Earth Day Spotlight: Liollio Architecture + Hood Design Studio’s New Discovery Place Museum Begins Construction

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Construction has begun on the new Discovery Place nature museum situated in Charlotte, NC’s Freedom Park. The reimagined nature haven, designed by Liollio Architecture and Hood Design Studio and constructed by Rodgers Builders, will be a world-class environmental education center serving the Carolinas. Founded in 1947 as the Children’s Nature Museum, Discovery Place Nature has been a staple in Charlotte’s education and cultural community for over 75 years. The museum conjures curiosity and activates the imagination through educational experiences that help us connect to the natural world. The new museum will be developed at the current location, providing a complete reinvention of the first nature museum in the Southeast.

The project is a public-private partnership between Mecklenburg County, who owns the property and facility, and Discovery Place, a non-profit leader for science education in the U.S. Liollio is leading the design, collaborating with Hood Design Studio—led by Charlotte native Walter Hood. Hood Design Studio is well-known for its award-winning landscape design, public art, and installation art, and have recently completed the International African American Museum in Charleston. Liollio has built a reputation of design through community engagement and collaboration, and their work is rooted in the particulars of place, people, and landscape.

“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 and 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.”

“We are honored to be collaborating with Discovery Place and Mecklenburg County on the new nature museum, 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. “For the Liollio and Hood Design Studio team, this has been an exciting opportunity to create an engaging and creative place for residents and visitors for generations to come.”

Hood Design Studio Principal Paul Peters notes that “the public gardens embody the cultural use of landscape for pollination, stormwater management, performance, and leisure. Elevating the visitor experience is a canopy walk, threading through the forest’s upper layers, featuring two distinctive treehouses that provide transformative interactions with the natural world. The museum will not be so much as place as it is a portal.”

The museum design is intentionally quiet, receding into the site and acting as a canvas for the incredible natural surroundings and exhibits.  The entrance faces Little Sugar Creek Greenway, with a free public garden filled with wildlife and native plants that invites the community to connect with and explore the wonders of our natural world. A double height lobby leads to multiple gallery spaces, designed for all ages, with live animals and interactives focusing on the Piedmont, along with multiple classrooms and multi-purpose spaces. Bird-safe glass protects the forest residents while allowing multiple visual connection points for the immersive experiences inside and out. Nature trails lead visitors through the forest offering fresh perspectives on the forest environment through demonstration pavilions, forest moments, creek interactions, and a canopy walk.

For more information about Discovery Place, visit discoveryplace.org.

Liollio Welcomes New Team Members Erin Estep & Nate Stoltenberg

View fullsize

Erin Estep AIA, LEED AP

View fullsize

Nate Stoltenberg Associate AIA

Liollio Architecture is pleased to welcome Architect, Erin Estep, and Designer, Nate Stoltenberg, to its studio.

A native of Delaware, Erin Estep earned her Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture at The Catholic University of America in Washington DC. Erin believes good design maintains strong connections to design concepts and client missions. As an Architect and Project Manager, Erin has been able to hone a skillset that ranges from client and team management to technical architectural skills. Her ambitions for continued growth and high design drives her to a detail-oriented, efficient work ethic, with a focus on delivering the best quality spaces for end users.

Upon graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Nate Stoltenberg relocated from Des Moines, Iowa to the Charleston area to join the Liollio studio as a Project Designer. Nate has a passion for sustainability and resiliency, which are important factors of responsible Lowcountry design. The representation of unique designs have been at the forefront of Nate’s education and interest. He values the process of physical model making as well as mixed media visual representation. Nate and Erin are valuable additions to the Liollio team, contributing in pinups, jumping into production, and elevating firm culture.

Liollio Architecture + SeamonWhiteside Selected to Design Rifle Range Road Park in Mt. Pleasant

The Town of Mount Pleasant’s New Rifle Range Road Park Site Plan - Transforming over 100 acres into a public park and recreation center for community enjoyment.

“The Liollio Team is committed to working with the Town of Mount Pleasant to provide a world-class community park experience on Rifle Range Road for decades to come, and we are thrilled to continue our collaboration with SW+. Many of our team members call Mount Pleasant home, and we feel a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility for giving back to our community,”

— Andy Clark, Principal, Liollio Architecture

Liollio Architecture + SeamonWhiteside (SW+), along with their team of local engineers, has been selected to provide planning, architectural, and engineering services for the newest park in Mount Pleasant, SC. Once complete, the hundred-acre Rifle Range Road Park will be an expansive community park in the Town. The completed park will provide a balance of passive and active spaces, preserving this natural resource for future generations while also offering recreational amenities for the community.

