David Randall Hertz
David Randall Hertz (born October 6, 1960) is an American architect, inventor and educator. He is known for his work in sustainable architecture and as an early innovator in the development of recycled building materials.
Also recorded as David Hertz
David Randall Hertz

Mrklii · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- David Randall Hertz
- Born
- 6 October 1960
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California
- Education
- Southern California Institute of Architecture
- Spouse
- Laura Doss-Hertz
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- architect
- Known for
- 747 Wing House
- Languages
- English
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q5238900 · wikipedia · David Randall Hertz
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The documentary record
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Institutions cited
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — David Randall Hertz • Born — 6 October 1960 • Birthplace — Los Angeles, California • Practice — Studio of Environmental Architecture • Significant Buildings — 747 Wing House • Education — Southern California Institute of Architecture • Spouse — Laura Doss-Hertz • Website — https: davidhertzfaia.com/
Documentary record
David Randall Hertz appears in the authority records of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek as an architect (born 1960).
Biography
Biography
David Randall Hertz was born on October 6, 1960, in Daly City, California, to parents Joanne and Robert Hertz. The family moved to Los Angeles when Hertz was 6 months old and he grew up in Venice and Malibu. Hertz got his start in architecture at a young age. In high school he was introduced to the building's designer, famed Los Angeles architect John Lautner. Hertz apprenticed under Lautner for four years. After receiving a degree from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in 1980, Hertz went on to work in the office of Frank Gehry before founding his firm, Syndesis, in 1983. That year, Hertz developed Syndecrete, a form of concrete that incorporates post-consumer and industrial waste, such as polypropylene carpet fibers and fly ash. It is lighter than traditional concrete and may have other waste products such as wood, crushed glass, or plastic chips added for decoration. In 1995 MoMA included Syndecrete in the "Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design" exhibit. In 2004, Hertz became certified in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). In 2007 he founded Studio of Environmental Architecture SEA, based in Venice Beach, California. SEA focuses on environmentally sustainable buildings, including high-efficiency lighting and water systems, solar panels, and solar water heating. In 2008 the prestigious American Institute of Architects recognized Hertz as FAIA fellow. The fellowship is the highest membership honor for architects for their exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society. Hertz was the youngest member selected in AIA's 152-year history. Hertz is involved in constructing environmentally beneficial residences and commercial buildings, primarily in and around Venice, California. His architectural and material work has been exhibited internationally. Hertz's recent speaking engagements include a presentation at TEDx in 2013 and 2015 promoting sustainability and green building. In 2014, American Institute of Architects (AIA) featured residences designed and built by Hertz in the Los Angeles Monograph Tour. In 2015, KCRW featured Hertz in their Art Talk episode "Daring and Inspirational Architecture Around the World". In 2016, he spoke at the Greenbuild Expo in Los Angeles on historical and cutting-edge technology of extracting drinking water from the air. In 2015 ORO Editions published a monograph titled The Restorative Home: Ecological Houses by David Hertz, which focuses on residential homes Hertz designed throughout his career. In 2016 a team led by Hertz won the Grand Prize of the Water Abundance XPRIZE. The competition's goal was to make more than 2,000 liters of water in 24 hours using 100% renewable energy at the cost of less than 2 cents/ liter. In April 2017, Hertz sold his home residence known as "Californication House" for US$14.6 million and purchased Tony Duquette's former property in Malibu. Hertz and his wife Laura Doss-Hertz have partnered with the GO Campaign to fund sustainable water projects worldwide. Hertz is a board member of Heal the Bay, an environmental advocacy group based in Santa Monica, California. Hertz was featured on Apple TV+'s Home (2020 TV series) Episode 8. Home guides the audience inside the world's most extraordinary homes and unveils the boundary-pushing imagination of the visionaries who dared to dream and build them. In 2022, Hertz launched Resilience Fund for Advancing Climate Technologies. Hertz is the winner of 2022 Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum National Design Award for Climate Action. Hertz is a Class 1 Wildland Firefighter and a member of Los Angeles County Fire Brigade.
