Painting and Drawing

I have been exploring painting and drawing in between architectural commissions. Some of my pieces are on my website.

Meals on Wheels

Wednesday my daughters Girls Scout Troop and I helped the Christian Tabernacle Church’s Meals on Wheels 2009 volunteer campaign pack meals for seniors.
We helped pack Thanks Giving meals for 5500 people.

Help support Detroit Meals on Wheels.

I NEED YOUR HELP!

October 28, 2009 I'm going behind bars for "GOOD"

PLEASE HELP BAIL ME OUT!

Your donation is my key to freedom! Be proud of the fact that together we're providing help and hope to kids and adults served by MDA in our community.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education

What Your Dollars Will Buy
Contribution Service(s)
$85 One minute of research
$100 One support group session
$150 One physical, occupational or respiratory therapy consultation
$200 Professional fees related to initial diagnostic work-up at an MDA clinic
$500 Assists one person for one year with the repair of a wheelchair or leg braces
$800 Sends one child to MDA summer camp
$2,000 Assists one person with the purchase of a wheelchair, leg braces or communication device

Please donate here

Michigan Building Permits

Every community in Michigan has some requirements for the construction or renovation of buildings. One of the first steps to take when planning any construction project (after selecting your architect) is to check with the local building department.
I have begun to compile a list of links to Building and Safety Department websites in Michigan. The contact numbers are on most of the websites. Some communities also have a building permit application available for download.
Feel free to bookmark the site for future reference.

Residential Architect Magazine

I was quoted in the Residential Architect Magazine article paid in full - with their clients caught in the credit vise, architects learn the fine art of bill collection.

Source: residential architect Magazine
Publication date: July 1, 2009

By cheryl weber, leed ap

Full article here

What are Architectural Services?

The process we follow for the Design and Construction of projects involve several steps. Typically, projects go through the following six steps or phases. However, on some simple projects, several of these steps may be combined; on other more complex types there may be additional steps.

Step 1: Deciding What to Build
This first stage, called programming, is probably the most valuable time you will spend with us, your architect. It is at this time we discuss the requirements for your building: how many rooms, what function the structure will have, who will use it and how. It is also the time when you begin to test the fit between what you want, what you need, and what you can afford to spend.
Step 2: Rough Sketches
Once we have defined what is to be built, we will then do a series of rough sketches, known as schematic designs. These sketches will show you the general arrangement of rooms and of the site. If you have difficulty understanding the sketches (many people do), ask and we can explain the ideas. Depending on the project and budget, we can also make models of the design to help better visualize it.
Step 3: Refining the Design
This step, called design development, is when we prepare more detailed drawings to illustrate other aspects of the proposed design. The floor plans will show all the rooms in the correct size and shape. Outline specifications will be prepared listing the major materials and room finishes.
Step 4: Preparing Construction Documents
At this point, we prepare construction documents, the detailed drawings and specifications which the contractor will use to establish actual construction cost and to build the project.
Step 5: Hiring the Contractor
There are a number of ways to select a contractor. We can make recommendations, or if you already have someone you want to work with, you might send the construction documents to him or her and negotiate fees and costs. Or you may wish to choose among several contractors you've asked to submit bids on the job. We will discuss the pros and cons of these methods with you to help you decide what will work best for you.
Step 6: Construction
This final step is often the most anxiety-producing part of the whole process. Up until now, your project has been confined to intense discussion, planning, and two-dimensional renderings. When construction begins, your project moves from an abstraction to a physical reality.
Ready to start?
If you are ready to start I would like the opportunity to discuss various issues relating to your current or future design needs. Please contact Crutcher Studio, Inc for a project consultation.

Our full description of services.

(Adapted from the AIA publication "A Beginners Guide to Architectural Services")

Farmington Schools Facilities Study Committee

Kenneth Crutcher has been selected to participate on the Farmington Schools Facilities Study Committee.
The committee's responsibilities are to:
-Develop a plan and time line for maximizing the use of the District’s facilities with an emphasis on maintaining high quality instructional programs and financial efficiency.
-Establish specific criteria to develop a recommendation for consideration by the Board of Education.
-Determine whether preschool classes should be in centers and/or elementary schools.

The Committee will present the recommendation and rationale to the Board of Education on January 26, 2010.

Open House for The Arts League Of Michigan Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center

July 21, 2009

Crutcher Studio, Inc. assisted The Harris Design Group with the interior design for the new home for The Arts League of Michigan Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center. The Arts League of Michigan is a center that develops, promotes, presents and preserves the African and African American cultural arts traditions within our multicultural community.

The development of the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center is the next step in the evolution of the organization and moves to establish it and The Arts League of Michigan as major participants in the cultural life of our community and the nation. Named in honor of Virgil H. Carr, past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arts League of Michigan, this facility will be recognized as the premier center for African and African American cultural arts programs and activities in the nation.

The Carr Center is located in The Harmonie Club, located at 311 E. Grand River. Constructed in 1895, the building and its subsequent club, known as the Harmonie Club was originated by the Harmonie Society, a musical society of German immigrants. Designed in classical Beaux Arts style, the building is four stories embellished by appealing stone work, and carefully designed curving windows, all reminiscent of the best in urban architecture of the late Victorian age.

Pewabic Pottery

I have been invited to join the Pewabic Society, Inc. Board of Trustees.
The Pewabic Society, Inc. founded in 1981, is a private, 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Pottery as a ceramic arts learning center, museum/archive and gallery, as well as its cultural and community outreach programs.

The Society ensures that Pewabic continues to serve the nation as a unique common ground where artists and the public share interests and ideas about ceramic arts.

Consider becoming a member

My Daughters

My youngest daughter had her first communion This Sunday. I have to share this their first performance as a string duet. Candice on the Bass and Caitlin on Violin.

Masonry Deck for a Residence

I have just completed the design for a deck using brick and concrete. The owner wanted the low maintenance and durability of masonry and concrete. The structure of the deck will be structural steel and enclosed with brick. The floor of the deck will be stamped and stained concrete on a metal deck. A gazebo on the deck will have a metal roof.

Build-Up Detroit/Detroit Sustainability Center

Kenneth Crutcher has been invited to co-chair of the Build-Up Detroit/Detroit Sustainability Center Committee for the Southeast Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. The Detroit Sustainability Center (DSC) is an element of the Build Up Detroit (BUD) Program developed by Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice (DWEJ). The vision of this program is to establish the groundwork for a green social and economic development paradigm for Detroit that will provide safe and healthy housing, good paying jobs and the restoration of the environment through best practices in the use of land.
Through the development of the DSC, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice has high hopes for raising the profile of sustainable technologies and launching an institution for the city that prepares local citizens for employment in emerging job fields.

Hip Hop Meets Architecture

Kenneth Crutcher is mentioned in the article "Hip Hop Meets Architecture in the Work of U-M Detroit Design Center Prof" By: Dennis Archambault. The article is about the recent book by Dr. Craig Wilkins, "The Aesthetics of Equity," published last year by the University of Minnesota Press.

Interior Renovation: Reconfigure a master bathroom

Renovation of a Master Bathroom and closet.
The challenge was to provide a steam shower and increase the usable closet space.
The proposed renovation takes advantage of the existing plumbing locations to create a more open plan for the bathroom and provides an increase in closet space.