Artists of the month
October
Gibbons and Sollenbergers
Space Phila, 2009,
industrial foam, mirror
John Gibbons and Isobel Sollenberger's unique process of pouring and
casting directly into drywall initiates objects and images that appear
both otherworldly and organic. The artists describe the process as
relating to "an alchemical process inside of us... fueled and mirrored
by the visible transmutation of materials." Dechemia: Vessel Full mines
the mystic and mythical corners of art history pulling from Duchamp's "Etant
Donnes", the Kepler spacecraft, to Nuit the Egyptian sky goddess. From
these references, Gibbons and Sollenberger have managed to create
objects that are as mysterious and universal as the figures, stories,
and texts that inspired their creation.
Artist of the month
March
Stephanie Beck
Orange Circuit (Detail), 2008
Inspired by aerial views of architecture and ideas of archaeological sites, Beck's work reflects her interest in the patterns people create as they settle various areas and what this suggests about their cultures. The layered, cut pieces explore the visual and conceptual connections between maps, architectural drawings and circuit boards. The paper constructions expand ideas of space, place and pattern into sculptural form and represent the physical and societal fragility beneath the seeming solidity of our buildings and cities. These geometric, yet animated, structures become surrogates for ourselves and our attempts at order and stability despite, or because of, our very human frailties.
Artist of the month
January
Dan Schank
Mob Mentality (Detail), 2006
These paintings use a delicate balance of cut paper and gouache to create enticing and intricate landscapes. Bright colors and playful patterns illuminate a sumptuously inviting post-apocalyptic world. Devoid of humans, the tattered, flaccid remainders of personal domestic life populate his landscapes. Clothes are found in piles or hung from trees, ties blow in a strong breeze from the branch of a tree, and simple building foundations stand without purpose. These dire conditions are brought to light with fondness and a boyish wonder.
View more images here.
Artist of the month
December
Bruce Campbell
View more images here.
7th Year Anniversary!
April 1, 2010
Wow, the power of a number! It's taken a long time and we've accomplished may goals. The staff and I have worked very hard within that time and have produced some of the most beautiful projects of our careers. Even though the market is not as ideal as we would like it, this day is a benchmark and testament of our success. Heck... there mere fact that it had taken me over 4 months to contribute to the blog is indication of how busy it has been. Things are moving in a positive direction and that's all I could ask for.
-Chris Luce
Earning a Badge
November 13, 2009
On November 13, 2009, Luce Architects met with the local Boy Scout Troop in efforts of helping them earn their Engineering Badge. Chris Luce and Mike Girard of Luce Architects, seen here on the left, met with the boys at Simmons Elementary School located in Horsham PA, to illustrate and explain how a design concept becomes reality. The troop even learned how to draw a rudimentary floor plan of their house and view it in 3 dimensions.
So what's up!
OCTOBER 22, 2009
I keep getting asked by people, "What have you been doing to keep busy." The answer is simple, "Whatever comes in the door!" From houses in the Bahamas, to private equestrian facilities, a private wine cellar with a 5000 bottle cap., K9 boarding and training facility, miscellaneous residential & commercial project, and anything else to keep ourselves out of trouble. It's a very different market than a short time ago and small business has to stay sharp and nimble to keep pace. It's been tough and exciting at the same time. I believe the firm within the last 18 months has tackled some of the most challenging and engaging projects while developing solutions that have surpassed anything we've done before. Truly something to be proud of.
-Chris Luce
Luce has gone to the dogs!
AUGUST 18, 2009
Seen here with our summer intern Megan, Riley will be joining the staff late September. He’s a polar lab who’s duties involve greeting clients, playing catch in the backyard with staff, and sleeping all day. We look forward to his arrival and having him as part of the team!
-Chris Luce
It's Been a While
July 27, 2009
Sorry, I know it's been a while since our last blog addition but as you can imagine, it's been a little nuts around here. Our new office has taken a full transformation! New electric, water, hvac, windows...okay... we stripped it down to the studs. Certainly not was intended day one but you know what they say about renovations. We're not immune to the economic situations that plague everyone these days but when things slow down here we pick up something else, usually a paint brush. The place has come a long way and we're very proud of our achievements. (see photo of conference room)
I think the most important lesson of this downturn is that it won't last forever. Better days are ahead of us. Stay positive everyone!
-Chris Luce
May 9, 2009
almost there...
