Brookgreen Gardens

Brookgreen Gardens, founded in 1931, is a landmark of American cultural life – home to the nation’s largest collection of American figurative sculpture and a recognized leader in both sculpture conservation and Lowcountry environmental stewardship.

In the 1990s, a master plan guided the construction of an education center, museum shop, and brick arch portico that formed the formal entrance to the sculpture gardens. Decades later, Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture reimagined the Welcome Center with the Purdy Center – a transformative 20,000-square-foot addition expanding space for education, events, and horticultural programs.

To realize the architect’s ambitious vision, IG Masonry Support was engaged by structural engineers ADC Engineering, and general contractor Dargan Construction Company, to deliver prefabricated masonry solutions, achieving the architectural arches and intricate brick detailing that define the Center’s façades.

The architectural vision for the Brookgreen Gardens project demanded intricate brickwork detailing that would have been difficult to achieve in its entirety through traditional laid brickwork.

Large Main Entrance Arch
At the building’s main entrance, a large arch spanning 36 feet emerged as a prominent challenge – not only due to its scale, but also because of the presence of horizontal and vertical steel beams and a decorative steel feature representing the Brookgreen Gardens brand, both incorporated into the design. A glazed curtain wall also featured at the entrance, requiring careful consideration within the technical detailing.

Brick Arch Portico
The arches flanking the main entrance, which form the brick arch portico, presented a unique design challenge. The three-brick-deep rowlock bond soffit detail had to accommodate the hit-and-miss brickwork above, while also integrating additional rowlock bond soffit detailing at the level above – requiring a high degree of precision and close design coordination.

90-Degree Corner Arches
At each corner of the brick arch portico, two deep soffit arches were required to intersect at a 90-degree angle, creating a significant design and installation challenge. Extensive technical development and coordination were needed to ensure the solution achieved both the required structural performance and the desired architectural appearance.

Working in close collaboration with Dargan Construction Company, IG Masonry Support ensured every component was delivered and installed with precision, bringing the facade’s striking design details to life.

Large Main Entrance Arch
For the large arch spanning the front entrance, IG Masonry Support prioritized the simplest possible delivery and installation approach from the outset. Thirty-six individual B.O.S.S. (Brick on Soffit System) units were designed and manufactured to follow the precise curvature of the arch, achieving a clean, precise finish to the brickwork detail. The units required careful design consideration, as they needed to fix to the structure at both the front and rear of the glazed curtain wall – allowing the soffit detailing to remain visible from inside the building and fulfilling the full architectural ambition. The B.O.S.S. units were modified to account for the location of gussets, and penetration of the structure – a critical detail that would have been nearly impossible to achieve to a high standard through traditional laid brickwork. Splitting the arch into individual units also facilitated safe transportation and delivery, as an arch of this scale could not have been transported in one piece.

Brick Arch Portico
The three-brick-deep soffit arch details that form the portico utilized IG Masonry Support’s Brick Slip Arches with double-face brickwork on the front and back. Early coordination of the hit-and-miss brickwork to be installed above the arches – and the further soffit detailing above that – was essential. IG Masonry Support prefabricated the arches by cutting and bonding brick slips to the underside, while leaving a steel top plate to support the brickwork above, providing a solid bed for the traditional bricks and ensuring structural integrity. The arches were restrained back to the structure.

The rowlock bond pattern above the hit-and-miss brickwork was then achieved using IG’s Welded Masonry Support systems, with prefabricated B.O.S.S. units bolted directly to the systems to deliver the required soffit detail.

90-Degree Corner Arches
The experience and expertise of IG Masonry Support’s technical team was essential to ensuring the 90-degree corner arches unique formation complemented the surrounding brickwork. Traditional laid brickwork provided a suitable structural base for the deep-soffit arches, and IG’s Brick Slip Arches were designed to meet precisely at the required angle. Structural checks were carried out by IG Masonry Support’s structural engineering team to confirm integrity throughout.

Close collaboration between IG Masonry Support and Dargan Construction Company’s on-site team was essential throughout the construction of The Purdy Center at Brookgreen Gardens. Consistent communication, access to the latest construction drawings, and dedicated installation support all contributed to delivering the striking façade that defines this landmark project.

The use of prefabricated solutions proved instrumental in achieving the complex brickwork detailing efficiently and to the highest standard. Compared to traditional installation methods, the prefabricated approach delivered construction speeds approximately 90% faster – a significant advantage on a project of this complexity and architectural ambition.

All imagery supplied by Southern Belle Real Estate Photography and Matt Silk Photography.