The design team is led by Liollio in partnership with SW+. The team will collaborate closely with Town leadership on master planning and site programming through construction to completion. Liollio will oversee overall project management and architectural design for a new recreation and community center. SW+ will assist in master planning, landscape architecture, and civil engineering services.

"The Liollio Team is committed to working with the Town of Mount Pleasant to provide a world-class community park experience on Rifle Range Road for decades to come, and we are thrilled to continue our collaboration with SW+. Many of our team members call Mount Pleasant home, and we feel a strong sense of stewardship and responsibility for giving back to our community," says Andy Clark, principal at Liollio Architecture.

"Making a lasting impact on the community in which we live is a huge source of pride for us here at SeamonWhiteside," says Gary Collins, vice president at SeamonWhiteside. "Not only are we excited for our employees to join neighbors and friends in experiencing the park once complete, but we're also excited to continue working alongside Liollio on another successful project here in the Charleston area."

Connected to Mount Pleasant Way, just north of Six Mile Road, the Rifle Range Road Park will add much-needed recreational amenities to the Town of Mount Pleasant and the surrounding neighborhoods. This new park will feature soccer fields, tennis courts, pickleball courts, beach volleyball courts, and outdoor basketball courts. In addition to these sporting components, a performance stage, grand lawn, picnic pavilions, playground, dog park, and walking trails are in the plans, with a central community building tying it all together. The community building will provide a 2-court basketball gymnasium, a walking track, and studios for community music, art, dance, and camp activities.

Rifle Range Road Park will be adjacent to beautiful wetlands and natural areas, allowing residents to enjoy the Lowcountry environment and amenities in a quiet, rural setting. Uniquely located and within walking distance of many residential communities, this park will provide a central hub to bring the local community together.

The partnership between Liollio and SeamonWhiteside will provide efficiency and cohesiveness. The two firms have worked together on previous projects, including Ashley River Park, a beloved and highly successful park for Dorchester County and the Tri-County region. The team is also currently working to complete Mt. Pleasant Fire Station #7. Liollio is recognized regionally for award-winning, sustainable architecture, using local history and culture as a guide, striving to create places that will become a source of local pride. SW+ is known for its ability to create stunning landscape designs and comprehensive site development. Rifle Range Road Park will undoubtedly benefit from the team’s combined skills and expertise.

IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2024, WE REFLECT ON HISTORIC PENN CENTER

Penn School was founded in 1862 as a school for formerly enslaved people. The school established a commitment to Black education, community welfare, and cultural heritage that has remained strong for over 150 years. Penn School functioned as an educational institution, health clinic, farm bureau, a catalyst for community action, and a repository for preserving St. Helena Island’s unique Gullah heritage and written history.

Original Building of the Penn School, St. Helena Island, SC (From the Penn School Collection)

At the turn of the century the school’s curriculum was revised to follow the Hampton-Tuskegee model of Black education - training students in masonry, carpentry, domestic arts, and midwifery. The school closed in 1948, but the community service and cultural preservation originated by its founders flourished through Penn Community Services, Inc., organized in 1951. Penn opened South Carolina’s first day care center for African Americans, provided a community health care clinic and a Teen Canteen.

The first basket teacher at the Penn Schoo, lSt. Helena Island, SC (From the Penn School Collection)

A class in mending & sewing at the Penn School, St. Helena Island, SC (From the Penn School Collection)

Throughout the 1960s, Penn Center sponsored and hosted interracial conferences on civil rights organized by groups including the NAACP, CORE, SNCC, Southern Regional Council, South Carolina Council on Human Relations, World Peace Foundation, and the Peace Corps. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) held citizenship education classes at Penn, taught by iconic organizers Andrew Young, Dorothy Cotton, Bernice Robinson, and Septima P. Clark. Andrew Young introduced Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to Penn Center. King, his SCLC lieutenants, and countless unnamed activists met with the SCLC at Penn five times between 1964 and 1967.

At Penn Center in 1966, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Joan Baez, Ira Sandpearl, & Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Photo Credit: Bob Fitch)

In November 1966, during a formal speech he gave at Penn Center, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. connected the long struggle for African American civil rights to the neglected fight for economic equality. In September 1974, the historic campus, Brick Church, and surrounding areas were listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In subsequent decades, Penn Center continued to serve as a site for church and organizational retreats, a training center for various organizations, and an educational site for Black history and culture. In January 2017, President Barack Obama designated the Beaufort National Landmark District, Camp Saxton Site, Penn Historic District and the Old Beaufort Firehouse as the Reconstruction Era National Historical Park  under management of the National Park Service. In 2021, the Penn Center was added to the African American Civil Rights Network (AACRN), as well as the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. For more information on The Penn Center visit www.penncenter.com.

