Garvin Design Group Earns Four Design Awards from the SCAIA

December 1, 2011

GREENVILLE, SC – December 1, 2011 – The South CarolinaAmerican Institute of Architects Honors and Awards Program is part of alongstanding tradition of recognizing individuals and organizations fortheir outstanding achievements in support of the profession ofarchitecture and the AIA.  Garvin DesignGroup received four design awards from the SCAIA at the annualconvention onSaturday, October 22, held at 701 Whaley in Columbia, SC.

We were fortunate and honored to receive four awards,especially given the caliber of excellent design work completed by ourcolleagues around the state.  It is areal tribute to each client that we worked with and their passion for excellentdesign and construction, as well as the contractors that completed the projectsin such a quality manner.   ScottGarvin, President, Garvin Design Group.

Chapin United Methodist Church‘s new sanctuary received aMerit Award.  This new 800 seat sanctuaryand education addition is located on a main thoroughfare in Chapin, SouthCarolina and was designed to provide an identifiable “front-door” focusedoutward to the community. The 46,000 sf addition includes a new entry, narthex,and welcome center and is arranged to foster community among the variousactivities and missions of the church.  The sanctuary’s laminated wood roof structureemploys a scissor truss roof structure which provides an elegant spirit to thespace while offering appropriate warmth in relation to the stained glasswindows.  The design of the entry towerrecalls elements of the church’s original sanctuary that no longer exists.  Contract Construction was the GeneralContractor for the $10,000,000 project.  

The Honors College Residence Hall at the University of SouthCarolina also received a Merit Award as well as a COTE Citation Award for itssustainable design performance and features.  This new residence hall houses 537 students and 3 faculty apartments in4 to 6 story “houses” to provide appropriate residential scale.  The site organization and solar orientationallows for south facing green space, providing wonderful outdoor program spacefor both the Honors College and the campus community. Designed as a“living-learning” facility, the building contains 4 large technologicallyadvanced classroom spaces as well as a Dining Facility.   The resident room floors are arranged intosmaller houses with shared common spaces to foster community interaction.  The building’s image is designed with respectfor the timeless and enduring qualities found in the USC’s Horshoe Buildings,but showcases the community spaces as well as the sustainable designfeatures.  The building uses 38% lessenergy and 27% less water than a typical residence hall project.  This facility, in pursuit of the University’scommitment to sustainable design, has achieved USC’s first Gold LEEDCertification.  China Construction wasthe General Contractor for this $47,000,000 facility. 

701 Whaley received a Special Citation Award for thehistoric renovation of a community center located in the Historic OlympiaVillage.  The facility had fallen intodisrepair due to years of neglect. The shell and structural framework of thebuilding were stabilized and major portions of roof and floor structure werereplaced.  The exterior windows andstorefront were replaced with historically accurate units. The 34,000 sffacility was renovated into a mixed use retail and office center includinglarge multipurpose event spaces, art galleries, and apartments.  This building is critically important to thelocal residents, and through this revitalization, its original function withinthe community will once again live on. Hood Construction was the General Contractor.

About Garvin Design Group

Garvin Design Group was founded in 2003 by principal Scott Garvin toprovide client-driven design solutions to the building needs of clients.Offering a more efficient project delivery method for clients of alltypes, Garvin Design Group has completed major projects across SouthCarolina including the Peace Center renovation in Greenville, and 701Whaley and USC Honors College in Columbia. The firm has been recognizedover a dozen times by the SCAIA for its design work.  The firm has sevenAIA certified architects and is headquartered in Columbia, SouthCarolina.  For more information about the firm, please visit www.garvindesigngroup.com