The Loutrel Hotel Flows with Historic Charleston Aesthetic
Charleston, South Carolina is home to some of the country’s most celebrated historic architecture, so designing new buildings in centuries-old neighborhood comes with its own set of special challenges. The design of new Loutrel Hotel is derived from the celebrated aesthetic of Charleston’s market area yet delivers its own brand of contemporary detailing. The Loutrel offers a fresh take on modern luxury with tastefully decorated rooms, a garden-inspired lounge, and the look of yesteryear with modern conveniences.
The veranda-inspired lobby includes a repurposed Southern porch swing and live citrus trees, inviting guests to sit a spell and enjoy homemade cookies. The hotel’s 50 guest rooms and suites are comfortably furnished in hues of blue, green, and gold. Topping it off is a rooftop terrace with stunning views of Charleston’s many historic steeples that give the “Holy City” its honorary name.
The Challenge
As a new build, the challenge was to make The Loutrel look as if it has always been a part of the surrounding neighborhood. That meant architectural design details such as tall column-style brick masonry, crown molding, and tall windows and terrace doors.
Part of that feat was carried out using a selection of window styles and terrace doors provided by WINCO Window Company. Not only did the design require detailed styling to match its historic surroundings, but the hotel’s coastal location required hurricane-resistant glazing.
“Key to the success of the project was approval by Charleston’s Board of Architecture (BAR) for historic Steel Replica window and door products,” says Michael Herlocker, president at Glasscorp in Charleston. “The BAR is known throughout architectural circles for its high standards, which have helped to maintain the historic character of Charleston for nearly a century.”
The Solution
Oversized with multiple grids, WINCO’s 3250 Steel Replica windows create an architectural highpoint above the entrance and side sections of the hotel. This series was selected for its design attributes. The 3250 Steel Replica windows offer the thinnest profiles for architectural grade thermal windows that honor historic style requirements while allowing large openings capable of achieving low U-Values and meeting modern building codes demands. In addition, the 3250 series meets coastal hurricane zone requirements.
For contrast, multiple window series were used to create an authentic historic look to this new construction. WINCO’s projected casement 1150S series with larger muntin grids, along with matching NC-82 Terrace Doors, are used for the hotel’s guest rooms.
Designed to meet the most demanding specifications — aesthetically and technically —WINCO’s terrace doors set new performance standards in design features to block out potential heavy winds and rains common with coastal properties. Sturdier overall construction with heavy-duty hinges and multi-point locking hardware ensures both durability and security.
Specifically, for The Loutrel Hotel, WINCO made custom aluminum panels to conceal ductwork between floors and designed the terrace doors with lower panels to complete the historic vibe. All window systems and terrace doors have hurricane-resistant glazing and have 70% Kynar paint - Umbra Grey.
The Feedback
“This was a complex project from start to finish,” adds Herlocker. “However, WINCO provided great customer service and the window products are top-tier.”