Liollio Architecture is honored to have had the privilege to design the St. Helena Branch Library which houses a Gullah Geechee Special Collections area and is contiguous to the National Historic Landmark campus of Penn Center.

St. Helena Branch Library at Penn Center, St. Helena Island, SC (Photo Credit: Richard Leo Johnson)

For more information regarding National Park Service’s Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor (established by Congress in 2006), please visit: www.nps.gov/places/gullah-geechee-cultural-heritage-corridor.htm.

CCPL Opens Renovated John L. Dart Library

Charleston County Public Library held the ribbon-cutting and grand reopening of the renovated John L. Dart Library in downtown Charleston this morning. The ribbon-cutting ceremony began at 9AM at the 1067 King Street branch. “We’re excited to show patrons the incredible transformation that has taken place at Dart,” said CCPL Executive Director Angela Craig. “The updates at the branch offer the surrounding community a modern library equipped with resources, services, and technology that complement our updated collection.”

Updates included new interior finishes, replacement of shelving, refreshed collection items (books, audiobooks, etc.), new furniture, technology upgrades, a private study room featuring Rev. John L. Dart’s personal book collection, and a new community meeting space.

Liollio is honored to have collaborated with the Charleston County Public Library, MB Kahn, and RMF Engineering on this momentous and meaningful project. Dart Hall, which was later replaced by the John L. Dart Library, was one of the original library branches established in 1931. Dart existed as a library for many years before the Charleston County Library adopted it as a branch. Dart Hall was originally built as the Charleston Industrial Normal Institute by the Rev. John L. Dart, a distinguished educator and a leading minister of the city. The current Library was built by the County Council in 1968 and named in honor of the late Rev. John L. Dart. Dedication ceremonies were held on Dec. 12, 1968, with members of the Dart family present.

For more information about this newly renovated library branch, please visit ccpl.org/construction.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

SPOTLIGHT ON: MICHELLE LANKER, AIA, LEED AP

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our February Spotlight On feature is Michelle Lanker. Michelle joined the Liollio team in January 2023, relocating from Seattle. An Ohio native and graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michelle is a versatile architect with more than 20 years of experience. She is known for building trust with clients and teams through clear communication and by bringing a strategic and focused approach to each project. We sat down for a Q+A session with our latest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
Loveland, Ohio

Do you have children?
My dog Arnie is definitely like my child.

What do you like to do for fun?
I like to garden, paint when I can (love watercolors), walk around the downtown Charleston since I live downtown, ride my bicycle whenever I can, hang out with friends, and hang out with my dog a lot.

Tell us about Arnie.
He is a 16-year-old mutt named Arnie that I adopted from a shelter out in Portland, OR 15 years ago after he lost a leg and was scared to death of people. He has traveled everywhere, including cross-country from Seattle, WA to Charleston and back three times now with me. He is my best friend.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
I love Hampton Park and Battery Park, walking there quite frequently. Arnie and I like to go to Folly Beach and hang out when it’s not the tourist season. Probably my favorite place is my own garden space which is rare to have in downtown Charleston.

Favorite restaurant?
A spot called Harvest Moon out on Highway 17.

Favorite food?
Gourmet grilled cheese and tomato soup!

Least favorite food?
I’ll try just about anything. I try to avoid processed foods though, so those would probably be my least favorite.

Favorite book or author?
Erik Larson, Devil in the White City. I love all his books.

Do you play any instruments?
No. Tried playing the clarinet in middle school, but not my thing.

What song is at the top of your most played list?
Home by HAIM (Barbie movie soundtrack)

Favorite musical artist or genre?
I’m pretty eclectic, but my favorite band is called Metric.

Favorite visual artist?
Monet

Favorite television show?
Six Feet Under

Last book you read?
I Am Bunny by Alexis Devine

Favorite podcast or blog?
Ologies with Alie Ward

Favorite movie or genre?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Last movie you watched?
To Sir with Love

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
It’s close – I love two cities – Barcelona, Spain and Medellin, Colombia. I am enamored with how both cities have managed to make dense urban environments feel so tied to nature either in the way the architecture is inspired by organic structures such as coral and forest canopies and various animals and plants (in Barcelona) or how transit systems tie the urban fabric to the natural mountains that surround via trolleys and escalators and light rail (in Medellin).

