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News

SPOTLIGHT ON: CATHERINE MANNS

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our November Spotlight On feature is Catherine Manns. Catherine joined the Liollio team this year as an Interior Designer. She is a graduate of Iowa State University with a BFA in Interior Design. Catherine is a valuable addition to the studio, contributing in pinups, jumping into production, and adding to our firm culture. We sat down for a Q+A session with our October Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
Whitehall, Michigan. It is a small town on the coast of Lake Michigan that gets full of tourists in the Summer.

What do you like to do for fun?
Play Mario Kart with my boyfriend and go for drives by the water.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
I just adopted a rescue dog of my own here in Charleston! Her name is Pokey because she is a slow poke. She is a black Labrador mix and is only 30 pounds. Pokey is a quirky dog who is already very comfortable sleeping in our bed and stealing our spot on the couch. My family in Michigan has 3 dogs that I grew up with. Koa is a beagle mix who is 13 years old and the epitome of a grumpy old man. He stays young with the other two dogs named Akela, a pitbull mix, and Hanai, a great dane puppy(ish). Akela will follow you everywhere and will peer pressure you into a car ride. Hanai is 90 pounds, but she still has a favorite stuffed animal that she carries around and is afraid of small children. All 3 dogs have Hawaiian names with their own meaning because my mom was born in Hawaii. It has been a tradition since her and my dad named their first dog together.

Favorite food?
A good burger with lots of mayo.

Favorite television show?
Deep down I am a 90 year-old woman and I love all game shows, but my favorite is Wheel of Fortune. My family has watched it every weeknight at 7pm for as long as I can remember. I now make my boyfriend participate.

Favorite movie or genre?
Monsters Inc. is one of my childhood favorites, and The Lovely Bones is one of my favorite darker movies. I love watching things about murder and kidnapping.

Favorite style of architecture?
I have always loved Victorian style architecture for homes.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
Dog - because they have no responsibilities.

Are you messy or organized?
Organized for the most part.

What’s your pet peeve?
I hate the sound of hands rubbing together, and not really a pet peeve, but I hate that pedestrians have the right of way.

Guilty pleasure?
Coca-Cola

Favorite quote?
”Live your life in such a way that if someone spoke badly of you, no one would believe it.”

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Old relatives

Tell us a random fact.
Subway bread is classified as cake due to its high sugar content.

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save?
Family photos

What’s your astrological sign?
Cancer

What is your personal philosophy?
Everything will work out in the end.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
Google Maps

What is your greatest fear?
Being stuck/locked in a small space.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Receiving a full ride to Iowa State.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
That I can contribute my interior design skills and also learn more about architecture and how it all intertwines.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I used to want to be a vet when I was a kid, before I found out they work on many animals not just puppies.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Stop trying to grow up so fast - enjoy being a kid at home while you can.

How do you define success?
Loving what you do every day, surrounded by people you love.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I love listening to screamo and punk-rock music whenever I do design work. It puts me in the zone.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
My mom told me that the juiciest watermelons are the ones that are all beat up on the outside. That is not a metaphor, it is actually a watermelon tip.

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categories Celebration, Local, New Team Member, Office Fun, Spotlight On, Staff
tags spotlighton, spotlight, QandA, Catherine, CatherineManns

Charleston Moves' 6th annual Pedal & Panache

Mez Joseph

Charleston Moves' 6th annual Pedal & Panache, presented by Bike Law and Morrison Yard Residences, is tomorrow! This is Charleston Moves' single largest annual fundraiser, and they need our support. Please buy your tickets, invite your friends, and join in for a fun evening to power our safe streets movement. You can purchase tickets here.

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categories Charity, Community, Health & Wellness, Local, Regional
tags peoplepoweredprogress, pedalandpanache, fundraiser, party, auction, equitablemobility, completestreets, addvocacy, charlestonmoves

Happy National Boss's Day!

Mez Joseph

Boss's Day (also written as Bosses Day or Boss' Day) is generally observed on or around October 16th in the United States. It is a day for employees to do something kind and heartfelt for supervisors as a way of saying thank you. We celebrated National Boss’s Day at Liollio this morning with a breakfast provided by the studio. Each team member brought in homemade breakfast dishes, pastries and more. Cheers to all the great bosses out there!

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categories Celebration, Holiday, Local, Regional, Staff
tags bossesday, nationalbossday, nationalbossesday, bossday, beaboss

SPOTLIGHT ON JEREMY EATON

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our October Spotlight On feature is Jeremy Eaton. Jeremy joined the Liollio team as a Project Designer in 2021. A graduate of Texas A&M University’s College of Architecture, with a Masters from Clemson University, Jeremy is interested in community-focused design and favors a critical regionalism approach to architecture. He has a passion for making and is a valuable contributor to the Liollio studio, jumping into pinups, production, and the culture of the firm. We sat down for a Q+A session with our October Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
I grew up mostly in Temple, Texas, but I call Waco, Texas home.

Are you married?
I’ve been married 5 years to my wonderful wife Hannah!

Do you have children?
Yes, I just recently welcomed a son!