The staff at Luce Architects has been hard at work renovating our new office, located at 67 Byberry Road in Hatboro, PA. Chris Luce, our fearless leader, recently purchased a 108-year-old Victorian home in need of major rehabilitation. Our whole staff has been putting in the extra hours over at the new office.
Phil has been spending most of his days at the new office leading the contractor. Chris Schiefer has also been spending a great deal of time over at the new office helping Phil lay tile and paint the walls (low VOC paint, of course.) Chris Luce spends as much time working over at the new office as his busy schedule allows. Most of his weekends are spent working at the new office, making finish selections, landscaping the yard or working on the finishing touches indoors. Sarah has been laying recycled carpet tiles in the offices. We used Flor carpet tiles, made from a minimum of 35 to 57% recycled content and 100% recyclable should we ever change the flooring. Mike has been studying for his BPI and LEED certification, but he has also been working at the new office. We have been using green materials throughout the house, including using reclaimed wood from old doors to create new modern desks.
We will be making more frequent blog updates then, so bear with us through these crazy next few months.
March 8th, 2009
More Rooms and Some Views,
Philadelphia Inquirer
By Paula H. Goff
The nearly empty nesters chose a smaller house, but they got a bigger yard and came with big plans.
It was 2005, the height of the real estate market (remember when?), and the Cape Cod in Blue Bell was being shown for just one day. Lisa and Paul Lonie, who had been looking for a non-tract house with a water feature, had but 20 minutes to make a bid.
Drawn to the 2-acre property by its well-tended landscaping and a large pond with a Monet-style bridge, they took the plunge.
"And I went, 'Oh my God, what are we doing?' " Lisa Lonie recalled.
With two of their three children out of the house, they would be trading their six-bedroom Victorian in East Mount Airy and its postage-stamp yard for a tight three-bedroom built in 1964 using plans purchased from Better Homes and Gardens.
Lonie described it as a "true Cape Cod," with small rooms and many doors. It also had decorative beams and extensive paneling, a legacy of the original owner/builder, who was a woodworker. "With the low ceilings, it felt claustrophobic," she said. "Our one son is 6-foot-9, and he kept bumping his head."
The great outdoors beckoned from the rear of the house, but the view was one-dimensional - the pond at the left side of the yard barely registered.
"We knew from the first walk-through that the house was screaming for a great-room addition with enough windows and doors to take in the views from three sides of the yard, as opposed to just one," Lisa Lonie said.
The challenge, Paul Lonie said, was: "How best can we tie this room into the property?" For one thing, the new owners wanted to work around distinctive trees fairly close to the house, including a crabapple, a catalpa (Johnny Smoker), and a bee-bee. For another, they wanted to capitalize their view of the pond. A third wrinkle was that they were building the addition over the well.
Working with architect Chris Luce of Luce & Associates, Horsham, they found their solutions, and the result is a bright and dramatic room whose soaring, two-story-high ceiling makes the space feel larger than its 400 square feet.
Numerous windows bring the outdoors in. A sliding door leads to a side patio with a path to the prominent 250,000-gallon pond, which a small sign proclaims as "Unc's fishing hole." When it's cold enough, the pond becomes a skating rink, while the koi population hibernates in its 5-foot depths. That other water feature, the well, is accessible through a hidden trap door in the floor of the addition.
Click here to read the rest of the article
March 08, 2009
Bucks County Courier Times
Over the winter, Luce & Associates sent clients a lighthearted, computer-animated e-card.
The holiday card not only sent well-wishes for the season, but also let customers know the architectural firm was moving its offices from Horsham to Hatboro.
But the e-card also served a different - and more important - purpose: Keeping the firm's name in clients' minds, whether or not they needed architectural services.
Experts say such proactive behavior is key to surviving the country's economic downturn.
"You can't stop marketing," said Peter Bonacum, a business coach with ActionCOACH consulting in Doylestown. "With the number of businesses failing today, if you're not marketing, you're not out in front of people who need a new supplier."
Christopher Luce of Luce & Associates said he learned a long time ago that marketing is a "never-ending task."
"You can't stop marketing when times are good," he said. "And you can't just start when there's a downturn."
Luce & Associates has made a name for itself doing architectural design for single-family, custom homes. With housing starts at record lows - and many builders turning to lower-cost, multi-family homes - business has slowed dramatically.
At the same time, the firm's Web site is getting 20,000 hits a month - in part thanks to the holiday e-card, which has been viewed almost 200 times on YouTube. The card was so successful the firm made a second one for Valentine's Day, with Christopher Luce as Forrest Gump.
