Amid a dense historic district, this center for the arts is “the artistic heartbeat of Charleston.” A venue for Spoleto Festival, it is the most publicly visited building on campus, hosting fine and performing arts programs for students and visitors alike to celebrate and partake in artistic disciplines.  This 75,000 SF renovation and 15,000 SF expansion project aims to create a resilient urban response to showcasing the arts, signaling to the community the creativity within, moderating between history and progress, and enhancing connections to the historic campus. Facing the historic Cistern Yard and Randolph Hall (c.1828), the Simons Center serves as the cultural hub for Charleston SC. The new entrance design creates a focal terminus on axis with the historic Green Way, a beautifully landscaped and historic component of the campus and the city, drawing patrons in and connecting students and faculty to the surrounding landscape. With large windows to fill the volume with natural light, a modern façade reflecting the historic fabric of the Green Way and carefully chosen brick as a nod to historic Randolph Hall, the entrance is meant to subtly grab visitors’ attention as they make their way from Randolph Hall to St. Philip Street. The expanded lobby offers increased exhibition space and a revitalized courtyard, serving as a venue for campus and community events. Additional program includes replacement of mechanical, electrical, fire protection, and plumbing systems; roof replacement, and structural upgrades to the decking assembly; a new black box theatre; existing proscenium theatre and recital hall upgrades; renovated support spaces; additional and renovated classrooms; enhanced technology; office spaces; and upgraded art teaching studios and classrooms. The interior approach transforms dim, uninviting spaces to foster collaboration across curricula, breathing new life into an integral community resource. This project was guided by four key goals: Modernizing Arts Education, Sustainability and Resiliency in the Urban Coastal Environment, Connecting History and the Future, and Showcasing the Arts. The new Simons Center stands at the intersection of the city and creativity.

For inquiries related to this project, please contact andy@liollio.com.

2025 AIA South Carolina Honor Award