What do you like to do for fun?
I have too many hobbies. Currently the fun ones are watching soccer, woodworking, and cooking.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
I have a 9-year-old rescue dog named Romulus. He’s red haired with white paws and we think he’s an Australian cattle dog. He only likes to play with blue/orange ‘chuck-it’ balls so long as the squeaker has been destroyed. He loves sourdough bread, chicken, and anything I have in my hand. He loves his new little human too.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
I love the West-Ashley Greenway and Stono River Park. Mozzo Deli, Orange Spot Coffee, Riverfront Park, Guilded Horn, Kudu Coffee, and Bowen’s Island restaurant are some other faves.

Favorite restaurant?
La Fiesta Restaurant & Cantina in Waco, Texas. Probably.

Favorite food?
It’s a tie between a Klobasnek or an Empanada. Pretty much just any meat filling inside some dough, baked or fried. Except calzones – those are just okay.

Least favorite food?
It’s a tie between meatloaf and chicken piccata. It’s how you ruin beef and chicken respectively.

Favorite book?
Do cookbooks count? Bread is Gold by Massimo Bottura.

Do you play any instruments?
I’m a pretty decent drummer.

What song is at the top of your most played list?
High-chance it’s Once in a lifetime by The Talking Heads.

Favorite musical artist or genre?
It’s an 11-way-tie between Phil Collins, Alicia Keys, Radiohead, Snarky Puppy, Lettuce, Jurassic-5, Kate Bush, Van Morrison, Lubomyr Melnyk, The Talking Heads, and Jim Croce.

Favorite visual artist?
James Gurney. He’s a painter with an incredible portfolio of artwork. We probably wouldn’t be able to visualize dinosaurs without his illustrations and studies. He’s also been fairly influential in sci-fi and fantasy renderings for all kinds of media.

Favorite television show?
Believe it or not I’ve re-watched the entirety of The X-files more times than I have re-watched all of Breaking Bad.

Favorite book or author?
Other than Michael Pollan I can’t think of multiple books I’ve read by a single author. - so probably Michael Pollan.

Last book you read?
Where the Crawdads Sing.

Favorite podcast or blog?
Charleston County Public Library’s Charleston Time Machine with Dr. Nic Butler is the best.

Favorite movie or genre?
It’s a tie between Gangs of New York and Nacho Libre.

Last movie you watched?
Big Daddy starring Adam Sandler.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
Delphi, Greece and Mt. Parnassus. The ruins and history are incredible at Delphi and the landscape around Mt. Parnassus was beautiful.

Favorite style of architecture?
I don’t really have one. If anything I subscribe to a Critical Regionalism approach to architecture. 

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
I feel unoriginal for saying a museum impressed or inspired me, because most of them are impressive architecturally. However, I’ve been to the Kimbell Art Museum, by Louis Kahn, in Fort Worth, TX so many times and every time it’s still a wonderful experience. I’ve also gone there specifically to take a nap in the courtyard.

What would the book or movie about your life be called?
EatOn Table: A Journey of Woodworking and Cooking Mastery. Also rife with low quality puns.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Daniel Day-Lewis if he’s available.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
Maybe like a Mountain Weasel. Live in a cold, rocky, mountain, and quiet environment.

Are you messy or organized?
Messy, but always knolling.

What’s your pet peeve?
Salting your water before it’s boiling.

Guilty pleasure?
Extra Toasty Cheez-its. As far as I’m concerned, one box equals one serving size.

Tell us a random fact.
Strawberries are not berries but Bananas are berries.

Favorite quote?
“Time’s fun when you’re having flies.” – Kermit the frog

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Massimo Bottura, world renowned chef.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
Johannes Gutenberg constructing the movable-type printing press.

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save?
My dog’s favorite ball.

What three traits characterize you?
Patient, intentional, and receptive.

What’s your astrological sign?
Capricorn.

What is your personal philosophy?
I always try my best to make things easier for the next person and also to leave things better than when you found it.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
Of course I couldn’t live without my wife and son, but they have to eat. So, one thing would be my 11 7/8” Matfer Bourgeat Carbon Steel Fry Pan.

What is your greatest fear?
Widespread apathy

What inspires you most?
My newborn son’s curiosity of the world (which is whatever part of our apartment that is 10 inches in front of him).

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
That I don’t feel like I work for people, but instead work with people. It’s also a plus that those people are way smarter and harder working than me.

What does true leadership mean to you? 
Knowing how to leverage the talents of those around you as a critical factor in your own success.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I think I could do a lot of design justice in one day as a packaging engineer. We have too much packaging and consumer waste. Also, has anyone ever not destroyed a cardboard box that tears open along a perforated line? It’s time for a change.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Afford yourself some grace and extend more of it to others. At least until you reach my age.

How do you define success?
Contented in my pursuits and feeling as though I’ve spent time improving myself.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I took a speed-walking course in college and got a personal best of 6:33. I think that’s not too shabby for an amateur.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
I once had a drawing professor, after watching me erase and redraw some lines, tell me that “if you just draw them all bad, then you don’t have to worry about making them all correct”. He probably didn’t make that up but if you draw all your lines wiggly it’s just a style. If only one line is wiggly, then it’s probably a mistake. Scribbled my way through school and into a career, so must have been pretty solid advice.

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Liollio Principal, Jennifer Charzewski & Others Present at Pecha Kucha 40

Mez Joseph

Liollio Principal Jennifer Charzewski Presents at Pecha Kucha Charleston

PechaKucha, which means the sound of conversation in Japanese, was first conceived by Tokyo architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, who were seeking a way to encourage student presenters to use PowerPoint in a more organized and succinct manner. PechaKucha has spread to over 135 cities around the world as an informal forum for creative people to meet, network and show their work in public. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for just 20 seconds, giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.

