three things you like to do in your free time?
I try to spend most of my free time learning how to be a dad and taking Blake on “adventures” at different places around town. We have a season pass to the Charleston County Parks and we try to take full advantage of it each year. He also loves to go to the beach. I enjoy volunteering in the community and I am very active in the South Carolina Chapter of the AIA. I currently serve as President-Elect for the Charleston Section and I am on the State Chapter’s Board of Directors. I am also the host and producer of a podcast called “Product & Process: Conversations about Culture, Craft, and Community.” (Subscribe through iTunes or Stitcher!) I have discussions with architects, designers, and creative people from varying backgrounds about Design and Community.

What building have you visited that most impressed you?
The Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki, by Steven Holl. The manipulation of the sectional profile of the building creates opportunities for extraordinary daylighting in the galleries. The architecture is extremely sophisticated, but doesn’t compete with the art on display.

What architect or architecture firm most influenced you as a student?
As a graduate student at the Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston, I met Bryan Bell at an AIASC Conference. His firm, Design Corps, provides housing for migrant farm workers in rural North Carolina. Through the work of his firm, I was introduced to the world of Public Interest Design and a whole new area of practice: architecture in service of community.

What is your favorite country you have traveled to and why?
When I was an undergrad, I participated in Clemson’s Fluid Campus program in Barcelona Spain. Barcelona is an amazing city that has a very interesting blend of historic contemporary buildings, ranging from ancient Roman ruins to modern skyscrapers.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
I really enjoy the collaborative culture in the office and the emphasis on design excellence in all things. I also love being able to bike to work and skip the traffic.

What is the hardest part about your job?
The hardest part of being an architect working on public projects, or with community groups, is identifying and engaging the varying stakeholder groups in a collaborative process and maintaining a focus on design excellence. I actually enjoy this challenge, though not always in the moment.

What is a book you plan on reading?
I am currently working my way through Heroic: Concrete Architecture and the New Boston by Mark Pasnik, Michael Kubo, and Chris Gimley; and Joseph Campbell’s The Power of Myth.

What is your favorite book?
Expanding Architecture: Design as Activism by Bryan Bell. This book was extremely inspirational for me when I finished grad school and began pursuing a more community oriented and socially responsible practice.

What is your favorite food?
Tacos. Preferably carnitas, but I also love fish tacos. Definitely on Corn.

Do you play any instruments?
I own a few guitars, but I am lucky if I get to play more than an hour a week.

What’s your favorite movie?
Batman (both as a genre and movie). I really enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s trilogy, but I have loved the Tim Burton movies and Batman in general since I was a kid. Let’s not discuss the Joel Schumacher era.

What would the book or movie about your life be called?
Probably “Product & Process”, which is a paraphrase of one of my favorite quotes from designer Bruce Mau: Process is more important than [product]. When the [product] drives the process we will only ever go to where we’ve already been. If process drives outcome we may not know where we’re going, but we will know we want to be there.

What’s your astrological sign?
I am a Leo

What’s the last movie you watched?
Chappie. I am a big fan of Neill Blomkamp.

Guilty pleasure?
Napping. There are few things better than a good nap on a Sunday afternoon. 

 

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INSPIRED BY: Constructing America's Image

Mez Joseph

Constructing America's Image: Modernist Embassies of the Cold War

Liollio is inspired by the culture and context of the communities in which we work.  What could be more appropriate inspiration for community and cultural design than the embassy typology?  These designs are firmly rooted in their geographical, historical and cultural “place” while expressing an optimism for the future. Read the Curbed.com article here.

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2016 Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Day

Mez Joseph

Sea Island Habitat for Humanity is the third-oldest Habitat for Humanity affiliate in the world, and has served its community as an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International since 1978. They have provided housing solutions for over 300 local families. Their mission is to build simple, safe, decent homes for families that need a hand up, not a hand out. The Liollio team had the honor of supporting our local Habitat for Humanity last Friday, May 20, along with some help from our friends at Matt O'Neill Real Estate. We rolled up our sleeves and had a lot of fun working on two homes in the community located on James Island. Mother Nature was kind enough to give us perfect working conditions. Thank you to all who made this day so special! For information about how you can help Habitat for Humanity, visit their website here.

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categories Community, Construction, Staff

Brighton Park Swim Club Progress Update

Mez Joseph

Some images of Brighton Park Swim Club's progress...

