LS3P’s Frank E. Lucas and Thompson E. Penney Inducted into Clemson University’s College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities Hall of Fame

LS3P, a multi-disciplinary firm offering architecture, interiors, and planning services to a wide variety of clients nationwide, congratulated Founder and Chairman Emeritus Frank E. Lucas, FAIA and Chairman and President and CEO Thompson E. Penney, FAIA on their recent induction into Clemson University’s College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities Hall of Fame.

This honor recognizes “alumni, faculty and friends who have made a significant impact upon the educational, research and/or service goals of the college.” The 2019 induction ceremony was held on March 8 at Clemson’s Madren Conference Center.

Lucas, a 1959 graduate of Clemson with a Bachelor of Architecture, founded a small architecture firm in Charleston, SC in 1963 which ultimately grew into LS3P.  Lucas and his partner Sydney Stubbs won the competition to design Charleston’s Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, the firm’s first major commission; the award-winning building opened in 1968. Other notable early work included Charleston’s award-winning Bodlean Apartments and Columbia’s Blue Cross Blue Shield tower. In recognition of his leadership, significant achievements, and substantial community impact, Lucas was elevated to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 1983. Lucas has also been honored with the Clemson University Alumni Distinguished Service Award, the AIA South Carolina Medal of Distinction, and the Order of the Palmetto; he is a former President of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and a recipient of the Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award.

Penney, a graduate of Clemson with a Bachelor of Pre-Architecture with honors in 1972 and a Master of Architecture with honors in 1974, first joined Lucas’ young firm as a high school senior. Penney returned to the firm after his graduation in 1974 and was named President and CEO of LS3P in 1989. Penney was elevated to Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects for Design in 1990 and served as the 79th National President of The American Institute of Architects in 2003. In 2007, Penney was awarded the AIA South Carolina Medal of Distinction, the organization’s highest honor, and he served as Chairman of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce in 2008. In 2009, Penney was honored with the Award for Ethics and Civic Responsibility from The Free Enterprise Foundation; he was named as an Honorary Senior Fellow in the Design Futures Council in 2015.

With deep ties to the Clemson academic community, Lucas and Penney have significantly impacted the built environment across South Carolina and well beyond. LS3P has grown to a staff of over 325 employees in eight offices across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia practicing in more than a dozen diverse market sectors. LS3P is consistently ranked by Engineering News Record and Architectural Record as one of the Top 50 architecture firms in the U.S.