Designing buildings for the present tense is a substantial task. Designing buildings which also honor a rich, storied past adds another element of complexity. Designing a building which accommodates the present, the past, and an evolving civic future? That challenge can bring exciting opportunities which elevate a design to the next level. Every layer of complexity creates opportunities for architectural delight.
A ramshackle ice house sat on an underutilized site, not far from the thriving King Street shopping district on Charleston’s historic peninsula. The 100+ year old building was an eyesore and was quite literally falling down; during construction the street façade ultimately toppled over before it could be salvaged. The site, however, had untapped potential, not only due to its proximity to the College of Charleston and a number of local amenities, but also because it aligned with an exciting civic project in the early stages of development: The Lowcountry Lowline.
