contact us

Use the form on the right to contact us.

You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right.

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

8437622222

Lobby_CROPPED.jpg

News

TRAVEL + LEISURE VOTES CHARLESTON #1 CITY IN THE WORLD

Mez Joseph

Travel + Leisure Readers have spoken, and southern charm is a force to be reckoned with! Congrats Charleston SC!! You are officially the #1 CITY IN THE WORLD!! Click image above or here to watch the video of Stephen Colbert and his close ties to the World's Best City. Congratulations to our neighbor, Savannah GA, who made the Top 15 list, coming in at #9. For the full list click here.

Congratulations to Liollio's Alison Dawson, 2016 Forty Under 40 Honoree!!

Mez Joseph

We are all so proud of and happy for Designer, Alison Dawson, Associate AIA, who has just been announced as one of the Charleston Regional Business Journal's 2016 Forty Under 40!! Alison is a dedicated, hard-working and talented Designer, who puts her heart and soul into everything she does here at Liollio and for all of our clients. We are blessed to have her in our creative gang, and celebrate this honor with her! Cheers to you Alison, there is no one more deserving! Read the CRBJ's list of 2016 honorees here.

Congratulations Sibel Dewees!!

Mez Joseph

Congratulations to Liollio Designer David Dewees' wife, Sibel Dewees, who became an American citizen today! Dinos Liollio joined David and Sibel at the Naturalization Oath Ceremony this morning. Everyone at Liollio is so happy for you both! 

Happy Birthday Seth!

Mez Joseph

Last Thursday the office celebrated the birthday of Liollio's Seth Cantley, Architect. Donuts, fruit and fun were had by all. Happy Birthday Seth!

Pray For Orlando

Mez Joseph

Please pray for the victims, families and friends affected by the horrific tragedy in Orlando over the weekend. You can visit https://www.gofundme.com/PulseVictimsFund to donate. Funds raised on this page will be going directly to the victims and families affected by the shooting. Equality Florida is working with local organizations - who are also helping to raise funds - to ensure the money is distributed properly. Thank you for your prayers and support.

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.

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. 

 

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.

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.

Brighton Park Swim Club Progress Update

Mez Joseph

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

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!

Changes Coming to St. Andrews Branch of Richland Library

Mez Joseph

For the first time in more than two decades, big changes are coming to the St. Andrews Branch of the Richland County Library. The building will be renovated and reconfigured along with a 2,000-square-foot addition.

You can expect to see a larger meeting room, enhanced garden and outdoor area, a teen engagement space, and a dedicated career area. This all comes thanks to a bond referendum that was approved in 2013. The renovations are being made based on recommendations from the community.

"We have not had any improvement since we were moved here in 1992. So we really want to remain relevant in our community and we feel that with our new renovations, we're going to be able to have more opportunities, more space to bring people together and to meet the needs that they have now and the future,” says Richland Librarian Amanda Chapman.

You can see more of the construction plans Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the St. Andrews library location at 2916 Broad River Road, Columbia. A date for construction hasn't been set yet but it's expected to last about a year. Once construction begins, services at the St. Andrews location will move to a temporary cottage, so the location is not closing.

Watch the Live 5 News clip here.

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.