State House Restoration
State of South Carolina
Historical Integrity
SSOE worked with state officials to renovate the historic South Carolina State House. Intermittently constructed over a period of 50 years and renovated numerous times since its completion, SSOE successfully developed a design strategy that would protect the historical integrity of the building by restoring several areas obscured by prior renovations.
Adapting Existing Drawings
Where current needs demanded further modifications to the structure, unifying elements were created by adapting existing details pulled from archived drawings and newly developed site plans completed by the design team.
In order to address concerns surrounding the building’s current requirements for life safety, the restoration also involved replacing all mechanical, electrical, and fire protection systems with top-tier, state-of-the-art designs, while also incorporating all required codes, ADA, seismic (which involved the creation of a base isolation system – the first of its kind east of the Mississippi), and fresh air requirements. Additionally, interior finishes were upgraded to reflect the history and overall brand essence of the State of South Carolina.
“Must-See” Architecture
Hailed as one of the state’s most iconic structures, this 150 year old landmark, is a cultural “must-see” and features key renovations of the Senate and House chambers and gallery, main lobby, legislative meeting room, library mezzanine, Governor’s and Lt. Governor’s office and staff areas, legislative council room and press office.