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Congratulations to Liollio Interns, Danielle & Rayshad!

Mez Joseph

Some images from the CAC.C Closing Reception where Danielle and Rayshad, our Clemson interns for the last several months, received the Ray Huff Excellence Award for the top students this semester. Ray indicated this was the first time the award had ever been shared because the decision was too tough. Congratulations to Danielle and Rayshad – we thoroughly enjoyed and appreciate the time you spent at Liollio!

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Renovation to Give St. Andrews Library Digital, 'Techie' Feel

Mez Joseph

The St. Andrews branch of Richland Library is getting a much-needed makeover, more than 20 years after it opened on the Broad River Road corridor. Library officials unveiled plans for the branch to the public Monday night, which will include bright colors and a modern facade. Architects for the project have taken a decidedly art- and tech-inspired approach to the design. “The idea is to create a young, fresh look — very techie, like Facebook or Google,” said Angie Brose, Project Architect with Charleston-based Liollio Architecture. “It’s going to be a total transformation.” Plans call for the current 13,000-square-foot building to be reconfigured for patrons needing space to conduct research, job searches or other work. An additional 2,000 square feet will be added to provide a large meeting room, teen “maker space” and a dedicated children’s area. Read full article.

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2016 AIA South Carolina Awards Ceremony

Mez Joseph

Photo by Gary Matson, gmatsonphoto.com

Just a few images from an unforgettable evening in Columbia last Friday at the Columbia Museum of Art for the 2016 AIA SC Awards Ceremony...

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LIOLLIO ARCHITECTURE AWARDED 2016 AIASC FIRM AWARD

Mez Joseph

“The manner in which the firm conducts its business is always a tribute to the tenets of
our profession.”
— Ray Huff, FAIA, Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston

The Firm Award is the highest honor that American Institute of Architects South Carolina Chapter can bestow upon a South Carolina architectural firm. The AIA South Carolina Board of Directors confers it in recognition of a significant body of work and/or service that has made a lasting influence on the practice of architecture in South Carolina. This award is given in recognition of design excellence, contribution to the profession of architecture, and continuity of service to the public. Liollio is honored and delighted to be the 2016 AIA South Carolina Firm Award Recipient.

"For sixty years, Liollio Architecture has distinguished itself in our field with a body of award winning projects that ranges in sizes from an award-winning small handicap ramp for an historic church to a 125,000 square foot science center stitched into a fine fabric historic community. Evident in each project are the benchmarks that define their design process: Culture as a guide; Thoughtful restraint in the simplest form; Tackle issues with optimism; Strengthen design through community engagement; and, Leverage restrained budgets to create big ideas using fewer resources." - Ray Huff, FAIA

"Liollio Architecture has provided leadership in design that is seen within their community and throughout our region as innovative and responsive. I first became aware of Liollio’s work as an AIA design awards juror. Over the last decade I have juried Liollio projects as varied as an entry ramp to a modest church to a major county library. They are skilled at historic renovation and they are leading edge in modern design. In fact their respect for historic architecture inspires and gives depth to their contemporary work.

Their practice is grounded in the particulars of place, client, material, site and budget. Their renovation of the U.S. Custom House, for example, is exemplary for the respect of historic architecture and its place in South Carolina.

Liollio’s new buildings are as responsive to the region as their restored ones. For St. Helena Library at Penn Center, they designed a boldly modern structure of steel and wood that embraced the natural landscape and was a thoughtful response to climate and local tradition. The library is a model of orderly, rational design that conserves materials wisely.

I have been impressed by Liollio’s other activities that produce fine architecture with a strong sense of social purpose. The James E. Clyburn Community Center in Wiltown SC, for example, is a model of how architecture can enrich and welcome an underserved community.

Liollio Architecture offers hope and inspiration to firms across the South that aspire to serve their community with good design. Liollio Architecture has significantly advanced the standard of design with buildings that possess spirit, clarity and a sense of place, raising the public appreciation for architecture. I am quite certain that their selection will inspire architects throughout our region." - Frank Harmon, FAIA

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ArchDaily Readers Respond: The Cádiz Castle Renovation is, in Fact, Good

Mez Joseph

Some light architectural theory and critique for you. Three hot topics from the past few weeks that relate to almost every project we engage. Scroll down to see commentary on each:

1. Is Intervention within historic structures appropriate?
2. Is architecture as art damaging to society?
3. Do architects really ‘get’ sustainable design?