PechaKucha 40 took place at Charleston Music Hall on Thursday, September 15, 2022 and featured presenters Candace Patterson, Will Kiser, Bintou N’Daw, Kalyn Oyer, Chase Quinn, and many others, including Liollio Principal Jennifer Charzewski. Check out all the presentations on Charleston Music Hall’s Youtube page.

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categories Architecture, Celebration, Community, Conference, Global, Local, News, Regional, Staff
tags pechakucha, pechakucha40, charlestonmusichall, presentation, art, music, creativity, community, presnters, jennifercharzewski

Liollio's Elissa Morrison & Other Honorees Celebrated as CRBJ's 2022 Forty Under 40 Recipients

Mez Joseph

Last week the Charleston Regional Business Journal's 2022 Forty Under 40 Awards Ceremony was held at Charleston Gaillard Center. Liollio Associate and Architect, Elissa Morrison, AIA, was honored as one of the 40 recipients. The Liollio team would like to congratulate Elissa and all of this year’s honorees!

Charleston Regional Business Journal
Written by Jenny Peterson
Photography by Ariel Perez
SEP 16, 2022

They’re volunteers, non-profit board members, foster parents, founders of nonprofits that help children and the community and pioneers in their fields.

Even more outstanding? They’re all under 40 years old.

More than 250 people attended the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 event, celebrating those young people’s accomplishments while feasting on prime rib and a mashed potatoes bar. The event was sponsored by Charleston Southern University and the Charleston Gaillard Center.

Each nominee was called to the stage and their resumes and community service highlighted by emcees Quinn Gaines — a past Forty Under 40 winner and director of business development for Choate Construction’s South Carolina Division — and Jason Thomas, executive editor of SC Biz News.

While the nominees work in a wide variety of industries — real estate, architecture, transportation, legal and health services, property management, hospitality — all of them have a deep passion for giving back to their community.

Collectively, the nominees dedicate their time and support the following organizations: The Susan G. Komen dragon boat race, Teacher’s Supply Closet, Green Heart Project, American Red Cross, Chase After the Cure, Girls on the Run, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, Next Child Fund, One80Place, Goose Creek Planning Commission, financial literacy organization Increasing HOPE and the Junior League of Summerville.

Many nominees use their business skills to help the community, like Max N. Gruetzmacher, member attorney at Motley Rice, who has offered legal services for Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, Charleston HALOS, Lowcountry Food Bank, Charleston WaterKeeper, Charleston Animal Society, Palmetto Paws and Charleston Legal Access.

Doing good through their work, Nichole Johnson, a local missions ministry leader at Seacoast Church, runs a warming shelter for homeless people in West Ashley. Devon Andrews, director of policy and partnerships at the Charleston Parks Conservancy, created community initiatives like Books on Buses, Books for Babies programs, Free and Fresh Fridge initiative.

Personal missions include the creation of new important nonprofits. Zach Volousky, vice president and financial consultant at South State Investment Services, co-founded Pickle’s People, which supports children and families that are undergoing a recent childhood cancer diagnosis, following his young daughter’s Leukemia diagnosis.

Marcus Bryant, a formerly homeless youth, founded Compass Collegiate Academy, a free charter school in North Charleston, and has dedicated his service to empowering marginalized communities.

Breaking down barriers in health care, Jill Dunnigan, manager of Provider Network Management for Select Health of South Carolina, served as the company’s first culturally and linguistically appropriate services coordinator. She learned about the problem of cultural and linguistic barriers while studying in Spain during college, where she experienced the struggles one encounters when using a health care system in a non-native language and culture. Dr. Cerrissa Hugie was recognized as the first female Black psychiatric nurse practitioner to open her own practice in Charleston.

Celebrating the local community, Dawn Boren, senior management specialist at Boeing, writes a children’s book series called Stories of the Gullah Geechee Children in her free time.

“Beautiful beaches, an historic downtown and great weather do not make a community — people like these 40 young people do,” said Thomas. “It takes many people volunteering their time and talent to build a strong, rich, vibrant, caring community. The selfless examples, the breadth and depth of community service and volunteer work represented tonight, is truly inspiring.”

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categories Awards, Celebration, Community, History, Honoring, Local, News, Staff
tags CRBJ, 40under40, fortyunder40, awards, celebration, gaillardcenter

DON'T MISS PECHAKUCHA 40 AT CHARLESTON MUSIC HALL!

Mez Joseph

Charleston’s creative community returns to Charleston Music Hall for PechaKucha 40 on September 15! Liollio Principal, Jennifer Graham Charzewski, will be presenting how the creative process is driven by collaboration.

Tickets on Sale Now! https://www.charlestonmusichall.com/event/pechakucha-40/

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categories Architecture, Community, Conference, Local, News, Regional, Staff
tags pechakucha, jennifeercharzewski, pechakucha40, charlestonmusichall

SPOTLIGHT ON: TAMMY GRIFFIN

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our September Spotlight On feature is Tammy Griffin. Tammy joined the team in November 2021 and quickly became a welcome addition as our new Administrative Assistant. Tammy brings valuable office management and contract oversight experience. A Charleston native, Tammy previously worked as a Legal Assistant for 19 years. We sat down for a little Q+A with Tammy…

Where did you grow up? Up and down the East Coast since my father was in the Navy, but have been in Charleston since 1968 so I consider myself a Charleston native.

