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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

Continuing Our Education, Learning From Our Job Shadow Cameron in 2011

Mez Joseph

“In his play he is no longer an on-looker merely; he is part of the busy world of adults. He is practicing to take his place in that world when he is grown.”
— Caroline Pratt, I Learn from Children
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National Park Service Celebrates Centennial & Looks to Future

Mez Joseph

You are cordially invited to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial on August 25, 2016. We're inviting you to #FindYourPark.

BY MELISSA BOUGHTON
mboughton@postandcourier.com

The National Park Service is ready to party, and you’re invited. Celebrations are underway across the country to commemorate the agency’s 100th birthday Thursday. Family fun is on the agenda, but the Park Service also is getting serious about the next century.

"The centennial will celebrate the achievements of the past 100 years, but it is really about the future," the parks’ website states. "It’s about kicking off a second century of stewardship for America’s national parks and for communities across the nation."

President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park System Organic Act into law Aug. 25, 1916. Since then, the Park Service’s mission has remained constant — to preserve and protect natural and cultural resources within the United States for visitor enjoyment.

There are currently 59 national parks and hundreds of historical sites across the country, including nine locations in South Carolina.

In 2015, more than 1.5 million people visited this state’s national parks. As a result the state saw an estimated $83 million benefit from the associated tourism, including money spent on gas, hotels, restaurants and retail, according to the Park Service.

South Carolina parks and historic areas associated with National Park Service:

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site Size: 28.45 acres Founded: Sept. 8, 1988 Yearly visitation: 47,315 The park at 1254 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant is on the site of the Snee Farm rice and indigo plantation once owned by Charles Pinckney, a former South Carolina governor and signer of the Constitution. The park includes exhibits, films and a half-mile loop trail.

Congaree National Park Size: 26,546 acres Founded: Oct. 18, 1976 Yearly visitation: 87,000 The park at 100 National Park Road in Hopkins can be explored by foot, kayak or canoe. It preserves the largest tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the Southeast

Cowpens National Battlefield Size: 841 acres Founded : March 4, 1929 (under the War Department); Aug. 10, 1933 (transferred to National Park Service) Yearly visitation: 206,740 This site preserves a major battlefield of the American Revolutionary War in Gaffney. There is a visitor center with a live-action theater film, a museum that includes weaponry and bookstore located at 4001 Chesnee Highway.

Fort Sumter National Monument Size: 234.74 acres Founded: April 28, 1948 Yearly visitation: 747,367 The park is made up of Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie and Liberty Square Park. It is the site of the opening bombardment of the Civil War on April 12-13, 1861. The national monument is accessed by ferry from Liberty Square or at Patriots Point. There are self-guided or ranger tours of the site, as well as a visitor center and museum.

Kings Mountain National Military Park Size: 3,945 acres Founded: March 3, 1931 (under the War Department); Aug. 10, 1933 (transferred to National Park Service) Attendance: 257,077 The battle of Kings Mountain was fought Oct. 7, 1780, and was an important American victory during the Revolutionary War. Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success," and the park, located at 2625 Park Road in Blacksburg, commemorates the battle while offering activities for historians and nature enthusiasts.

Ninety Six National Historic Site Size: 1,022 acres Founded: Aug. 19, 1976 Attendance: 80,223 The site has historical and archeological significance. The name was given by Charleston traders in the early 1700s because they thought it was the estimated remaining number of miles from there to the Cherokee village of Keowee in the upper South Carolina foothills, according to the Park Service. It is located at 1103 Highway 248 South in Ninety Six.

Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail Size: 330 miles Founded: Sept. 8, 1980 Atte ndance: Not tracked The trail stretches through Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina and traces the route used by patriot militia during the pivotal Kings Mountain campaign of 1780. There are three publicly accessible trails in South Carolina: 1.5 miles of Green River Road at Cowpens National Battlefield; 3 miles at Lake Whelchel; and 2 miles at Kings Mountain National Military Park.

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"SHOWING OFF BELLS"

Mez Joseph

In need of a new school to replace an aging facility, Liollio Architecture was retained by the Colleton County School District to design a new 45,000 SF building that would assist the educators in delivering the Colleton County educational curriculum for their students, serve the needs of the community and continue to be a gathering place they could be proud of. This project included careful phasing of site work and construction of the new building, while the existing school remained functional and occupied by staff and students throughout the school year. Separate vehicular and bus loops were added to improve traffic flow and student safety, and staff parking was added that doubles as event parking for after hours performances and community events. Assembly areas, including a multi-purpose area, cafeteria, performance stage, kitchen and public restrooms are conveniently located for use while the school is closed. Design features such as abundant natural light, grand entry corridors and pops of color were utilized to create a secure, inspiring, bright, playful environment, while the integration of new technology addressed the educational needs of a 21st century school. Walterboro’s The Press and Standard recently published an article by George Salsberry about Bells Elementary School:

Showing Off Bells

By George Salsberry
gsalsberry@lowcountry.com

The students of Bells Elementary School and their parents got their first look at their new school Saturday morning. Last spring, the students left for the summer from their old school building, Saturday they returned to find the old school house gone and a new one in its place.

