Morris Square isn’t just a project—it’s a story of resilience, collaboration, and the power of design to shape community. Located in the heart of Charleston’s historic district, this complex and rewarding development is one of our proudest examples of mixed-use residential architecture.
Designed in collaboration with a visionary development team, Morris Square was built on a site that had once been a creek—complicated further by its location in a flood zone, earthquake zone, and historically sensitive neighborhood. Add in multiple neighborhood associations and a rigorous review process, and the project was destined to push the boundaries of what’s possible in urban infill design.
Our team joined the project in 2003 to develop the architecture for what would become a dense, vibrant, and contextually sensitive community. The final build-out included:
- 11 single-family homes
- A 9,000-square-foot mixed-use building
- 11 townhomes in two separate structures
- A duplex and a quadraplex
Each structure was designed to stand on its own architecturally, but the greater success was in how the whole development worked together. With traditional forms, regionally appropriate materials, and a scale that complements its surroundings, Morris Square feels as though it has always been part of the Charleston landscape.
This thoughtful approach to mixed-use residential architecture earned the project national attention. In 2009, it received a Merit Award from Residential Architect—one of only 44 projects honored out of more than 1,100 submissions to the 10th annual Residential Architect Design Awards (RADA). The year prior, it was also recognized with a Merit Award from the AIA.
For us, Morris Square is proof that great design can solve complex problems—uniting form, function, and community into something lasting. It’s a model for how thoughtful architecture can bring new life to old places without erasing what came before.