Documentary record
David Randall Hertz was born in 1960.
Notable projects
Notable projects
Hertz's home residence in Venice was built in two phases and completed in 2003. It consists of four structures connected by enclosed bridges, inspired by Balinese architecture. Hertz designed the building as a testbed for many environmentally conscious building ideas. The house has rooftop solar heating panels for water, radiant heating, sustainable woods used throughout, and extensive use of his custom concrete, Syndecrete. Additionally, Hertz designed the large Syndecrete walls to work as a solar sink, absorbing the sun's heat during the day and slowly releasing it at night. The house has been featured in multiple commercials and TV shows, most prominently in the Californication (TV series). In 2010 Hertz completed the renovation of an existing 45,000 square foot concrete warehouse for Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California. The museum holds a personal car collection of philanthropist Peter W. Mullin. Hertz added daylight and natural ventilation monitors, a solar photovoltaic roof, a green roof with a new elevator penthouse, and wind turbines to make the building more sustainable. Other additions included new and vintage Art Deco elements to keep in tune with the collection of 1920s and 1930s automobiles. 2021 the Mullin Automotive Museum was selected as the Museum of the Year by Octane magazine at the Historic Motoring Awards. In 2013, Hertz completed his most ambitious and widely recognized project, the 747 Wing House in the Santa Monica Mountains. The house is built from a mothballed Boeing 747-100 airplane. The project was highly complex and required permits from 17 different government agencies and required CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter to transport plane sections to the remote building site. Using large sections of prefabricated material, Hertz reduced the greenhouse emissions that bringing raw materials and removing waste material would have caused. The 747 Wing House has been featured in multiple magazine articles since its building process, and many fashion and editorial shoots have taken place there. The Netflix show The World's Most Extraordinary Homes featured the 747 Wing House on its pilot episode. The 747 Wing House was named as one of the world's most beautiful buildings. • Illustration — 747 Wing House Another example of Hertz's creative use of unusual building materials is the "Panel House", in Venice Beach, California. The building's skin is made of prefabricated refrigeration panels, with a 6-inch thick foam core skinned with thin aluminum. Each panel is 30 inches wide x 30 feet tall and light enough for two people to install each one. The dull aluminum finish subtly changes with the colors of the sky. The house was constructed like a miniature skyscraper, utilizing a heavy metal frame in a poured-concrete base, making weight-bearing walls unnecessary. Large, automated windows provide ocean views from almost anywhere in the house. In 2009, the Panel House earned the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design's American Architecture Award. In 2018, a team led by Hertz won the Water Abundance XPRIZE competition with WEDEW, by achieving the goal of producing at least 2,000 liters of water in a single day for no more than two cents per liter. In 2020, Time magazine selected WEDEW as one of the 100 Best Inventions of 2020. In 2022, Hertz received the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum National Design Award for Climate Action. In 2021 Hertz completed the Sail House in Bequia, a small island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Sail House is a dappled array of structures, consisting of a primary residence and several guesthouses. The house has multiple sustainable features, including stormwater collection, reclaimed wood, passive ventilation, and photovoltaic panels. The prefabricated house pays homage to local maritime traditions and employs sustainability as its core concept. The Sail House was selected as the 2021 Jury Winner in Architizer A+Award, in Private House (XL >6000 sq ft category. • Illustration — Sail House by David Hertz