Read article>

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SPOTLIGHT ON: Angie Brose, AIA, LEED AP

Mez Joseph

With a Masters Degree in Architecture from Ball State University and a Bachelor Degree in Architecture from Technische Universitat Berlin, Angie Brose, AIA, LEED AP brings an extensive background in design, construction and engineering to Liollio from the U.S. and abroad. Her education and practical training focused on architecture and design, including a 2 1/2 year apprenticeship as a registered carpenter/cabinet maker. Her 15 years of experience includes higher education, libraries, public/community buildings, healthcare facilities and more. We sat down with this month's Spotlight On recipient to ask her a few questions.

How long have you lived in Charleston?
17 years … wow time flies when you enjoy life

Where did you grow up?
West Berlin, Germany

What area of town do you live in?
Mount Pleasant as close to the ocean as I can afford

What is your favorite thing in your house?
The sky lights everywhere.

What are the top three things you like to do in your free time?
Work on projects around my house or the community, go to the beach, and go for a run or dancing

Do you have any pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
Yes I have a dog (Nala) and a cat (Zazu) I got them from the SPCA when they were little hoping they would be friends. Well that did not really work out. LOL Nala wiggles her tail at everyone but me. But if for example I cry during a movie she comes over with this worried look on her face, puts her paw on my arm and starts licking my face until I start to laugh because it is so sticking cute. Zazu is the most social cat you will ever meet.

Do you have have any brothers/sisters?
I have one younger sister Nina

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Moving to this country with 2 bags and $1,000, working hard and fulfilling living the American Dream.

What building have you visited that most impressed you?
Even though I am not a big Frank Lloyd Wright fan (oh cardinal architectural sin :-) I absolutely love the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. I love the almost sculptural simplicity of it inside and out.

What architect or architecture firm most influenced you as a student?
I never had the fandom type of admiration for any particular architect or architectural firm. I like bits and pieces of different people’s work but do not run around reciting their names and buildings they designed. Sometimes that does not make me every popular with other architects because architects love to talk about architects but it is who I am. I get inspired by so many different things and a lot of times it is not other architects but other people, my clients or experiences.

What is your favorite country you have traveled to and why?
Italy… the food, landscape, architecture and people. My mom used to have a little house in Tuscany and it was just one of the most beautiful places. She had olive trees and made her own olive oil. I wished we still had the house so I could go back.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
The people and the work we do.

What inspires you most?
Random acts of kindness

What is the hardest part about your job?
The sometimes long hours.

What style of architecture most impresses you or is your favorite?
Well thought thru and detailed architecture that is sensitive to its surrounding environment… I prefer contemporary architecture. I do not believe in copying the past and believe that well design contemporary architecture can exist in symbiosis with historic architecture and often compliments or even enhances historic architecture because of its contrasting simplicity.

What is a book you plan on reading?
Paula Hawkins- The Girl on the Train

What is your favorite book?
Paulo Coelho’s - The Alchemist

What is your favorite downtown restaurant?
Oh wow there are so many. Best Steak: Hall’s Chophouse, Best Oyster’s: The Ordinary. I want to go to Minero’s and Edmund’s Oast and so on…. I love the wave of new well designed restaurants all over town.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Charleston?
Poe’s on Sullivan’s Island

What do you like on your pizza?
I try not to eat pizza but tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil with real mozzarella would be my choice.

What is your favorite food?
Sushi or fish tacos

What is your least favorite food?
Anything greasy or real creamy like bisques

Do you prefer dogs or cats?
Both

Do you play any instruments?
No I learned to play Guitar but do not own one

If you could play an instrument, what would it be?
Guitar or Piano

What song is at the top of your most played list (be honest)?
Make it Rain by Ed Sheeran

Who is your favorite musical artist?
Adele

Who is your favorite artist?
Franz Marc-Der Blaue Reiter

What’s your favorite movie?
The original Star Wars Movie

If your life was a song, what would the title be?
Dancing Queen… haha just kidding

Who would you most want to play you in a movie?
Sandra Bullock

What would the book or movie about your life be called?
The Pursuit of Happiness

What’s the last movie you watched?
The Martian

Guilty pleasure?
Wine & Cheese

What is the proudest moment of your life, thus far?
Becoming an American Citizen

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