Are you married?  No

Do you have children? Three wonderful children – Janice, Elaine and Michael; and five even more wonderful grandchildren – Ty, Tyndale, Tate, Alex and Tanner.

What do you like to do for fun? Relax by the pool or at the beach; try new restaurants in town; meet up with friends

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them. Nope.

Favorite place(s) to go locally? Any of our waterfront parks like Mt. Pleasant Waterfront Park, Charleston’s Waterfront Park with the Pier and Pineapple Fountain, the Shem Creek Park.

Favorite restaurant? With NO hesitation – Lewis BBQ is by far my favorite restaurant!  I’ve never walked away disappointed, and always send people there who ask for recommendations.  I think I need to look into some kind of referral fee with Lewis.

Favorite food? A well-seasoned grilled steak or juicy hamburger; and of course Lewis BBQ smoked brisket

Least favorite food? Broccoli & Cauliflower

Favorite book? Not a reader…books put me to sleep.

Do you play any instruments? No

What song is at the top of your most played list? This Girl is On Fire by Alicia Keys

Favorite musical artist or genre? No one favorite – I like music by Adele, Ed Sheeran, Lizzo, Pink or Lady Gaga; and any of the oldies by Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys and the Beatles.

Favorite visual artist? This would have to be Philip Simmons and the beautiful wrought ironwork that can be seen around downtown Charleston.

Favorite television show? Friends

Favorite book or author? Maya Angelou

Last book you read? A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Favorite movie or genre? Rom-Coms or Murder Mysteries

Last movie you watched? Top Gun: Maverick - I had to explain to some of my younger co-workers that this was a follow up to the original Top Gun that came out in 1986…and the sad realization for me that some of them weren’t even born when the first one came out.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why? Puerto Rico – clear blue water and white, soft sand – what’s not to like?  I had also found out the background of my maternal grandfather; so when I went to visit my daughter (who was living there at the time), we got to visit the area of Puerto Rico where he grew up.

Favorite style of architecture? Mediterranean.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you? The US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.  It was a very powerful, thought-provoking experience.

What would the book or movie about your life be called? I’m Not What I Have Done; I Am What I have Overcome

Who would play you in a movie about your life?  Jennifer Lopez, of course.

Are you messy or organized? Organized

What’s your pet peeve? Just one pet peeve? LOL – People with poor work ethic and people on their cell phones at dinner.

Guilty pleasure? Netflix binge-watching and crossword puzzles.

Favorite quote? “Be the person you needed when you were Younger” - Ayesha Siddiqi; “Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me” – Carol Burnett; “Hate. It has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet.” – Maya Angelou; “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” – Stephen R. Covey

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be? My biological maternal grandmother and grandfather

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see? The Birth of Jesu

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save? Since family photos can be obtained digitally now, I’d probably grab my passport.

What three traits characterize you? Caring, sympathetic, mischievous

What’s your astrological sign? Cancer

What is your personal philosophy? I accept that I cannot blame others for the bad choices I’ve made; and I be willing to make amends to those I’ve hurt.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?  Hope

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far? Facing and making peace with my past.

What is your greatest fear?  Snakes and lizards (which is basically a snake with feet!); and I’m also afraid of heights.

What inspires you most? When a community unites as one after a tragedy because they want to be a part of a positive change.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?  My children, Janice, Elaine and Michael, and the amazing adults they’ve turned out to be despite their mom’s inadequate parenting skills.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?  Walking through the studio and hearing and seeing all the creativity going on among the architects and designers, AND our monthly Think + Drinks, which is like a show and tell for team to share hobbies or topics that interest them.

What does true leadership mean to you? Having a servant’s heart and setting an example. One of my favorite movie quotes is “Attitude Reflects Leadership...” from Remember the Titans.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? A hair stylist or a cruise director.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? You weren’t as fat as you were led to believe.

How do you define success? I don’t think success is about money; I think it’s based on how we bounce back from our failures.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? “Find a job that is pleasing to your heart.”

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SPOTLIGHT ON: HUNTER THURLO

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and to get to know them better as individuals. Our August Spotlight On feature is Hunter Thurlo. Hunter became a welcome addition to our team his year, joining the Liollio studio as a Project Designer. He is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (2021) and a Masters of Architecture (2022). Hunter has become a valuable contributor, jumping right into studio pinups, production and the culture of the firm. We sat down for a little Q+A with one of our newest team members.

Where did you grow up? Mocksville NC

Are you married? No

Do you have children? No

What do you like to do for fun? Be outside, and explore new things.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them. Growing up we had a recreational farm, and a slew of dogs and cats.

Favorite place(s) to go locally? Sullivan’s Island

Favorite food? Mexican

Least favorite food? Indian

Favorite book? Any well-articulated (with pictures) monograph on architecture.

Do you play any instruments? No

Favorite musical artist or genre? My Spotify favorites resemble a pinball …always changing directions

Favorite visual artist? Ralph Grady James

Favorite television show? The Big Bang Theory

Favorite podcast or blog? Oh yeah, I cannot pay attention to podcasts.

Favorite movie or genre? National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Favorite style of architecture? All styles resemble a time/place that represents the culture and technology of the time; therefore favoritism towards one is not allowing the understanding of what the style did for humanity.