Favorite style of architecture?
Probably Expressionism. How buildings affect the way we think and feel has always been very important to me as an Architect.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
Sagrada Familia

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why?
I went to Spain years ago for three weeks by myself. I bought a one-way ticket to Madrid and then just stayed at hostels while on a very loose itinerary that took me all over the country and even to Paris for a few days before coming home. It was life changing for me.

What would the book or movie about your life be called?
Wherever Life Takes You, Embrace It

Who would play you in a movie about your life?
She is not anywhere close to my age or even younger than me, but I was always told I look a lot like Ali McGraw, and I would say my personality is similar to her character in her most famous role, Love Story.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
Sea turtle, without question. They are solitary, they travel a lot. Symbolically, they have always meant a lot to me representing longevity, wisdom, carrying the world on it’s back. I have a tattoo of a sea turtle on my right shoulder.

Are you messy or organized?
Most of the time organized, lol.

What’s your pet peeve?
Interrupting and talking over others.

Guilty pleasure?
Buying flowers for myself when I go to the grocery store.

Tell us a random fact.
My dad is from Nicaragua, and I have an uncle who was, and a cousin who is, an Architect in Nicaragua today.

Favorite quote?
”Nothing is invented, for it’s written in nature first.” – Antoni Gaudí

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
My maternal grandparents who both died when she was a teenager. I would like to tell them what a wonderful woman my mother is and how proud they should be of her.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
1998 NBA Finals, Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz, Game 6 (Michael Jordan’s last game) - I worshipped him as a kid.

If your house was burning down, what is the one non-living thing you would save?
A necklace from my family in Nicaragua and my maternal grandmother’s engagement ring.

What three traits characterize you?
Empathy, honesty, openness

What’s your astrological sign?
Leo

What is your personal philosophy?
Live in the moment as much as possible.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
Getting outside and enjoying the fresh air.

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?
Life not happening quite the way I expected and being okay with that because it has made me who I am.

What is your greatest fear?
I don’t think I’m really afraid of anything. As a kid I was deathly afraid of sharks after seeing Jaws. I would dream about them being in a pool I was swimming in and have even had a recurring nightmare like that as an adult. But I got to cage dive with Great Whites in South Africa several years ago and that shifted my fear to awe. They are amazing creatures and such survivors. I now admire their perseverance instead!

What is your superpower?
Adaptation

What inspires you most?
I am constantly inspired by my friends and family. Hearing their personal stories of overcoming great odds or doing something incredibly brave, or just being amazing humans that surround me with so much love is a wonderful gift I try my best to not take for granted.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Having the courage to start over.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
The openness and compassion here. Arnie comes to work with me nearly everyday and everyone has been just awesome in welcoming him along with me into this fantastic work family.

What does true leadership mean to you?
It depends on the circumstance. Leading a team means being able to clearly express a vision and/or set of goals and then empowering and supporting those around you to achieve that vision or reach those goals together. True leadership is also demonstrated in individual work though. Always striving for your best and when your best isn’t possible or you make a mistake, owning it and learning from it.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
A cartoonist

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Don’t sweat the small things so much.

How do you define success?
Being content, but always learning.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I was very into basketball as a kid (my dad was a high school coach) and I was also a very tall preteen, so I decided to try out for an all-boys’ team in 4th grade and ended up being the starting center from 4-6th grade when we won the league championship. I did not grow an inch more and in junior high moved to forward and by high school was a shooting guard for my high school team. If I hadn’t gone to school for architecture, I would have played college ball somewhere, but the commitment was too much to do both.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Sounds silly, but my mom and I both remind each other to “let it go” as it is sung in the movie Frozen.

LIOLLIO JOINS SC AQUARIUM FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY OF SERVICE

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Yesterday, for our 2024 Martin Luther King Day of Service, the Liollio team joined the South Carolina Aquarium, The Citadel Near Center for Climate Studies, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Carolina Ocean Alliance, The MARSH Project Kids Teaching Flood Resilience, and other local community partners for a Litter Sweep & Food Drive aimed at beautifying and supporting our neighbors in downtown Charleston along Hagood Avenue and Gadsden Creek. We're honored to have been part of an amazing group of people who care about our community and came together to give back. Thank you to the South Carolina Aquarium for organizing the event and all who participated!

Liollio Honors the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on MLK Day 2024

Liollio will be observing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 15. This is a day for giving back to the community and observing the holiday in a way that is meaningful. 