Bells Elementary School Principal Lauren Behie stationed herself in the hallway just inside the school’s main entrance to welcome the children and their parents to the new facility.

“We have undergone a huge transformation from where we were to where we are now.  We truly have a showplace.  We have a building that our community can be proud of, that our students can be proud to attend and where our teachers have a place where they can be proud to work,” Behie said. She said as the start of school neared, the teachers couldn’t wait to check out the new facilities. “They called, texted and emailed, asking when can they get in, when can they get in, because they are so raring to go.”

They were able to get into the school building on Aug. 8 and begin the task of preparing their classrooms for a new school year.  “They have been working hard.” Saturday morning, Behie said, saw a steady stream of students and their parents visiting the new facilities. Behie said the parents commenting on how beautiful the building was, “that they were so proud of it.”

“When the students come in, their faces are in awe; they don’t know what to think when they come in the door,”  Behie said. “Some of them have been a little nervous about how they are going to navigate the building.”

Getting the students use to the building, giving them an idea of where their new classrooms were, was one of the reasons for the open house. And the teachers, students and parents were not the only ones excited to see the latest version of Bells Elementary.

Lawrence Heyward Ulmer, Bells High School Class of 1958, made the trip down from Columbia to get a look at the new school. Ulmer, in recent years, has dedicated his time to take on the task of putting old and new yearbooks from Colleton County schools on line. Ulmer brought down a Bells High School 1956 yearbook, and he offered kindergarten teacher Phyllis Murdaugh and Cynthia Marcus, her classroom assistant, a chance to look at the yearbook.  “If you want to see what I looked like, I was a good looking kid back in those days,” he said. He admitted that there was not a lot of competition for the title – “There were 32 of us.”

Murdaugh, a teacher for 38 years, 36 of them at Bells Elementary, was intrigued, pointing out that her mother had graduated from Ruffin High School in 1958, the same year as Ulmer.  Murdaugh, Marcus offered, taught the parents of the children she now had in her class.

Back then, Ulmer said, the new school year did not start until after Labor Day.  The students would return to the classroom after the crops were in. “I picked tobacco five days a week – two days for my dad, three days for the other farmers,” Ulmer said. Those days would begin at 5 a.m., by noon the harvesting was done for the day.  But not his work day.  Others would dry out the tobacco leaves.  At about 5 p.m., he would be back to work placing the leaves in the barn for curing. For that work, Ulmer and his companions received $5 a day.

Ulmer said the typing class he took at Bells High School ended up being the class that played the most prominent role in his life. He went in the U.S. Army, where his typing sills landed him desk duties.  One out of the service, he worked for a number of companies, and one again his typing skills proved beneficial.  As typewriters were replaced by computers, he made the transition.  “I’ve been using computers for 50 years.”

At a recent school board meeting, it was reported that the Bells building is about 75 percent complete.  Work continues on the cafeteria and multi-purpose facilities.

Behie said a ribbon-cutting for the new school will be scheduled after the work is finished. “It is going to be a good year,” Behie predicted.

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General Services Administration Redevelopment of St. Elizabeths Campus

Mez Joseph

The former St Elizabeths Hospital campus is a National Historic Landmark Site that was founded in 1855 as a Government Hospital for the insane. The original hospital building was a variation on the Kirkbride plan that sought to use building design and organization to provide a more humane treatment environment. The massive undertaking being led by Goody Clancy is perhaps the largest public building project since the Pentagon. Once completed, the campus will comprise roughly 4.5 million gross square feet of office and related space for approximately 14,000 employees. The campus will serve as the consolidated headquarters for the Department of Homeland Security including a National Operations Center and individual headquarters for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Liollio’s role in this historic project has been to complete an assessment, documentation and cataloguing of all exterior windows and doors for 16 buildings. Following the extensive on site evaluations, Liollio will complete window schedules and details that layout existing conditions and necessary repairs for each window. Read more about the GSA Development of St. Elizabeths Campus here.

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THE 2016 CRBJ FORTY UNDER 40 AWARDS CEREMONY

Mez Joseph

The 2016 Charleston Regional Business Journal's Forty Under 40 Awards Ceremony was held Thursday night at Alhambra Hall in Mount Pleasant. Liollio's Alison Dawson, Associate AIA, was honored as one of this year's winners. Principals,  Dinos & Cherie Liollio, Rick Bousquet and Jay White were all in attendance, along with Alison's husband and parents. Congratulations Alison & all the deserving recipients!

