Since it was established 349 years ago, Charleston, South Carolina, has amassed a well-preserved sampling of architectural styles from the Colonial, Victorian and Classic Revival periods. So when San Francisco-based David Baker Architects (DBA) partnered with local firm McMillan Pazdan Smith (MPS) to design Willliams Terrace, a 41-apartment complex for residents age 62 and older, it was clear that in addition to modern convenience (flood-resistance was part of the brief in this low-lying coastal city), the design should also evoke some Charleston charm.
To achieve this, DBA principal Daniel Simons found inspiration in a long, narrow 19th century building type that’s almost unique to Charleston. Always one room wide with a covered porch on one long side, the townhouse is affectionately known as the Charleston Single House. In fact, the prevalence of balconies on these buildings figures prominently in what Simons calls “a huge porch culture in the South.”
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