Projects
Projects
• Red Rock Canyon House, Red Rock Canyon, NV - 1983 • Venable Studio, Venice, CA - 1989 • Stradella Road House, Bel Air, CA - 1994 • Californication House, Venice, CA - 1995 • Residence on Cold Creek, Malibu, CA - 1995 • Bay Residence, Brentwood, CA - 1997 • Tilt Up Slab House, Venice, CA - 1999 • Floating House, Venice, CA - 2000 • House on Horizon Hill, Yachats, OR - 2001 • Le Brun Residence, Mar Vista, CA - 2003 • Panel House, Venice CA - 2003 • Dreyfus/Hall Residence, Montecito CA - 2004 • Split House, Venice, CA - 2005 • Slat House, Marina Del Rey, CA - 2005 • Mesa Road House, Santa Monica, CA - 2006 • Beverly Grove, Beverly Hills, CA - 2006 • Californication House Phase II, Venice, CA - 2006 • Lee Residence, Pasadena, CA - 2006 • East Canal House, Venice, CA - 2007 • Boone Residence, Venice, CA - 2008 • Strand Residence, Manhattan Beach, CA - 2008 • Adelaide Residence, Santa Monica, CA - 2011 • Yale House, Santa Monica, CA - 2011 • Hermosa House, Hermosa Beach, CA - 2011 • Navy and Pacific House, Venice CA, 2012 • Linda Rosa Residence, La Jolla, CA - 2012 • 747 Wing House, Malibu, CA - 2013 • Butterfly House, Venice, CA - 2013 • Felix Trattoria, Venice, CA - 2016 • Westage Residence, Brentwood, CA - 2019 • Avocado Bungalow, Venice, CA - 2019 • Hollywood Bowl House, Venice, CA 2019 • Sail House, Bequia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2021 • NRDC Natural Resources Defense Council Santa Monica, 2021
2022
2022
• Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum National Design Award for Climate Action • Honor Award, Large Single Family Residential at AIALA Residential Architecture Award • Finalist Architizer A+Award, Best Sustainable Firm
2021
2021
• Jury Winner Architizer A+Award, Private House (XL >6000 sq ft)
2020
2020
• Time magazine's 100 Best Inventions of 2020
2018
2018
• Water Abundance XPRIZE Grand Prize Winner
2015
2015
• Best of the Westside: Best Architecture Firm, awarded by The Argonaut magazine
2014
2014
• AIA Los Angeles Monograph Tour of Venice Beach Residences
2012
2012
• The Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award 2012 for the 747 Wing House • AIA California Council Residential Design Awards 2012 for 747 Wing House • The International Design Awards 2012 Gold for 747 Wing House
2010
2010
• Selected for inclusion in:California Design Biennial. PMCA Pasadena Museum of Contemporary Art Action / Reaction
2008
2008
• Elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects
2007
2007
• SCI ARC distinguished Alumni Award
1996
1996
• Museum of Modern Art in New York: Syndecrete included in Permanent Collection
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1960
David Randall Hertz born at Los Angeles.
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5238900: David Randall Hertz
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “David Randall Hertz”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article David Randall Hertz, revision 1372383928 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Surf Shacks 070 – David Hertz + Laura Doss – Indoek. indoek.com.
- 2.Amelar, Sarah. Finding Wind in Their Sails. The New York Times. September 6, 2013.
- 3.Looking Back, Looking Ahead: SCI-Arc @ 40. April 18, 2013.
- 4."Home Newsfront". Popular Science, October 1990, p 54.
- 5.Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, 1995 (First Edition)
- 6.David Hertz Architect, Inc. | U.S. Green Building Council. www.usgbc.org.
- 7.Santa Monica Green Business Certification.
- 8.Dwell Home Tours.
- 9.GA gallery.
- 10.Athens, Contemporary Space. Contemporary Space Athens: 'The City and the World' Exhibition. June 27, 2013.
- 11.TEDxVeniceBeach | TED.
- 12.Hertz Monograph Tour.
- 13.KCRW 89.9FM | Music, NPR News, Culture Los Angeles.
- 14.Education Tracks.
- 15.Webb, Michael. The Restorative Home: Ecological Houses by David Hertz. ORO Editions. 2015. 9781941806692.
- 16.Grand Prize Winner in $1.75M Water Abundance XPRIZE Announce.
