SMHa

SMHa has had the privilege of partnering with The Church at LifePark since the church’s beginning and are honored to support its continued growth with this latest expansion, thoughtfully designed to embody the spirit of the Lowcountry and enrich the fabric of our community.

The Restored Historic Sanders House

When it came to design, we let history lead the way.

“As discovered by Charleston-based SMHa, the architectural team hired to design and oversee the property’s five-year restoration, Sam Sanders used a catalog or pattern kit to construct his house. ‘It’s much like the Sears catalog houses of today,’ explained the project’s lead architect Jeff Johnston. ‘Back in 1860, there were a few millwork companies in the Northeast selling these home kits. You would buy the lumber; they would have the pieces stenciled, give you simple instructions, and ship it to you in rough lengths of wood. It would be up to you, the owner, to build the foundation for it and put the pieces together.’ When working on the property, Johnston and his team noted letters and numbers on pieces of the home’s framework. And, of course, Sanders’ name. ‘It could either be his signature or it could be a receipt noting this was the package for Samuel Sanders. Pretty doggone neat!’ [Last photo shows lumber with Sanders’ name]

“To maintain the integrity of the home, Johnston and his colleagues worked diligently to retain as many of the structure’s original features as possible... The home was restored using adaptive reuse design principles and is now open to residents of the community as a gathering and event space.”

- excerpts from The Daniel Island News
https://www.thedanielislandnews.com/news/restored-historic-sanders-house-rooted-things-past #

📸 Patrick Brickman for Target Market
🏗️ Hill Construction

Last night, we wished a happy (albeit emotional) retirement to our founding partners Sam Herin and Charles Muldrow.

Sam and Charles, along with Sidney Stubbs, founded Stubbs Muldrow Herin Architects (now SMHa) in 1990, setting out to rebuild the Lowcountry in the wake of Hurricane Hugo. Steadfast in respecting not only the built environment but also its people, the firm led with the principles of architecture appropriate for its place, impeccable client service, and commitment to community.

As we all experienced last night, those principles have been upheld and remain close to heart 36 years later.

It is our honor and privilege to carry the legacy these gentlemen built, and we know this is not goodbye rather a welcoming them into a new chapter.