Architecture as Art

Blurring the line between art and architecture is how Jennifer Luce describes the work of her firm, Luce et Studio. Clean lines, sculptural forms and color schemes bordering on the monochromatic, typify projects and are reminiscent of the artist Isamu Noguchi’s organic sensitivity.

Jennifer began her firm over ten years ago after receiving degrees from both Carleton University (BArch with distinction 1984) and Harvard University ( MDesS 1994 ). Having worked for Arquitectonica in both New York and Miami, she moved to California where she felt there was a sense of freedom of practice and where she could begin to realize her passion, that of building.

From the start, Jennifer began practicing her own style of architecture, pursuing the highest level of design possible. One of her first published projects, the Felkner residence, was a part of the Cable Lofts building in San Diego’s lively Hillcrest neighborhood. A striking example of how architectural details can emulate sculpture is the floating stair. Viewing it head on it appears a long, elegant concrete and wood vertebrae reaching down to the floor. Jennifer says their work is best understood in person. “Our work is so textural, it’s difficult to photograph, you need to feel it. The President of Nissan called us because he appreciated one of our projects through experiencing its layering of material and scale.”

Recently Luce et Studio has finished the new Extraordinary Desserts in Little Italy and they did get the commission from Nissan –Nissan Design Headquarters is now completed in La Jolla. In addition, Nissan commissioned them to design an entirely new facility in Detroit.

Extraordinary Desserts, a sophisticated restaurant / bakery and retail space began the way all projects at Luce et studio begin – by round table conceptualizing. Jennifer says the first thing the office does when beginning to think about a new design is to gather the whole team together and have everyone participate in a charette. From there they take ideas, collaborate and collage thoughts and come up with an initial sketch from which to reference. With Extraordinary Desserts the charette began with a brainstorming session, the topic "What excites us about Dessert?" Expanded, they began to analyze and think about this question scientifically. “Baking is very scientific, the image that struck us was of flour.” The organic metal ironwork that is part of the architectural assemblage is an abstraction of the idea of passing through a thin layer of cake.

mmmmm

With the Nissan Design Headquarters, Luce et Studio’s signature style is again apparent. An addition to the original building that feels somewhat Japanese modern in style, the new structure works well with the existing landscape and architecture and echoes the sleek lines of the contemporary automobile while retaining the warmth via large expanses of glass that look out onto an open courtyard. It has a sense of quiet peacefulness, uncluttered and calm.

Looking to the future, Jennifer explains that her office once again sat down as a collective to discuss what the next goals for Luce et Studio would be. After reflecting on their past projects and what they felt were highlights, they realized that what excited them, intrigued them most, was designing ‘for designers.’ Essentially something they have already been doing in much of their present work. And with that a marketing strategy came into play as they drew up a short list of dream clients. She says they explored fantasies and then pursued them. “It surprises me, sometimes you start making phone calls and people want to talk to you.”

In the end, ideally, Jennifer says the office would stay the same size (eleven) and they would collaborate with executive firms thus allowing the office to concentrate on design, a business model that Jennifer’s hero Billie Tsien uses. “Designing for people in creative fields offers a rich starting point, what they do, translates into a great project and is extremely rewarding.”

For more information on Jennifer and her studio, please visit www.lucestudio.com