A walking tour of two downtown Charleston projects.
1 LU/HSW available for this morning tour
Morning Session – 10:00 AM-12:30 PM (Walking)
10:00 AM: MEETING SPOT FOR THE TOUR is at the Cistern, 66 George Street. We will walk the greenway and enter the building on axis. *See map image at bottom of tours page.
Stop 1: 10:00 AM: Albert Simons Center for the Arts, College of Charleston, 54 St Philip St, Charleston, Liollio
Completed
(Shown above) 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.
travel 0.2 mile via St Philip St and George St. Mostly flat
11:15 AM: Stern Student Center, College of Charleston, 71 George St, Charleston. Little, In Construction
The College of Charleston Stern Student Center Renovation is a major transformation of a 76,000-square-foot facility in downtown Charleston.
This is a fascinating project, taking a 1970’s brutalist building and reskinning it with new façade.The project involves stripping the building to its concrete structure, reskinning the exterior, and demolishing an old pool to create additional programmatic space. The renovation includes two new restaurants, a dining area, a two-story multipurpose room, spaces for student government and organizations, a fitness center, and administrative offices. The design had to meet the strict requirements of the City of Charleston’s Board of Architectural
Review, navigate a tight budget, and address complex existing conditions. Sustainability strategies aim to achieve Two Green Globes certification, focusing on energy efficiency, water conservation, and the use of sustainable materials. This renovation will modernize the building while respecting Charleston’s historic aesthetic, creating a vibrant and environmentally responsible hub for student activities.
Project Size: 76,000 SF
Project Cost: $34M
Artemiy Zheltov, AIA, LEED AP
CommunityAssociate, Little
OPTIONAL: On Friday afternoon, conference and tour guests are invited to meet up at American Gardens and enjoy a guided walk through this new public garden in the heart of Charleston. No fee.
FREE WALK & TALK AT AMERICAN GARDENS!
1:00 PM: Meet at American Gardens by the Fountain, 141 Meeting Street, Charleston, for a guided walk & talk with Weston McBee, PLA, American Gardens Landscape Architecture Team Leader at Seamon Whiteside.
MORNING TOUR SPONSOR: Hood Construction