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service, to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities, as we celebrate and carry forward Dr. King’s great legacy. Our team will join the SC Aquarium for the MLK Day of Service Litter Sweep & Food Drive on Monday.

For more info, visit: https: americorps.gov/serve/volunteer/mlk-day
For information regarding MLK day events: ywcagc.org/mlk-celebration.html

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT LIOLLIO

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. The Liollio team wishes you all the happiest of holidays!

First Baptist Church of Charleston Education Building Honored with 2 AIA Awards

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Congratulations to First Baptist Church of Charleston SC for being honored with two AIA Awards - an AIA South Atlantic Region 2023 Merit Award & an AIA South Carolina 2023Merit Award - for the new Education Building! This new structure on the campus of First Baptist Church and School in Charleston replaced a non-historic existing building located approximately mid-block between Meeting and Church streets. The building includes offices, classrooms, and a Fellowship Hall with a commercial kitchen, all of which are shared by the Church and School. The building is simply built of economical materials: brick veneer over metal studs and a structural steel frame with storefront and curtainwall glazing. The massing of the building is broken down into two wings to reduce the overall scale of the building in relation to the existing historic context. The design includes a reduced footprint compared to the existing building and utilizes a 12’-8” floor to floor height to better integrate the building into its context. The new education building works with the c.1822 Robert Mills-designed sanctuary to frame an active courtyard. Together, the new building, the courtyard, and the sanctuary represent the three pillars of Baptist faith: Education, Fellowship, and Worship. It also creates connections between three communities: the religious community of the church, the educational community of the school, and the historic community of Charleston’s South of Broad neighborhood.

CCPL Celebrates National American Indian Heritage Month With Architecture

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Charleston County Public Library recently hosted a Native American Architecture Program at the Main Library to celebrate National American Indian Heritage Month in November. The Liollio team volunteers for CCPL’s annual program to teach children about vernacular architecture and native structures and dwellings. Following a presentation of vernacular architecture, children were given an hour to build a dwelling of their choosing with the help and direction of architects and designers. The Liollio team had a wonderful time with the children and CCPL staff. It is always a pleasure spending time and sharing knowledge with our community. To potentially spark a child’s interest in history, architecture, and design is a special and rewarding experience. Thank you to Charleston County Public Library for hosting our team!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Your friends at Liollio would like to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving!
The Liollio office will be closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 in observance of the holiday.

SPOTLIGHT ON: RIDAB GLAL

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our October Spotlight On feature is Ridab Glal. Ri joined the Liollio team in 2022 and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, where she earned her Master of Architecture degree. Ri has a passion for architectural design and rendering, organic design, and sustainability. A valuable asset to the studio, Ri confidently settled into her role as Project Designer and is applying her experience and knowledge to several projects in markets including Higher Education, K-12 Education, Community, Federal, and Health & Wellness. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
We moved around a lot when I was younger. I bounced back and forth between the States & Europe. If I had to identify one place, it would be North Charleston.

Are you married?
Yes newly wedded!

Do you have children?
Nope!

What do you like to do for fun?
I mostly like to spend time with my family. If I’m not hanging with family I’m most likely at the beach!

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
Noo but I really want a kitty.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
The beach!!

Favorite restaurant?
I don’t necessarily have a favorite restaurant, but I often find myself at Kid Cashew or Spicy Palette.

Favorite food?
If the dish tastes good it automatically becomes my new favorite.

Least favorite food?
Unpopular opinion but I HATE eggs!

Favorite book?
Not sure! I haven’t come across a book that has caught my attention for a long minute.

Do you play any instruments?
Not currently but I used to play the

What song is at the top of your most played list?
Tout va Bien by Ever Mihigo

Favorite musical artist or genre?
Heavy Metal & R&B

Favorite visual artist?
Not sure if she counts as a visual artist, but Iris van Herpen

Favorite television show?
Grey’s Anatomy! But my show of the month right now is Why women Kill.

Favorite movie or genre?
Thrillers or Mystery! Sometimes horror

Last movie you watched?
They Cloned Tyrone

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
Thailand! We went for our honeymoon; it was a breath of fresh air.

Favorite style of architecture?
I like architecture that reflects traditions and values of a specific culture. Not sure if it has a name - maybe cultural architecture?

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
Wat chaithararam temple in Thailand. All of it is hand made! So impressive.

Are you messy or organized?
I like to stay as organized as I can.

What’s your pet peeve?
Nothing yet!