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why? St. Kitts. However, Rome would have probably topped it if my Study Abroad wasn’t cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What would the book or movie about your life be called? Dumpster Fire

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? Whale - the strong family aspect.

Are you messy or organized? An organized mess.

What’s your pet peeve? The lack of work ethic.

Tell us a random fact. I spent Thanksgiving in jail one time…it’s not what you think.

Favorite quote? “Humor is the absence of terror, and terror is the absence of humor.” – Jimmy Buffett

What three traits characterize you? Humorous, extroverted, selfless

What’s your astrological sign? Aries

What is your personal philosophy? Don’t Give Up the Ship

What is your greatest fear? Birds, snakes, ghosts

What inspires you most? Working hard and dedication.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? Making the rival high school swim coach break a clipboard because I beat his swimmer.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio? The culture and dedication to design.

What does true leadership mean to you? Selflessness and respect.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? Large machine operator at a landfill…I would crush it.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? Go have fun and take a break.

How do you define success? Starts with waking up in the morning.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? “Confident, not cocky.”

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categories Celebration, Local, New Team Member, Office Fun, Spotlight On, Staff
tags spotlighton, spotlight, newteammember, Hunter, HunterThurlo

Historic Brattonsville Brick House Honored with 2022 SC Historic Preservation Award

Mez Joseph

The South Carolina Historic Preservation Awards were presented at the State House on July 13, 2022 by SC Governor Henry McMaster and First Lady Peggy McMaster. The awards were sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, and Preservation South Carolina. Liollio Architecture’s project, The Brick House, McConnells: Historic Brattonsville, was honored with a 2022 South Carolina Historic Preservation Stewardship Award. The Liollio team has great respect and appreciation for our State’s history and the preservation of it’s historic landmarks. Liollio is honored to be part of the talented team of individuals who have united to revitalize and preserve this historic building. Congratulations to our team and to all of this year’s award recipients for their amazing work!

For more information about the projects/recipients and images from the awards presentation visit Preservation South Carolina’s 2022 awards page. And click here for a local ABC News story on the awards.

Governor’s Award:  Dr. Wenonah Haire, Rock Hill: Catawba Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director of the Catawba Cultural Preservation Project

Preservation Service Award (project/recipient):  Grace Chapel Baptist Cemetery Project, Charleston : The South Carolina History Room, Charleston County Public Library

Stewardship Awards (property/recipient):

  • Strawberry Chapel, Moncks Corner: Strawberry Chapel Vestry, St. John’s Berkeley Parish

  • South Carolina Governor’s Mansion, Columbia: The South Carolina Department of Administration

  • The Brick House, McConnells: Historic Brattonsville – York Culture & Heritage Museums

  • John Mark Verdier House, Beaufort: Historic Beaufort Foundation

  • 164 King Street, Charleston: Charleston Library Society

Preservation Honor Awards (project/recipients):

  • 106 E. Benson Street, Anderson: Danny Walker; Daniel Builders; and Kyle Campbell, Preservation South, LLC

  • 1639-1645 Main Street, Columbia: Sara Middleton Styles & Greg Middleton, Smoked; Rogers Lewis Jackson Mann & Quinn, LLC; Scott Garvin, Garvin Design Group; and Lee Mashburn, Mashburn Construction Company

  • Savage Craft Ale Works, West Columbia: Andrew Baumgartner, Baumer Holdings, LLC; Mark Hood, Amanda Harter, Dean Wilson, Hood Construction; and Wes Lyles, Studio2LR

  • Monarch Building/ Bank of Camden: Laurel & Westley Parks, P&P Investment Partners; Scott Lambert, Lambert Architecture & Construction Services; Rich Spencer, Lambert Architecture & Construction Services

  • Woodside Cotton Mill, Greenville: Randy Moore, CG Woodside Partners, LLC; Ken Betsch, Betsch Associates; and Chris Norris, Caldwell Constructors

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categories Architecture, Awards, Celebration, Community, Historic Preservation, History, Local, News, Regional
tags BrickHouse, HistoricBrattonsville, BrattonsvillePreserved, PreservationSC, historicpreservation, preservationawards, awards, StewardshipAward, #preservation

Dorchester County Library North Charleston Branch Groundbreaking Ceremony

Mez Joseph

Liollio Architecture is thrilled to be part of the Edifice team on the new Dorchester County Library North Charleston Branch. Davis & Floyd, RMF, and EM Structural are all part of the team. The new 15,000 SF joint-use library as a collaboration between Dorchester County, Dorchester County Library, and Dorchester School District 2, located adjacent to Fort Dorchester High School. It is flagged as a part of Collaboration Corridor on Patriot Boulevard. The groundbreaking ceremony took place June 27.

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categories Architecture, Celebration, Community, Construction, Education, Ground Breaking, History, Learning Environments, Library, Local, News, Regional
tags dorchestercounty, DorchesterCountyLibrary, DSD2, DorchesterSchoolDistrict2, newlibrary, library, groundbreaking, ceremony, Edifice, DavidandFloyd, RMF, EMStructural

THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING OUR NEW HOME AT THE REFINERY!

