Avian Pavilion at Camp Hall Village

Santee Cooper’s Camp Hall is a next generation commerce park where “people, nature and productivity connect.” With state-of-the-art manufacturing in a setting of vast natural beauty, the design concept of “Nature and the Machine” permeates the built environment. Like the vehicles and machines produced in Camp Hall, the architecture is intended to embody precision, sleekness and innovation. With bird protection and awareness as a major focus for Camp Hall, the architecture likewise found its inspiration. The building forms are abstract interpretations of the patterns, colors, and figures found in native species. The “Avian Pavilion” hovers over the lake greeting visitors with outspread wings, encouraging visitors to take refuge from the sun, birdwatch, and learn more about Camp Hall’s mission.

This month we are finalizing the detailing and engineering discipline coordination to bring this vision to life. Special thanks to our talented collaborators:

Structural Engineering: ADC Engineering Consultants

Electrical Engineering: DWG Engineering

Civil / Landscape Architecture: Seamon Whiteside

General Contractor: Choate Construction

Exploded axonometric of the Camp Hall Village’s Avian Pavilion

Studies for RGBW lighting options

Conceptual site layout of the Avian Pavilion access centered on future Training Centers for Camp Hall Village

Firefly Distillery | Good Times. Great Spirits.

When we began the design for Firefly Distillery’s new facility, the first step was to visit their existing distillery and tasting room on Wadmalaw Island, SC to learn their history, better understand their brand, see their process, and sample some spirits. (Spoiler alert: they’re good.) Before putting pen to paper, it was important for us to know how Firefly started, where they are going, how they differentiated themselves in the industry and thus what functional spaces and visitor experiences to help create within the architecture.

The next couple of years included distillery research (see our Distillery Homework blog), design iterations and construction. The new facility opened in February 2020 and enjoyed a few weeks of hosting a record breaking number of visitors before the pandemic dialed down indoor gatherings. Firefly was able to pivot their distilling efforts to produce hand sanitizer to meet the moment and are now able to safely host visitors at the outdoor courtyard, tastings on the porch and socially distanced outdoor concerts.

Highlights of our research and how it dovetailed into our design

Firefly is a locally owned, family business who was one of the South Carolina Lowcountry’s best kept secrets until their inspired collaboration with the neighboring Charleston Tea Garden yielded ‘Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka’. Ever since, they have enjoyed a national audience and are a destination for tours, tastings and events. Therefore the building program included a gift shop, distillery, bottling line, lab, a tasting room, spirits retail section and multiple places for events (weddings, receptions, smaller meetings and outdoor concerts.)

The Firefly brand is southern, approachable, and laid back in the best way possible; think sitting on your porch with a drink in your hand, friends nearby and bluegrass playing in the background. This told us that while this will be a brand new, code-compliant facility, there should be moments of patina and casualness. Specialty craftspeople really brought the ‘soul’ into this new building. Shout out to coppersmiths, Khalima Lights for their handmade light fixtures, Limelight for the signage installation, Gil Shuler for the branding graphics and Lowcountry Case + Millwork for sourcing the reclaimed wood and executing our barrel stave design.

The Firefly folks, while innovative and forward-thinking, are also nostalgic and rustic with a side order of DIY. This inspired us to deconstruct wooden bourbon barrels in the back of our studio and incorporate them into the bar and light fixture designs as well as source reclaimed wood for paneling and metal roofing from a former Firefly structure as an interior accents.

The tasting bar design was born from deconstructing wooded barrels and alternating the position resulting in a varied texture and color rooted in distillery life. Bar counter is a custom copper fabrication. Beyond the bar is the spirits retail display where visitors can purchase bottles. Custom display / cabinetry designed by Rush Dixon Architects and crafted by Lowcountry Case + Millwork.

Copper nails make up the Firefly logo behind the check out counter. (Shout out to Limelight Signs for the many, many, many hours of hammering to get this effect.)

The gift shop greets visitors with a soaring, reclaimed wood clad vaulted space.

The day we discovered Khalima Lights, a local husband and wife team that handcrafts custom light fixtures, was a good day. Located on Wadmalaw Island, they produced all of the specialty lighting. Shown here are deconstructed barrel stave “clouds” designed by Rush Dixon Architects with Khalima’s Waycaster pendant and Edison bulbs.

The gallery where tour groups gather to begin the guided distillery tour, showcases Firefly Distillery’s history and process. Gil Shuler and Limelight were the MVPs of the info graphics and execution.

The distillery and tank room where the magic happens. Special thanks to Vendome Copper and Dalkita.