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

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
Hasn’t happened yet but the first Woman president!

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save?
Most likely my phone! It has literally all the information I need to replace my other belongings.

What’s your astrological sign?
Cancer

What is your personal philosophy?
Mistakes are forgotten, life goes on.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
Shelter & water - the essentials!

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?
Being comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s gotten me far.

What is your greatest fear?
I fear nothing… except chimpanzees…they are terrifying.

What inspires you most?
My parents! They’ve gone through a lot trying to make sure my siblings and I have a safer life than they did in Sudan.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Completing Architecture school, it was a rocky ride.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
I love how relaxed the working environment is and how the firm prioritizes growth!

What does true leadership mean to you?
I think a true leader should have a passion for teaching. If I’m not learning anything what am I gaining?

If you could perform another job for just one day, what or who would it be?
Jeff Bezos

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Other than the responsibilities you suddenly have, adulting isn’t so bad.

How do you define success?
Being very knowledgeable and resourceful.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I used to speak fluent Dutch up until I was about 5 years old because I was born/lived in the Netherlands. I no longer speak Dutch - just Arabic and English.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Just do it.

USC's South Caroliniana Library Ribbon Cutting & Grand Reopening

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

The ribbon cutting for the University of South Carolina's South Caroliniana Library took place in Columbia recently and was a huge success! The library is our nation's oldest freestanding academic library and underwent meticulous renovation. Liollio is honored to have been part of the team who helped preserve this important and historic building for generations to come! Learn more about South Caroliniana Library, which houses the stories and the treasures of our state – from its leaders to its ordinary citizens. go.sc.edu/CarolinianaReopening

North Charleston's New Dorchester County Library Celebrates Ribbon Cutting

We are honored to have been part of the team for the new Dorchester County Library & Media Center in North Charleston. We were excited to attend the Ribbon Cutting ceremony last week, and the event was a huge success. Congratulations to Dorchester County Library, Dorchester County Government, Dorchester County School District, our amazing team and partners at Edifice, the City of North Charleston, and the greater community!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Liollio Congratulates Elissa & Will Morrison on the Arrival of Baby Adeline West Morrison!

Congratulations to Liollio's Elissa Morrison & husband Will Morrison on the new addition to their family and first child - Adeline West Morrison!! Adeline was born March 29, 2023, and Elissa visited the office this week to introduce her to the studio. The Liollio team is happy for the Morrison family and welcomes baby Adeline to the world!

Firehouse Magazine Announces National Station Design Award Winners

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Firehouse Magazine announced the winners of its ninth annual Station Design Awards program, which recognizes outstanding architecture and design from fire departments and emergency facilities nationwide. Peter Matthews, Firehouse Editor-in-Chief said, “This is the ninth year of the awards, and we are excited to see the advances in fire station designs. It’s wonderful to see the coordination between fire departments and architectural firms to design stations with a focus on keeping firefighters trained and healthy to better serve their communities. As fire departments become true all-hazard response agencies, their training and equipment needs grow, and the new facilities offer improved opportunities for firefighters to hone their skills.”

Winners were selected by a panel of seven judges, including fire chiefs and architects experienced in recent design and construction. Liollio is honored to announce that The City of Charleston Fire Station #11 received the Firehouse Station Special Design Award and James Island Public Service District Fire Station #1 HQ received a Notable Award.

Fire stations are essential public buildings that serve as critical infrastructure for emergency response services, and designing them requires careful consideration of operational needs, efficiency, and aesthetics. Receiving this award highlights Liollio’s commitment to creating spaces that not only meet the functional requirements of a fire station but also contribute to the community's architectural landscape. It recognizes Liollio’s dedication to designing buildings that enhance the well-being of the firefighters and the surrounding community while promoting safety and efficiency.

Showcasing and recognizing both projects is a tremendous honor and the Liollio team would like to thank Firehouse, the jurors, and our clients and project team. Congratulations to our clients at the City of Charleston, Charleston Fire Department and James Island Public Service District!

About Firehouse
Firehouse is the leading fire and emergency services brand, reaching more than 1.5 million visitors and subscribers monthly and thousands of attendees annually via its live events and media portfolio. The Firehouse brand encompasses Firehouse Magazine, Firehouse.com, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse Station Design Conference, Station Design Awards, and many print and digital products targeting fire and emergency services personnel. Utilizing its multiple platforms and unparalleled reach, Firehouse sets itself apart from the competition by fostering a culture that encourages innovation and the use of the latest digital and database technologies to best serve its audience and companies serving the marketplace.