- 17.David Hertz's 'Californication' house in Venice sells for a record $14.6 million. Los Angeles Times. April 25, 2017.
- 18.Bernard, Murrye (June 1, 2020). "Wildfire Resilience Design Strategies for Architects and Homeowners". Architect Magazine.
- 19.Amelar, Sarah. Finding Wind in Their Sails. The New York Times. September 6, 2013.
- 20.GO Water – www.gocampaign.org.
- 21.About. October 12, 2016.
- 22.Apple Orders 'Home' Docuseries from Matt Tyrnauer & Matthew Weaver. Deadline Hollywood. January 5, 2018.
- 23.The Resilience Fund for Advancing Climate Technologies.
- 24.2022 National Design Award Winners. September 7, 2022.
- 25.Resilience Foundation Team.
- 26.Articles about sustainability stages on Dwell.com. Dwell.
- 27.Green, with a high gloss. Los Angeles Times. June 30, 2005.
- 28.Venice Beach Home Featured on Showtime's 'Californication' Sells for Record $14.6M. The Hollywood Reporter. April 24, 2017.
- 29.KCRW 89.9FM | Music, NPR News, Culture Los Angeles.
- 30.New Mullin Automotive Museum Features Many Rare Cars. HuffPost. July 7, 2010.
- 31.Mullin Automotive Museum selected as the Museum of the Year.
- 32.Amelar, Sarah. Come Fly With Me. Architectural Record, 2012, p. 84.
- 33.David Hertz FAIA, Studio of Environmental Architecture, Green Buildings, Sustainable Design, Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California Profile.
- 34.BBC Two - the World's Most Extraordinary Homes, Series 1, Mountain.
- 35.Beautiful Buildings Around the World Part 4–747 Wing House. February 27, 2020.
- 36.David Hertz' Panel House. May 2, 2006.
- 37.Young, Paul. Nice, but Can It Wash Itself?. The New York Times. September 13, 2007.
- 38.Archived copy.
- 39.The Path to a Water Abundance XPRIZE Winner.
- 40.This Carbon-Negative Generator Makes Drinkable Water out of Thin Air. October 22, 2018.
- 41.Skysource WEDEW: The 100 Best Inventions of 2020. Time. November 19, 2020.
- 42.2022 National Design Award Winners. September 7, 2022.
- 43.world, STIR. David Hertz's Sail House reveals nautical-themed architecture in the Caribbean. www.stirworld.com.
- 44.Sail House, Bequia Island Grenadines. July 31, 2021.
- 45.Sail House by David Hertz Architects, Studio of Environmental Architecture. June 7, 2021.
- 46.Felix Trattoria Debuts in LA. July 27, 2017.
- 47.254 S. Westgate Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049 | Colossal Properties, Inc. | Phillip Braunstein. April 7, 2020.
- 48.Avocado – Scanlon Construction, Inc.
- 49.Inside Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer's Driftwood-Like L.A. Abode. September 8, 2020.
- 50.nrdc. WORKPOINT engineering.
- 51.AIALA Residential Architecture Awards 2022.
- 52.Best Sustainable Firm 2022.
- 53.Best of the Westside 2016: Services Winners | the Argonaut Newsweekly.
- 54.Hertz Monograph Tour.
- 55.The American Architecture Awards 2012 | The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of architecture and design.
- 56.Home and Architectural Trends, Volume 29, No 2, April 2013, pg 33 http://issuu.com/trendsideas/docs/us2902
- 57.Announcing the 2012 Residential Award Recipients - AIACC.
- 58.IDA- Winners.
- 59.KCRW 89.9FM | Music, NPR News, Culture Los Angeles.
- 60.AIA Announces the Names of 116 New Fellows.
- 61.Archived copy.
- 62.MoMA.org | Interactives | Exhibitions | 1995 | Mutant Materials | Other Materials. www.moma.org.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q5238900: David Randall HertzWikimedia Foundation
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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