HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM LIOLLIO!
Mez Joseph
News
Celebrating the Careers, Achievements, & Contributions of Principals Cherie Liollio, AIA & Tommy Schimpf Upon Retirement
Mez Joseph
“Cherie & Tommy’s combined experience spans a total of 80 years. Though we celebrate their careers, contributions, achievements, & retirement, they will remain part of the core foundation upon which Liollio Architecture was built and part of our professional family forever.”
Richland Library Ballentine Awarded AIA Charleston Merit Award
Mez Joseph
Liollio is excited to announce that Richland Library Ballentine received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) Charleston Merit Award for New Construction at the 2022 AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards last month. Congratulations to our clients and friends at Richland Library!
Richland Library Ballentine is a suburban public library that creates a wooded escape to support an active local community of artists and craftspeople. The library provides a connection to the outdoors that includes an artist’s corner for quiet, meditative work surrounded by nature. The central public space is seen as a living room, a linear space which is oriented away from civilization and culminates in a framed view of an undeveloped woodscape. The living room is punctuated by three public art works, including a wisteria tree which drapes playfully over a children’s reading area, crocheted by library patrons.
Ashley River Park Event Pavilion Honored With AIA South Atlantic Region & AIA Charleston Awards
Mez Joseph
Liollio is excited to announce that the Dorchester County Ashley River Park Event Pavilion received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) South Atlantic Region Merit Award for New Construction at the 2022 ASPIRE Conference in Asheville NC. The award-winning project also received an Honor Award for New Construction at the 2022 AIA Charleston Design + Service Awards last month. Congratulations to our clients and friends at Dorchester County Parks and Recreation, as well as, our Ashley River Park partners, SeamonWhiteside!
Liollio, in association with SeamonWhiteside, developed the new Ashley River Park for Dorchester County SC. The new 85-acre park features many amenities, including walking trails, fishing pier, dog park, interactive play foundation, playgrounds, open lawn, gatehouse, picnic shelters, event pavilion, restroom building and outfitters center. The event pavilion was designed for a wide variety of events, including family reunions, corporate events, weddings, music venue, etc. The outfitters building includes the park offices, tenant space for the future ropes course company, large conference room, a screen porch for school group programming and public restrooms. The team worked together to integrate the buildings and landscape. The Park has been warmly embraced by the community since its grand opening in March 2022.
2022 Aspire Design Awards Winners Winners were revealed at ASPIRE in Asheville NC in September. To view the awards gallery, click on the award image above.
Charleston County Public Library Support Center Receives 2022 AIA South Atlantic Region Merit Award
Mez Joseph
Liollio is excited to share that the Charleston County Public Library Support Center received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) South Atlantic Region Merit Award for Adaptive Reuse at the 2022 ASPIRE Conference in Asheville NC. Congratulations to our clients and friends at Charleston County Public Library!
As part of the Charleston County Public Library’s referendum for 21st-century libraries, the Support Center relocated the CCPL Administration, training and conference facilities, and central Automated Materials Handling to a consolidated facility. A renovation and interior upfit to an existing industrial commerce facility, this project included administrative offices, training classrooms, conference rooms, employee support areas, central IT, library cataloging and acquisitions, central supply storage, Automated Materials Handling, and distribution to all branches. The renovation also provided innovative solutions to dry floodproofing, daylighting, and upgrades to the existing building.
2022 Aspire Design Awards Winners Winners were revealed at ASPIRE in Asheville NC in September. To view the awards gallery, click on the award image above.
Library Journal Features Award-Winning Charlotte Mecklenburg South County Regional Library
Mez Joseph
Liollio Architecture’s partnership with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Mecklenburg County NC is featured in the latest Library Journal article “Future-Proofing Libraries Through Flexible Design” by Jessica Levine. Be sure to check out the coverage of South County Regional Library!
We are also excited to share that South County Library received an American Institute of Architects (AIA) South Atlantic Region Merit Award for Interior Architecture at the 2022 ASPIRE Conference in Asheville NC. Congratulations to our visionary clients!
“As a civic building, a library should support a community’s needs and also represent that community’s identity, aspirations, or unique sense of place.”
2022 Aspire Design Awards Winners Winners were revealed at ASPIRE in Asheville NC in September. To view the awards gallery, click on the award image above.
Happy Thanksgiving from your Friends at Liollio!
Mez Joseph
The Liollio team wishes you all a Happy Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for - the ability to pursue our passions and doing what we love, our clients, professional partners, consultants, community, each other…the list is long! We would not be who we are without you. We are grateful for the connections, opportunities, partnerships and support we’ve been blessed with this year. We wish you all the best as we enter into the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving!
Trident United Way's Days of Caring 2022
Mez Joseph
Thank you to the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry for hosting the Liollio team and allowing us to help revitalize the Museum’s garden space for this year’s Trident United Way Day of Caring. We loved helping out!
For over 20 years, Trident United Way has hosted the largest single day of community service in the Tri-County area on Day of Caring thanks to employers, teams and neighbors coming together to make a difference. Now they have tripled the impact from Day to Days of Caring in an effort to engage more volunteers, provide more flexibility for completing projects and deliver more impact to our Tri-County! For more information on how you can help support their efforts, please visit www.tuw.org/daysofcaring
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.
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.
Happy Halloween from your friends at Liollio!
Mez Joseph
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!
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.
Liollio Principal, Jennifer Charzewski & Others Present at Pecha Kucha 40
Mez Joseph
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.
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.”
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/
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.”
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.”
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
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.