Liollio Team Members Attend AIA Conference on Architecture 2023 in San Francisco

Liollio’s Michelle Lanker and Mason Malsegna attended the 2023 National AIA Conference in San Francisco recently. The conference gathered industry leaders and professionals to discuss equity, resiliency, workflow efficiency, and knowledge sharing. Michelle and Mason attended various sessions regarding community-based design initiatives, mitigation of climate effects through design, fundamental shifts within the AEC industry, and better design through symbiotic teaming. The experience enabled Michelle and Mason to pursue specific interests; Michelle focusing on firm-wide quality assurance processes and Mason focusing on shaping the future of sustainable design within the AIA SC Cote Chapter. They also had a chance to explore the city, have fun, and take in San Francisco’s distinct architectural language and urban fabric. Liollio is thrilled to have these two to attend the 2023 National AIA Conference and represent our team!

For info on next year’s AIA Conference on Architecture, visit A’24 Washington DC

City of Charleston Fire Station #11 & James Island PSD Fire Station #1 Honored with F.I.E.R.O. Design Awards

View fullsize

Click here to review the Program Award Winners.

For the 2022 FIERO Fire Station Design Awards Program, FIERO received entries from architectural firms across North America. The Jury awarded two Honor Awards, two Merit Awards, and four Recognition Awards. We are honored to announce that two Liollio projects were awarded! The City of Charleston Fire Station #11 received one of the two FIERO Honor Awards and James Island Public Service District Fire Station #1 HQ received one of the two Merit Awards. Our entire team would like to thank FIERO and the jurors for recognizing and honoring our station designs! We would also like to say thank you and congratulations to our clients at the City of Charleston, Charleston Fire Department and James Island Public Service District!

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

About F.I.E.R.O.
F.I.E.R.O. (Fire Industry Education and Resource Organization) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, organization which operates under the guidance of an all-volunteer Board of Directors comprised of members with a rich history in the fire service. F.I.E.R.O. exists to improve firefighter health and safety and accomplishes this through educational conferences and workshops and participation on research projects. In the past five years, we have partnered with the NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation to study contamination control and with N.C. State University to study heat strain caused by personal protective equipment (PPE).

F.I.E.R.O. was formed in September 1990 and was modeled after three west coast organizations: SAFER (Southern Area Fire Equipment Research), NAFER (Northern Area Fire Equipment Research) and CAFER (Central Area Fire Equipment Research). Though based in California, these organizations reached into Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas, NV. Of those three original organizations, SAFER is the only one still in operation. The general concept was to create a network for fire service professionals to connect with each other and with equipment manufacturers to improve the products used in the fire service--amazingly, the fire service discovered that their problems were not unique. Through these organizations, products such as disintegrating PPV fan blades are no longer in the market and locking Storz couplings are now the standard. The fire service and related manufacturers all benefited from improved products and better service because of these organizations.

The first F.I.E.R.O. meeting was held at the Cobb County Fire Department in Georgia with close to 100 people in attendance and Captain Doug Miller of the Atlanta Fire Department (who later became Chief of the Atlanta Fire Department) spoke about PPE selection. F.I.E.R.O. continued to meet throughout the Southeast with Captain Dart Kendall (Cobb County Fire Department) serving as the first President and Battalion Chief Brenda Nishiyama Willis ("Nish") of the Atlanta Fire Department serving as the first treasurer.

With the emergence of the Internet and email, communications about product problems spread through the industry very quickly and F.I.E.R.O. re-invented itself. The board realized there were other areas where the fire service needed to learn more about and create stronger connections in. In 2000, F.I.E.R.O. hosted the first-of-its-kind, and F.I.E.R.O.'s first (what would become annual) Fire Station Design Symposium in Charlotte. Through the symposium, F.I.E.R.O. provided fire station design education and exposure to experts in fire station design to the fire service. Through 2018, F.I.E.R.O. has hosted 17 Fire Station Design Symposiums in both Charlotte and Raleigh. In 2009, again recognizing an unmet need, F.I.E.R.O. hosted the first-ever Fire PPE Symposium, also in Charlotte. This symposium focuses on disseminating the results of research and scientific studies, creating a better understanding of the performance requirements set for firefighting PPE, and the limitations of firefighting PPE. In March 2019, the seventh biennial PPE Symposium will be held in Raleigh. Attendance at these symposiums increases for every event, illustrating the broad reach F.I.E.R.O. has in the fire service. In 2014, to broaden that educational reach, F.I.E.R.O. conducted its first Regional Fire PPE Workshop at the DFW Fire Research & Training Facility in Texas. The focus of these smaller workshops is the selection, care and maintenance of PPE.

