Morrison Yard

Year: 2025 Design & Honor Awards | Category: Built Project over 5,000 SF

Morrison Yard has become an iconic landmark in Charleston, seemingly overnight. Occupying a once vacant parcel at the foot of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, its distinctive architecture borrows from the building’s nearby context, referencing the port through the massing of the office building. An activated pedestrian plaza embraces the wetlands and views of the Cooper River. Pulling the parking out from the building footprint allowed for a more efficient and economical structure while reinforcing the site’s stunning views. Morrison Yard not only raises the architectural bar, it redefines how to approach sustainability as Charleston’s first ‘RISES’ building.

Design Challenge

One key design decision was to offset the building core, allowing mechanical air intake and exhaust to be located on each floor and vent directly outside. This reduced the size of duct work resulting in a larger leasable area per floor. Additionally, with the core’s location being along the western wall of the building, heat gain along that façade was dramatically reduced. The offset core allowed for glazing within the elevator lobbies and restrooms, further enhancing the tenant experience. And finally, the core positioning creates ultimate flexibility for future tenants and, perhaps most importantly, unobstructed views of the building’s beautiful surroundings.

While its proximity to wetlands is paramount to the design, it also results in Morrison Yard’s lobby being situated six feet below the floodplain. Therefore, the building’s generator must be housed on the second level. Requiring an extraordinary amount of free area for both air intake and exhaust, the generator features large louvers that must be screened. To camouflage this utilitarian requirement, the design team chose a lattice brick façade that screens the louvers from view, complements the prominent brick building material already selected, and is reminiscent of the garden walls and crawlspace ventilation prominently featured throughout Charleston’s residential architecture.

Every minute detail of this impressive monolith was designed with the utmost intention and purpose to fit in with its surroundings as much as it stands out.

Firm
ASD|SKY

Project Location
Charleston, SC

Completion Date
2/1/2023

Architects and Designers
Alan Crowley, AIA, Lead Architect
Adam Toal, AIA , Project Architect

Structural Engineer
Browder + LeGuizamon & Associates

Landscape
SeamonWhiteside and Associates

General Contractor
Balfour Beatty Construction

Additional Team
SeamonWhiteside and Associates
Barret Woodyard and Associates

Photographer
RIMO PHOTO