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Creative design studio tells story behind the spaces
Creative director Kevin Snow, of Luci Creative, talks with Nancy Abbott (left), a graphic designer of the DuPage Children's Museum, during a client brainstorming meeting on Sept. 6 at the Luci offices in Lincolnwood. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media
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NAME: Luci Creative
SPECIALTY: Creative space design
ADDRESS: 6900 N. Central Park Ave.
INFORMATION: lucicreative.com; (224) 233-0730
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Updated: October 14, 2012 12:29PM
LINCOLNWOOD — Walking through the Baha’i Temple Visitors Center in Wilmette, exploring a century-old wood silo on Wagner Farm in Glenview, and eating at the DuPage Children’s Museum’s S.M.A.R.T. Cafe all offer experiences unique to each venue.
Yet all were designed with the same intent: to tell a story in the spaces where people meet and interact.
Lincolnwood-based Luci Creative, 6900 N. Central Park Ave., is the mastermind behind these places and more.
A spin-off of set-construction company Ravenswood Studio, the full-service creative and design firm develops experiential environments in hospitality, retail, cultural and corporate settings.
Ravenswood owner Michael Shapiro decided to split the studio’s design and fabrication work a year ago.
The studio’s design department, led by longtime Ravenswood Creative Director Kevin Snow, officially became its own entity the past summer.
“It was just time for us to make this part of our business bigger,” Shapiro said, noting that Luci is short for “lucire,” which means “to ignite or illuminate.”
Senior Project Designer AJ Goehle said the advantage to working steps away from a 50,000-square-foot fabrication facility is witnessing designs come to life.
“A lot of designers don’t have that luxury,” said Goehle, who formerly served as the in-house exhibit designer for the Museum of Science and Industry.
She added: “To touch it, see it and be part of that process is beneficial for clients.”
But before pen is put to paper and a space is built and experienced, that concept must be defined.
“We can take those pieces of passions and interests and say what is the important message,” Goehle said.
Luci’s small team of designers, creative strategists and draftsmen work on five to six projects at a time.
Some are more involved than others, such as revamping the visitor center and lobby of the Marquette Building, a local and national landmark that is home to the MacArthur Foundation.
Luci began a months-long design process the past March, and expects the building to unveil its new look in April 2013.
The Baha’i Temple center, on the other hand, took less research and, thus, half the amount of time to create.
Whether the end product is a cozier wine bar or an interactive exhibit that teaches green technology, Luci aims to make the physical spaces where we work, play and learn matter.
“It’s a fun way to tell stories,” Goehle said.
Luci Creative will host a launch party from 7-11 p.m. Sept. 14 at its studio, 6900 N. Central Park Ave. RSVP online at lucicreative.com.