Mez Joseph

The Liollio team would like to thank all who attended our recent housewarming event and helped us celebrate our new home at The Refinery in Downtown Charleston. A very special thank you to our friends and neighbors at The Refinery, The Whale Craft Beer Collective & Tasting Room, who curated our beverages - and 96.3 FM OHM Radio, who crafted a custom playlist just for our event. Thank you to Lewis Barbecue for catering the delicious ‘cue and sides - and The Cake Stand Charleston for your amazing cupcakes. Last but not least, thank you to our friends sundogband, the unpredictable, high-energy variety band based out of Charleston, who brought our terrace to life with great music and vibes. We are so grateful to you all. Thank you for making our event a success!

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categories Celebration, Community, Grand Opening, History, Local, News, Office Fun, Staff
tags openhouse, housewarming, therefinery, newoffice, thewhale, ohmradio, lewisbarbecue, thecakestand, thecakestandcharleston, sundogband, celebration, party

SPOTLIGHT ON: RAJAN MISTRY

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to highlight and celebrate them - and to get to know them better as individuals. After a hiatus of Spotlight On Q&A sessions, we are finally returning to form and highlighting Rajan Mistry as our July Spotlight On feature. Raj became a welcome addition to the Liollio studio in 2021 as Contract Administrator. He is a graduate of the New School of Architecture & Design in San Diego. He has a history of construction contract administration and project management from the perspective of the owner, contractor, and architect.

Where did you grow up? Ndola, Zambia – it’s a small copper-mining town close to the Congolese border, and had a great childhood there.

Are you married? Do you have children? Neither

What do you like to do for fun? I love being outside, so it would either be cycling, dog-walking, golfing or hashing.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them. I have a Shepherd-Husky mix, named Shaki, and she is an awesome dog. She looks like a German-Shepherd but has gorgeous ice-blue eyes. She has just enough German-Shepherd in her to be obedient, and just enough Husky in her to be independent and love a good run around. Interesting fact about her; she doesn’t bark at all!

Favorite place(s) to go locally? Golf Courses & Breweries

Favorite restaurant? I don’t know if it’s my favorite restaurant, but I love going to Jamaican restaurants and go there most frequently.

Favorite food? Ethiopian and Japanese

Least favorite food? Any food that is a greasy mess and impossible to eat without destroying my beard.

Do you play any instruments? I play the guitar, sitar, and a bit of bass/piano as well.

What song is at the top of your most played list? It’s either going to be Chronixx (reggae & dancehall) or some vocal Drum ‘n Bass mixes.

Favorite musical artist or genre? House Music

Favorite television show? I don’t really watch TV – life itself is sufficiently surreal…

 Last book you read? It was probably a Harvard Business Review.

Favorite book? Bhagavad Gita

Favorite author? Jon Klassen writes awesome children’s books, and I highly recommend you investigate them and buy them all for your kids.

Favorite podcast or blog? The Peter Schiff Show – it is primarily an economics podcast, but he also discusses news stories and geopolitics.

Favorite movie or genre? I love a good laugh, so comedy is always high on my list, but it may have to be The Matrix.

Last movie you watched? It was a kids’ movie with my little niece and nephew. There were some magic dragons and I think it was called Raya.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why? Mexico – I have been to 8 Mexican states and have had a great time every visit. You get high-quality goods/services, excellent prices, and the people are all wonderful.

Favorite style of architecture? I do not have a preference. I believe that good design is independent of stylistic choice. Just like how one can have great and terrible movies or songs of a genre, so too can architecture of a style be great and terrible.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you? The Salk Institute – the look and feel of the building, especially with its layout amongst the ocean and vegetation is great. The way the building systems were managed and long-term modifications planned for was extremely insightful.

What would the book or movie about your life be called? Let’s See What Happens

Who would play you in a movie about your life? Like Tyler Perry, I would love to play absolutely everyone, including myself, in the movie.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? I was once told by one of my primary school teachers that I was like a hummingbird. Very curious, very active and constantly moving around and engaging with things.

Are you messy or organized? Organized. There are two types of people; Leavers and Putters, and you find that out when you ask them where something is. Some people will say, “where I put it,” and some people will say, “where I left it.”

What’s your pet peeve? Mispronunciation of the word nuclear as nuculer, and the disastrous misuse of the apostrophe.

Guilty pleasure? I’m a sucker for sweet things, and every once in a while, I like to drive fast.

Tell us a random fact. Biologically, there is no such thing as a fish.

Favorite quote? “Rule #1: Work your Butt Off. Rule #2: Break the Rules.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be? Peter Schiff

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see? I would love to see timelapses of ancient construction feats. Too many people tell me they were built by aliens, and discredit sheer manpower.

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save? My laptop

What three traits characterize you? Intelligent, Playful and Wacky

What’s your astrological sign? Leo – and I would say I am very much the stereotypical Leo.

What is your personal philosophy? Generally, that things fall into place in life. Despite the rollercoaster of life, ride the waves out with a positive attitude – they are temporary – and you will keep the whole thing moving forward.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without? Outside space

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far? I have had many difficult projects, with difficult project teams and difficult bosses. But interestingly, I love a challenge and the constraints that come along with it. It certainly increases the value in your heart when the job is over and done.

What inspires you most? Being at home, coming up with ideas on things to build and how to build them. I am always walking around my house and yard, scheming.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? There are many accomplishments that I am proud of, but none would be categorized as the one I’m most proud of. I have been told that I have beautiful handwriting, so maybe that!

