City Water Exterior Front Angled
City Water Exterior Front
City Water Exterior Front Before
City Water Exterior Side
City Water Exterior Side Before
City Water Interior Lobby
City Water Interior Meeting
City Water Interior Warehouse
City Water Interior Warehouse Before
City of Columbia Water, Exterior at Night
City-Water-Exterior-Front-Angled
City-Water-Exterior-Front
City-Water-Exterior-Front-BEFORE-BW-wtext
City-Water-Exterior-Side
City-Water-Exterior-Side-BEFORE-BW-wtext
City-Water-Interior-Lobbyt
City-Water-Interior-Metting
City-Water-Interior-Warehouse
City-Water-Interior-Warehouse-BEFORE-BW-wtext
City-Water-Exterior-Front-Night-Brighter
previous arrowprevious arrow
next arrownext arrow

City of Columbia, Water Distribution + Wastewater Management

Certified: LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council

Awarded:

  • AIA South Atlantic Region, Adaptive Reuse Merit Award, 2020
  • AIA North Carolina, COTE Award, 2019
  • AIA South Carolina, Merit Award for New Construction, 2018
  • AIA South Carolina, Adaptive Reuse Honor Award, 2018
  • AIA Columbia, Honor Award for Renovation, 2018
  • AIA Charlotte, Adaptive Reuse Honor Award, 2018
  • USGBC, Innovation Award Finalist, 2017
  • AIA South Carolina, Honor Award for Unbuilt Work, 2015

The design converts an abandoned automobile dealership into a municipal water division facility, simplifying a diverse program for the reuse of existing structures. The glazed office building, exaggerates the original showroom’s extroverted spirit, bathing occupants in daylight. New detailing on the pre-engineered warehouse expresses the roof plane in floating undulations, referencing the site’s topography. Site improvements include previous paving, xeriscaping, and rain gardens.

The project was featured at the recent national Civic I/O Mayor’s Summit at South By Southwest in Austin, TX. At the summit, Mayor Steve Benjamin made the following remarks:

“This building is forward-thinking architecture and a tangible way to shape a more resilient community. All mayors must be introduced to the power of architecture in creating the public realm. In 50 years, we may not be here, but what we build will remain, and it has the power to demonstrate what is important to us — what matters to us — and whether our communities are prosperous.”