Fore more information, please visit fieroonline.org

SPOTLIGHT ON: MASON MALSEGNA

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our June Spotlight On feature is Mason Malsegna. Mason joined the Liollio team in 2021 as a Project Designer. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture. Mason is a valuable addition to the studio, and his involvement on many project types and sizes helps distill creativity and confidence. Mason’s previous research in sustainable and resilient design methodologies helps us produce equitable and thoughtful work. We sat down for a Q+A session with our June Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up? I grew up in a town outside of Rochester, NY on the Erie Canal called Fairport.

Are you married? Do you have children? No

What do you like to do for fun? I love working out, mountain biking, exploring outside, and hiking. I’m also a big foodie and love cooking and trying wines.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them. I have a cat that I adopted when I moved to Charleston from Pounce Cat Café. She’s a street cat with an edge (not really, but that’s the life I pretend she lived when she was picked up by the Target on Rivers Avenue). She keeps me up, knocks things over, and is a pain in my rear, but I’m happy to have her.

Favorite place(s) to go locally? Sullivan’s Island is my favorite spot in Charleston. Often I’ll go there to watch the sunrise, or sunset as well as to enjoy the nice warm weather this city has to offer.

Favorite restaurant? My favorite spot, thus far, is Great Wall Express (a Chinese place close to my house in Park Circle). They have cheap and delicious food that reminds me of a spot I used to go to when I was younger.

Favorite food? My favorite meal is a garbage plate, and it’s the most disgustingly unhealthy thing, but it’s delicious and local to Rochester, NY. It consists of mac salad and homefries as the base, topped with 1 to 4 cheeseburger patties, and smothered in a meat hot sauce, fresh onion, and mustard.

Least favorite food? Doesn’t exist.

Do you play any instruments? No

What song is at the top of your most played list? It’s always changing as I’m trying to find new music, but right now it’s Mount Everest by Labrinth.

Favorite musical artist or genre? I love a mix of pop, indie, funk, and rap. My taste is a bit eclectic. My favorite artist at the moment is Dominic Fike.

Favorite visual artist? Donald Judd is my favorite. I love his sculptural work as his attention to fabrication detail is immense.

Favorite television show? My favorite show is Euphoria, but a close second with White Lotus.

Favorite book or author? The Great Gatsby

Last book you read? War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

Favorite podcast or blog? The Leftovers Podcast

Favorite movie or genre? I’m a sucker for a good thriller movie. My favorite is Kill Bill Vol. I

Last movie you watched? Knives Out: Glass Onion – it was ok.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why? Thailand – every corner you turned there was something new to see, new food to try, and things to do.

Favorite style of architecture? I like a good mid-century modern home being from the North.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you? Louis Kahn’s Baptist Church in Rochester.

What would the book or movie about your life be called? A Haphazard Odyssey

Who would play you in a movie about your life? It would definitely be me.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? I would be a human, cause you know, top of the food chain and all.

Are you messy or organized? An organized mess. But I’m neat.

What’s your pet peeve? When my schedule or plans change suddenly.

Guilty pleasure? Sipping on wine in the bath listening to music or with a good book.

Tell us a random fact. In German, it’s called “meerrettich” (sea radish) because it grows by the sea. Many believe the English mispronounced the German word “meer” and began calling it “mareradish.” Eventually it became known as horseradish. The word “horse” is believed to denote large size and coarseness. – Straight from Google.

Favorite quote? I don’t have one.

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be? Robin Williams – seemed like an interesting figure.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see? Berlin Wall coming down – sounds like it was a good time.

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

What three traits characterize you? Determined – Friendly - Considerate

What’s your astrological sign? Libra – whatever you take that as.

What is your personal philosophy? Live and let live.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without? Good wine

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far? Moving to a new state (South Carolina) on my own.

What is your greatest fear? As time goes on, my fear of small spaces grows larger. (See what I did there?)

What inspires you most? Random acts of kindness people do.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? Graduating near-top of my class from Syracuse University.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio? The firm culture - everyone is family.

What does true leadership mean to you? Someone who knows how to orchestrate, but also let people figure things out on their own.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? National Park Ranger

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? Do as much as you can with your youth.

How do you define success? By my own personal satisfaction of what I do.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you. I was training to become an Olympic Lifter while in high school, and I still train now, just not professionally.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Let things happen, you can’t control every outcome.