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tags #40CHS, #chsnews, #crbj, #AIA, #AIASC

LOUISVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY: KENTUCKY'S MOST BEAUTIFUL

Mez Joseph

Louisville Free Public Library, in Louisville KY, was named Kentucky's Most Beautiful Library by Tech Insider. Tech Insider recently named "The Most Beautiful Library in Each US State" and St. Helena Library in St. Helena Island SC was honored as South Carolina's most beautiful. The Louisville Free Public Library won an Honor Award as part of the AIA's 2016 Kentucky Design Awards for its overlapping wooden facade. Liollio's Geoff Mohney, AIA, LEED AP, had meetings for projects at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville KY. Liollio Architecture is currently repairing foundations and re-building a failing retaining wall at the historic Mission 66 Visitor Center and will be correcting ADA-deficient walkways around the site.  Hodgenville is approximately an hour south of Louisville, so while Geoff was there, he decided to stop and visit Kentucky's most beautiful library to take some photos. Thank you Geoff for sharing!

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tags #nps, #louisville, #kentucky, #techinsider, #library, #sthelenalibrary, #abrahamlincoln, #nationalhistoricsite

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON PRESERVES ITS PAST, BUILDING BY BUILDING

Mez Joseph

Sometimes it’s the least expected encounters that make the most difference. And that’s just what happened in the case of the Hugh P. Cameron House, one of the many historic homes on campus and headquarters for the College’s Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program (HPCP). Read the entire article...

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tags #preservation, #cofc, #charleston, #liollio, #architecture, #bennettpreservation

"On the Boards"

Mez Joseph

Visit our newest Portfolio tab ON THE BOARDS to see a sample of projects we are  currently in the process of completing and are excited to share with you!

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Charleston County Public Library Adds Thousands of Free Downloadable Items to Website

Mez Joseph

Hundreds of thousands of eBooks, audio books, songs and movies are now available for local residents to download or stream free – if they have a Charleston County Public Library card. In addition to the free digital services already offered through CCPL’s website, the library has added new downloadable and streaming materials from hoopla digital (note: both words are lowercase). This new service includes:

  • More than 100,000 eBooks
  • More than 33,000 audio books
  • More than 275,000 albums
  • More than 11,000 movies
  • More than 1,300 television shows

More than 6,000 comic books

This is in addition to the more than 10,000 eBooks, 4,000 audio books, nine million songs, nearly 200 different magazine titles and thousands of films already offered for free download by visiting the library’s website – www.ccpl.org and clicking the Downloadable Media link in the left vertical color bar to explore all the options available any time of the day or night. A free hoopla mobile app lets users easily download items to their iOS or Android devices, or users can click on the hoopladigital.com webpage link on the library’s Downloadable Media page to download items to their computer or mobile device. Additionally, hoopla includes a ‘Kids Mode’ option that allows parents to limit a child’s browsing to content designed specifically for a younger audience. With hoopla, residents can check out up to 10 items per calendar month. Checkout periods are:

  • eBooks, audio books and comics – 21 days
  • Music – seven days
  • ovies and Television Shows – three days

    There is no waiting period for popular titles on hoopla digital, and the automatic return function prevents late fees. Essentially, CCPL customers can access hoopla content whenever they want, wherever they want.

    If you want to download or stream items, but don’t have a library card, stop by any of CCPL’s 16 branch locations or complete an application online. Cards are free for Charleston County residents, business owners, property owners, students, teachers of accredited K-12 grade schools, members of the military and employees of Charleston County.

    Visit the library’s Downloadable Media Page to check out all the free digital materials available.
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South Carolina's Most Beautiful Library is...

Mez Joseph

Congratulations St. Helena Library! Named SC's Most Beautiful Library by Tech Insider!
Tech Insider chose a library from each state as "the most beautiful", and here is what they said about South Carolina: "In St. Helena Island, the St. Helena Branch Library creates a cozy environment with lattice-enclosed reading spaces inside, and relaxing open spaces outside."
Read full article here.

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Liollio Welcomes 3 New Team Members

Mez Joseph

Liollio Architecture is pleased to announce the addition of three new team members to our Design Studio – (pictured from left to right) Sarah Glass, Associate AIA, Allie Beck, Associate AIA and Aaron Bowman, AIA LEED AP. Aaron joined Liollio in May, contributing an impressive wealth of experience as a Project Architect to the Design Team. He is currently serving as President-Elect for AIA Charleston and is on the State Chapter’s Board of Directors. Allie and Sarah, both Clemson Graduates, relocated to Charleston to join Liollio as Project Designers. Their enthusiasm, determination, drive and talent are a welcome addition to the Studio.

Liollio Architecture is celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year. Headquartered in Charleston SC, Liollio offers architecture, interior design, programming, historic preservation and master planning services. Subscribe to our blog and follow us on Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for more info!

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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.

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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.

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