College of Charleston to Update Arts Center

The College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., has announced a renovation project for its Albert Simons Center for the Arts. The facility originally opened in 1979 for about 800 students. Today, it serves about 4,000, according to a press release, and officials are moving forward with plans to update its classrooms, performances spaces, technology and infrastructure. The project is tentatively scheduled for completion in spring 2023 and is slated to open to students in time for the fall 2023 semester.

“This has been a long time coming, and we’re delighted,” said Edward Hart, dean of the School of the Arts. “We are so appreciative of the College’s administration for supporting us. You know, when times are tough, very often the arts take it on the chin. And our administration has shown the foresight to really stand by us with this project, which indicates that the arts really are a priority for the College.”

The project includes renovating about 87,365 square feet, demolishing about 10,893 square feet and constructing 22,871 square feet of building space, according to Brad Weiland, the College of Charleston Facilities Management senior project manager. The completed facility will offer about 99,000 square feet of classrooms and performance spaces.

Renovations and upgrades will include new seminar classrooms; updated and enlarged classrooms; a black box theater; a costume shop, scene shop and theater design studio; sculpture, printmaking and drawing studios; a digital lab; a gallery and multipurpose room; music practice rooms and upgraded dressing rooms; and new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems as well as upgraded technology.

“The Simons Center has been great, but after 40 years, it needs a little work,” said Hart. “Better facilities make for a better environment. Everybody wants to be in a place where it looks and feels nice, and where there’s appropriate space.”

The School of the Arts’ classes and programs will fan out to five separate locations around campus during the construction process. Demolition and construction are scheduled to begin this fall. The university partnered with Liollio Architecture and the HGA Design Firm for the project’s design. The new facility will incorporate classic campus features like the green door from Towell Library and the coral-colored walls from Randolph Hall.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • dormitory with green roofs, solar panels, balconies, and labeled architectural annotations

    2025 Residence Hall Design Trends Focus on Sustainability, Flexibility, Community, Technology, and Well-Being

    With the most technically advanced Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) at the helm, residence hall design trends for 2025 look to focus on flexible spaces, health and wellness, sustainability, community, and digital technology.

  • ClassVR Wins Tech & Learning Best of Show at ISTELive 25

    Avantis Education recently announced that its flagship product, ClassVR, won the Tech & Learning Best of Show Award at ISTELive 25 in San Antonio, Texas, according to a news release. The program is designed to celebrate products that are “transforming education in schools around the world and that show the greatest promise for the industry,” and this is the fourth consecutive year that Avantis has claimed the award.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

Digital Edition