"It was important for us to find different ways of marketing that were low-cost," said Sarah Eberle, who heads the firm's marketing efforts.
Luce's employees also have become avid bloggers on the firm's Web site, which helps keep customers updated on things like green building - which Luce says has been one of the company's biggest growth areas - and current projects.
"People have made [the Web site part of] their favorites," Luce said. "There's people that keep coming back."
Click here to read the rest of the article
Green Consulting
February 26, 2009
Luce & Associates now offers green
consulting services to assist homeowners reduce their carbon footprint while
saving money. There are a lot of incentives for people to take advantage of
by maximizing the efficiency of their homes. As the government and other
agencies allocate funds to help homeowners achieve a greener lifestyle, the
firm can help the homeowner determine which upgrades would be best for their
home and how they would qualify for available funding. For further
information please contact our office. 215-674-5950 or
Email Us
Looking Forward...
February 24, 2009
As a country, we need to stop waiting for
hope and inspiration and motivate ourselves from within. We need to dig
deep, it’s what got us through in the past. Our grandfathers got through it
and so can we.
-Chris Luce
Random Thoughts...
February 9, 2009
Some day I'll look back and say, "I
survived the worst market in history." Until then pass the aspirin.
-Chris Luce
Affordable Solar Panels?
January 16, 2009
Solar energy has just become accessible
to the average homeowner. I recently heard about a couple in California
that had solar panels installed on their home for only $500. I couldn't
believe it so I did some research on my own. I discovered that some
companies out there are trying to make solar energy accessible to us all by
leasing solar panels with a $500 security deposit. This cuts out the huge
upfront costs of purchasing and installing solar panels and allows you to
pay a monthly lease rate instead. The couple in CA pay about $100 a month
to lease their solar panels, but are actually getting money back from their
electric company because of all the electricity they are sending back into
the grid. And believe it or not this service is available in our area too! Of course there is a long waiting list, but they are anticipating that by
2025 25% of residents in the United States will have some form of solar
panels and I plan on being a part of it.
- Sarah Will
Going Green at Age 150
January 6, 2009
Work continues on our new office and all efforts have been made to ensure its low impact on the environment. Although it's not impossible to "green" a 109 year old Victorian home, everything must be carefully planned and executed to guarantee its success.
Sometimes with existing buildings, you just have to make the most of what you have. All existing systems such as mechanical, plumbing, and electrical have been evaluated to improve the building's energy efficiency. To ensure these changes are not in vein, the original windows and insulation will also be replaced.
To "green" this building has not been a real budget breaker. If nothing else, it has forced us to be very creative and kept us on our budgetary target. If it were not for the historic details and overall charm of the building, I think I might have thought differently about this property. However, given the location and proximity to public transportation, primarily the train, which is three doors down, it, would be feasibly impossible to build a new building like it. The original hand carved doors, moldings, hardware, and slate roof are all indicative of the period from which it was created. I can't think of a better way to reuse an existing property, make it "greener", and maintain the historical fabric of the community.
Potential Insulation Problems
December 8, 2008
In a renovation of a 150-year-old home, black mold was found on the insulation between the conditioned area and the crawl space below. Insulation is required at this location; however, the correct installation of the insulation has the vapor barrier (Kraft paper) on the conditioned side of the cavity. As you can see in the photograph, condensation develops soon after installation and later develops into a serious problem.
Energy Efficient Building
November 25, 2008
The prospect of going "green" can be seen as an unnecessary expense to a struggling builder in a very difficult market. However, the misinformation circulating about the high cost of going "green" is truly unfounded.
A "green" designation can increase a building’s market value, in turn benefiting the building’s owner or occupants. In a 2006 survey, 86% of Americans said a home’s energy efficiency was a major factor when deciding on a new home purchase. www.energypulse.org
The government has and will continue to push for more energy efficient buildings and technologies. I found a tremendous amount of information and resources to help our clients understand the increased value of energy efficient buildings. The greatest wealth of information can be obtained through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/downloads/consumer_brochure.pdf
To Build Small is to Build Green
November 21, 2008
Our self imposed program was to design a home that used very little material and had a minimalist impact on the site. This unique house sits just off a lake and the unusual design utilizes both indoors and outdoors to create additional living space. The main living area indoors incorporates a master bedroom, living room and kitchen. The home is raised on stilts, allowing the homeowners to live among the trees in a completely natural environment. This also creates a ground level outdoor entertaining area and boat slip within the shelter of the home.