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio? Liollio has an awesome team of people; hard-working, social and with great communication. I have high hopes that we have many more years of excellent work output for this city, state and region.

What does true leadership mean to you? There are many attributes that constitute good leadership, and all of them are vitally important, but I won’t be listing them all out in this answer. Two of the most important are trust and approachability.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? A crane operator or possibly some sort of earth-moving equipment. Basically a giant toy that a 3 year-old boy would play with.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? I wouldn’t have anything specific to tell myself, but I would love to teach myself projection-planning.

How do you define success? Adequately planning for everything to go well, not being irritated by things not going well, and dragging things to the finish line nonetheless.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you. I write calligraphic poetry art-pieces and they are currently being featured at the Mary Martin Art Gallery on King & Broad.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? If you show up ten minutes early, you’re already twenty minutes late.

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categories Celebration, Construction, Office Fun, New Team Member, Staff, Spotlight On
tags spotlighton, spotlight, teammember, raj, rajan, rajanmistry, mrmistry, contractadministrator

Design Plans Unveiled for New Discovery Place Nature

Mez Joseph

April 22, 2022 DISCOVERY PLACE NATURE

Discovery Place celebrated Earth Day by unveiling design plans for the reimagining of Discovery Place Nature situated in Charlotte’s Freedom Park. The new nature haven will be a world-class environmental education center serving the Carolinas and will feature a free public garden filled with wildlife and native plants, inviting the community to connect with and explore the wonders of our natural world.

The project is a public-private partnership between Mecklenburg County, who owns the property and facility, and Discovery Place, a nonprofit leader for science education in the U.S., which has operated the Museum since its doors opened to the Charlotte community in 1947.

“Discovery Place Nature has been an incredible community resource for decades,” said Mecklenburg County Manager Dena R. Diorio. “This is a huge step toward ensuring it remains a valuable learning resource for decades to come.”

A public-private partnership, the new Museum will be developed at the 71-year-old facility’s current location on Sterling Road adjacent to Freedom Park, providing a complete reinvention of the current Discovery Place Nature—the first nature museum in the Southeast. The Board of County Commissioners of Mecklenburg County previously approved the recommendation of County staff and Discovery Place to select the award-winning team of Liollio Architecture and Hood Design Studio to lead the planning and design of the new Discovery Place Nature.

“Mecklenburg County and Discovery Place are thrilled to have such a talented and environmentally-focused team on board to bring a new future for Discovery Place Nature to life,” said Catherine Wilson Horne, president & CEO of Discovery Place Inc. “We can’t wait to see the vision formed by Liollio and Hood, two organizations with deep Carolina roots, come to life for one of Charlotte’s most beloved and important institutions. The new design will allow us to connect with the community in an elevated way, including signature environment educational experiences and programming for all ages.”

Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Liollio Architecture has been providing thoughtful, respectful, creative design since 1956. Their work spans both the private and public sectors, providing sustainable architecture, interior design and historic preservation. Liollio has built a reputation on design through community engagement and collaboration, and their work is rooted in the particulars of place, people and landscape.

Liollio has won more than 100 design awards over the years for its work, including the 2016 American Institute of Architects South Carolina Firm Award; the Library Journal Landmark Library National Award for St. Helena Library at Penn Center; and the AIA South Atlantic Region Honor Award for Hampton Health Clinic.

“We are honored to be collaborating with Discovery Place and Mecklenburg County on the new Discovery Place Nature, which will combine Discovery Place’s capacity for innovation and education in science, nature and design with the incredible setting of Freedom Park,” said Jennifer Charzewski, Principal at Liollio Architecture. “The Liollio and Hood Design Studio team sees this as an exciting opportunity to create an engaging and creative place for residents and visitors for generations to come.”

California-based Hood Design Studio, led by Charlotte native Walter Hood, will partner with Liollio on the Discovery Place Nature project. The studio’s award-winning landscape design, public art, installation art and urbanism unveil the emergent beauty, strangeness, subjectivity and idiosyncrasies of place. They root their design work in collaboration, seeing projects thrive under the joint efforts of design teams and through engagement with constituents and local communities.

Hood Design is well-known for their work, which includes projects such as The Broad Museum Plaza in Los Angeles, the new de Young Museum gardens in San Francisco, the Cooper-Hewitt Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden in New York City and the soon-to-open International African American Museum in Charleston, SC. The firm has been the recipient of several awards, including a California Preservation Award for Bayview Opera House from the California Preservation Foundation, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award in Landscape Design and Wall Street Journal’s Best Architecture Award for the University at Buffalo Solar Strand.

In 2021 founder Walter Hood was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York, which is “considered the highest form of recognition of artistic merit in the United States.”

Construction for the new Discovery Place Nature Museum is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2023.

About Discovery Place Nature

Founded in 1947 as the Children’s Nature Museum, Discovery Place Nature has been a staple in Charlotte’s education and cultural community for 75 years. The Museum conjures curiosity and activates the imagination through educational experiences that help us connect to the natural world. Guests can discover native animal species, encourage imaginative play in Fort Wild, take a family trek through the 100-year-old trees on the Paw Paw Nature Trail and explore the stars in the planetarium. For more information, visit discoveryplace.org or call 704.372.6261 x300.