After the distillery tour, visitors are invited to a tasting bar to sample spirits of their choice. The back bar was designed to allow for the current Firefly spirit products to be displayed. Reclaimed metal roofing and wood was utilized to provide a rustic feel.

Close up of the spirits retail display which needed to be locked down during events. Rolling barrel stave screens slide to secure the products while maintaining visual connection.

We don’t know much, but we do know how to keep good company. See below for some of the all-star collaborators and craftspeople:

• Seamon Whiteside: Civil Engineering + Landscape Architecture

• ADC Engineering: Structural Engineering

• Charleston Engineering: Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical, Fire Protection Engineering

• Dalkita: Distillery Consultant

• Trident Construction: General Contractor

• Gil Shuler: Graphic Design + Branding

• Limelight Custom Sign Company: Signage

• Khalima Lights: hand-made specialty lighting

• Lowcountry Case + Millwork: interior millwork including tasting bars, spirits retail display, reclaimed wood paneling and barrel stave details.

• Chris Smith Photography: All photographs

Seabrook Island Beach Club Renovation

In collaboration with Seamon Whiteside, an award-winning landscape architecture and civil engineering firm, the design goals of this project included updated pools, deck, restrooms and a new cabana bar. Balancing zoning ordinances, design reviews, flood regulations and building code parameters, the result provides a modern amenity for this island community overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Initial concept rendering of the Cabana Bar shows a dynamic mono-slope roof and trellis system.

Construction progress photo showing the side view of the Cabana Bar.

A front view of the finished Cabana Bar with the gathering space in the foreground. [Photo: Seamon Whiteside]

Ipe scrim treatment wraps the Cabana Bar service area.

Aerial image of the renovated Seabrook Beach Club. [Photo: Seamon Whiteside]

Designing for a Dentist

One of the projects we are delighted to be working on is Dr. Randall Pagenkopf's new facility, which will be located on Wando Park Blvd. in Mount Pleasant.  "Dr. Randy" as he is known to his pediatric patients, and his business partner / wife, Cullan, envisioned their new building to be rooted in the coastal vernacular while providing a professional image with quality, durable materials. The design needed to be a place that would make families feel welcome and comfortable as well as house the technology and equipment necessary for this vibrant dental practice to continue to provide exceptional dental care. 

Rush Dixon Architects' rendering of the new facility for Dr. Randy

At a time when the medical and dental community is changing at lightning speed, it is inspiring to know there are physicians such as Dr. Randall Pagenkopf, who are successful by being true to their passion and values.  Dr. Randy and Cullan have built a vibrant practice in Mount Pleasant with an approach to practicing dentistry that strikes a chord with both patients and their parents - to garner confidence by providing exceptional care and preventative education, delivered by a solid team of familiar, smiling faces.   

Dr. Randy graduated from The Medical University of South Carolina in 1996, and then completed his pediatric dental training in 1998 at Children's Hospital Medical Center. He has treated more than 10,000 patients in his career thus far, and enjoys participating in medical missions trip to Honduras. His practice focuses exclusively on children and he, Cullan, along with their entire staff are advocates for their patient's parents. “People underestimate the importance of good dental care. It is so directly related to one’s overall health.” The Dr. Randy team helps them develop good oral health habits for life. In many cases, restorative treatment is done via water laser, which minimizes tooth loss and can sometimes be done with no or very little anesthesia. Dr. Randy is very proud to offer zirconia (tooth colored) crowns for primary teeth; the only option until very recently was a silver filling which is not a very popular option for parents or children. This speaks to his eye for relevant technology and forward thinking practices.

Beyond seeing patients throughout the week, Cullan and Dr. Randy lead their team by supporting the community in meaningful ways.  Every February, during Children’s Dental Health month, they visit local elementary schools to educate children and spread dental health awareness. Education is a big passion as evidenced by their blog: www.smilesbydrrandy.com. Content includes medical studies, best dental practices, and nutritional advice to fully support their patients.  And every Halloween, Cullan organizes “Operation: Candy Buyback” where patients can bring their treats to the office and trade it for money.  Once all of the candy has been collected, it is packaged up and sent to troops serving in the U.S. Military.

Yes, we keep good company and are lucky to spend time helping to create a new facility for them to work their magic.  Look for construction activity to begin prior to the end of the year, and if you have a little one that needs a dentist, by all means call Dr. Randy at 843-971-6221.

Rush Dixon Architects is a small part of this endeavor. Meet the rest of the project team:

General Contractor | Harbor Contracting

Civil Engineering / Landscape Architecture | Seamon Whiteside

Structural Engineering | ADC Engineering

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Engineering | Charleston Engineering

Dental Design Consultant | Unthank Design Group