PHOTO BY DAVID GUITTEREZ/COURTESY OF DAVID HERTZ Winging It Architect David Hertz designed a home in Malibu from a decommissioned 747-200 airplane. BY ROBYN FLANS I t was the design request commissioned in 2006 on a Malibu property that brought the novel idea to the structure. Architect David Hertz of The Studio of Environmental Architecture was hired by Francie Rewald with the direction of a curvilinear roof structure. The idea for actual wings in the house happened when Hertz was moved by the views of the ridge from the property grounds. The land once belonged to artist and Hollywood set designer Tony Duquette (where he housed 21 structures made of recyclable objects that would be eventually destroyed in the 1993 Green Meadow Fire). I couldn t imagine a conventional building of walls and a few windows, Hertz said about creating the current design. It seemed like [it should] have an unobstructed view of the mountain range, and I envisioned a floating roof that would have very few supports and walls. He said his next thought was, Why create something wing-like when I could use real wings? The unofficially titled Wing House, which is about 5,000 square feet, is made from left and right wings and two horizontal tail stabilizers from a decommissioned Boeing 747-200 airplane. This, of course, involved much red tape as there was bound to be a lot of uncharted territory. It took 18 months alone to get approval from 17 government agencies. Homeland Security had its own questions, as this was post 9/11. We also had to deal with the FAA, Hertz explained, so it s on the charts and not confused with a crash site since it s on the flight path from LAX to San Francisco. In addition, the architects had to clear code violations and build various infrastructures on the property such as septic systems and roads. When it was finally time to transport the airplane wings, they had to obtain approval for the closure of five freeways and fly them from the 46 MALIBU TIMES MAGAZINE #MALIBUTIMESMAG
The unofficially titled Wing House, which is about 5,000 square feet, is made from left and right wings and two horizontal tail stabilizers from a decommissioned Boeing 747-200 airplane. We also had to deal with the FAA so it s on the charts and not confused with a crash site since it s on the flight path from LAX to San Francisco. PHOTO BY LAURA DOSS/COURTESY OF DAVID HERTZ SPRING 2018 47
PHOTO BY LAURA DOSS/COURTESY OF DAVID HERTZ The three-level home has floor-to-ceiling glass. The floors are concrete and the ceiling is aluminum. The master bedroom sits under the horizontal tail stabilizers. Other pieces of the decommissioned plane are incorporated throughout the house. Outside, there is a fire pit constructed of the airplane engine cowling (the front of the engine). The takeaway is how do you create something that is beautiful and PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID HERTZ Camarillo Airport via a large helicopter. Hertz asserted the Wing House is a prime example of how it is possible to be creative by mining existing materials instead of extracting raw materials. He said by using fewer large pieces of material, ultimately they saved over an acre s worth of carbon dioxide emission. The takeaway is how do you create something that is beautiful and functional, but also really innovative in its use of radical reuse of existing resources? the architect said. The three-level home has floor-to-ceiling glass and features an open great room on the main level, combining the dining room, living room and kitchen. Near the kitchen sink, there is a piece of the 747-200 s fuselage with three small windows looking into the office. On the mezzanine-like level is the master bedroom, which sits under the horizontal tail stabilizers. The floors are concrete and the ceiling is aluminum. Down below is a guest functional, but also really innovative in its use of radical reuse of existing resources? area. A spiral staircase between the levels is reminiscent of a first class airplane cabin, Hertz said. Outside, there is a fire pit constructed of the airplane engine cowling (the front of the engine). Near this piece is one of the original Duquette pagodas, which survived the 93 fire. That s all made out of recycled materials WWII landing matting called Marsden Matting and big wire spools and then kind of Thai elements that are from Hollywood sets, Hertz said of the pagoda. Since November, Hertz has been living with his wife, Laura Doss, on a 42-acre piece of adjacent property, which Duquette also owned, containing storied Malibu Rindge family history. Hertz, who grew up in Malibu and lived on Malibu Road in the 60s, Carbon Beach in the 70s and Paradise Cove along 48 MALIBU TIMES MAGAZINE #MALIBUTIMESMAG
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID HERTZ PHOTO BY LAURA DOSS/COURTESY OF DAVID HERTZ S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 49
Hert z own property, Xanabu, sits adjacent to the Wing House on 42 acres. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEVON MEYERS Hertz lives on a 42-acre property adjacent to the Wing House with wife, Laura Doss. The couple will host a luncheon and showing at their ranch, Xanabu, on April 28 during the 4th Annual Venice Design Series. The Wing House is also available for tour. LOVING MALIBU Favorite spot? Deer Creek and the Boney Ridge are my newest favorite spots in Malibu because of the vistas and open space. Paradise Cove is still one of our favorite places for the community, beaches and surfing. Favorite memory? Without a doubt getting married on a beautiful warm August night, to my lovely wife, Laura, at the Adamson House. Some of my earliest and favorite memories were growing up in the 1960s, on the beach at Malibu Road and then Carbon Beach when all the houses were small. I also have very fond memories of going to our old family ranch, Paramount Ranch, and seeing the western town my father and grandfather built. Of course, sleeping on the beach at First Point during a big south swell will always be a fond memory. the way as well, has his own rich Malibu history. My grandfather came to Malibu in the late 40s and he bought 2,700 acres next to Ronald Reagan s ranch, Hertz said. In the 50s, my father and grandfather built a western town that is now Paramount Ranch. This has given Hertz a sense of parallels in the land of movie sets. The ranch I bought, called Xanabu, was built by Tony Duquette who built sets for movies, he said, and Lyle Wheeler, an award-winning art director who was Oscarnominated 27 times and won five Academy Awards for films, including Gone with the Wind and The King and I, built the lodge in the early 40s. And whether it is urban legend or truth, Hertz has also been told the hunting lodge on his property was commissioned by Henry Chamberlain when he won the land after Mary Rindge lost it to him during a card game. Today, living so close to the Wing House, Hertz noted he has been able to enjoy a new perspective on his architectural masterpiece. It s very rewarding, he said, to be able to stand back and look at your own work. An opportunity to visit this iconic Wing House and Xanabu on April 28 is presented by the 4th Annual Venice Design Series. Hertz said the tour of the house will include a luncheon at Xanabu via a newly opened road to Hertz s adjacent ranch. It s a Tony Duquette village, if you will, he said, of all these amazing structures. n 50 MALIBU TIMES MAGAZINE #MALIBUTIMESMAG
This property, Xanabu, also once owned by Tony Duquette, has rich history. The hunting lodge (pictured lower right) on the land is said to be built by Academy Award-winning art director Lyle Wheeler, and commissioned by Henry Chamberlain who won the land after Mary Rindge lost it to him during a card game. My grandfather came to Malibu in the late 40s and he bought 2,700 acres next to Ronald Reagan s ranch. In the 50s, my father and grandfather built a western town that is now Paramount Ranch. S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 51