About Liollio Architecture

Liollio believes creativity originates through the eyes and stories of communities based on subtle and restrained design, rooted in context, culture and collaboration. For over 63 years, Liollio has provided architecture, interior design, programming, historic preservation and master planning services. Liollio has been honored by the American Institute of Architects South Carolina Chapter as a Firm Award Recipient. Visit liollio.com for more info.

About Hood Design Studio

Hood Design Studio is tripartite practice, working across art + fabrication, design + landscape, and research + urbanism. The resulting urban spaces and their objects act as public sculpture, creating new apertures through which to see the surrounding emergent beauty, strangeness, and idiosyncrasies. The Studio’s award-winning work has been featured in publications including Dwell, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fast Company, Architectural Digest, Places Journal, and Landscape Architecture Magazine.

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categories Architecture, Community, Education, Learning Environments, Local, News, Regional
tags architecture, design, nature, education, designreveal, reveal, unveiling, discoveryplace, discoveryplacenature, charlotte, mecklenburgcounty, hooddesigngroup, walterhood

The Post & Courier: Longtime Charleston architectural firm now under new leadership

Mez Joseph

Principals Jay White (left), Jennifer Charzewski, and Andy Clark are the new leaders at Liollio Architecture in Charleston. The firm started 65 years ago and in late 2020 moved from James Island to The Refinery on the upper peninsula.

By Warren L. Wise
Apr 9, 2022

A Charleston architectural firm that’s designed everything from welcome seniors to senior seniors has settled into a new home and is now under new leadership for the third time in its 65-year history.

Now at the helm of Liollio Architecture are principal architects Andy Clark, Jennifer Charzewski and Jay White. Each has been with the firm several years. They are taking over from longtime leaders Dinos and Cherie Liollio. The couple, both of them architects, aren’t stepping away just yet, but will remain in supporting roles to help guide the company forward.

With new leaders, its also in a new location.

Liollio Architecture now occupies a 5,000-square-foot space with a terrace overlooking an amphitheater on the second floor of The Refinery, a three-story office and retail site on Meeting Street Road. For the past three-plus decades, the firm operated near Wappoo Creek on James Island.

Liollio Architecture occupies a space on the second floor of The Refinery on Charleston’s upper peninsula. The office includes a terrace overlooking an amphitheater. The 65-year-old firm recently changed leadership.

The new leaders, who were tapped for their new roles several years ago, say the transition has been seamless and the company’s mission has not changed.

“We believe that the best designs use local history and culture as a guide,” Charzewski said. “Understanding a project’s narrative through the eyes and stories of a community creates deep connections. It brings a spirit, clarity and sense of place to our work.”

Clark agreed, saying, “We carry a strong sense of social purpose as we serve our communities through design.”

White said every project, no matter the size or scale, starts with an open dialogue with the client to create a place that becomes a source of local pride.

The firm, the recipient of several regional and national architectural accolades, was founded in 1956 in an office in Avondale by the late Demetrios Constantine Liollio, known to his friends and colleagues as “Jimmy.”

It eventually moved to a few different locations in West Ashley before settling on a site at 1812 Savannah Highway. In 1986, the company moved to James Island.

In 1976, Dinos and Cherie Liollio joined the firm, and in 1982-83, he assumed leadership. Over the next 20 years, Cherie, Tommy Schimpf and Rick Bousquet made up the leadership roster. The latter two will remain with the firm until their retirement.

Liollio Architecture moved into The Refinery on the upper Charleston peninsula in late 2020 and is now transferring leadership to three architects with the the 65-year-old firm.

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Dorchester County Ashley River Park Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening

Mez Joseph

Dorchester County’s Ashley River Park officially opens to the public this Saturday, March 19th! The park features many amenities and recreation activities for visitors of all ages - walking trails, a fishing pier, a dog park, interactive play fountain, an event pavilion, picnic shelters, a playground, open lawns, a restroom building, an outfitters building and a gatehouse. We are honored to have been part of the design team for this exciting project and hope that it’s a great community asset for years to come! 

Ashley River Park is located near the beautiful scenic side of the Ashley River off of Bacon's Bridge Road. The park is open from dawn to dusk daily. For a complete list of Park Rules click here.

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categories Architecture, Celebration, Community, Construction, Grand Opening, Local, News, Regional, Ribbon Cutting
tags AshleyRiverPark, DorchesterCounty, ParksAndRecreation, ParksAndRec, DorchesterCountyParks, SeamonWhiteside, EdconConstruction

Liollio Architecture Elevates Daniel Corte to Associate

Mez Joseph

Daniel Corte, AIA, Associate

Liollio is pleased to announce the elevation of Daniel Corte, AIA, to Associate. The Liollio team celebrates Dan’s accomplishment and looks forward to his continued leadership.

Dan joined the Liollio team in 2012 and serves as a Federal Market Champion. He continues to work in Liollio’s design studio on a variety of project types, including Federal, Community, and Healthcare. Some of Dan’s recent and award-winning projects include the Charleston International Airport Terminal Redevelopment, South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Hardeeville Welcome Center, USC−Beaufort’s Hilton Head Hospitality Management Campus, City of Charleston’s Bender Street Park Event Space and Community Center, and the National Park Service U.S. Virgin Islands Lind Point Complex.

In his downtime, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, honing his DIY skills in woodworking, and spending time out on the water.

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categories Celebration, Architecture, Elevation, Local
tags elevation, associate, dancorte, AIA, NPS, CHS, TRIP, SCPRT, USCB