What David Hertz Architects does

David Hertz Architects, operating as the Studio of Environmental Architecture (SEA), is a privately held, founder-owned architecture firm founded by David Hertz in 1983 (some sources cite 1984) and headquartered in Venice, California, with operating presence in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, and Los Angeles. The firm provides full-service green architecture and design for residential and commercial projects, with a specialization in regenerative design, fire-resilient construction, and post-disaster rebuilding. Its core services include custom residential architecture (single-family homes, multi-family, ADUs), commercial projects spanning hospitality, retail, office, museum, and institutional buildings, and a standalone sustainability consulting practice. The firm has completed 50+ residential and 15+ commercial projects over more than 40 years, including celebrated works such as the 747 Wing House, Sail House in Bequia, Hollywood Bowl House, and the Mullin Automotive Museum.

The firm's proprietary technology portfolio includes Syndecrete, a lightweight recycled concrete material invented by David Hertz in the 1980s and held in MoMA's permanent collection, and WEDEW, an atmospheric water generation technology that won the $1.5M Water Abundance XPRIZE in 2018. The firm operates an in-house Resilience Lab think-tank focused on wildland-urban interface planning and has built significant fire-rebuild expertise after the Green Meadows, Thomas, Woolsey, Franklin, and Palisades fires. The firm's go-to-market is entirely direct and reputation-driven, relying on founder-led engagement, media coverage in publications such as Architectural Digest, Wallpaper*, and Forbes, industry awards (including a 2022 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Climate Action and Architizer Top 25 in LA), referrals, and deep community ties through the Community Brigade nonprofit and Deer Creek Firewise Community. Revenue is generated through project-based architectural fees and standalone sustainability consulting, with multi-year contracts typical for custom residential work.

Name

David Hertz Architects

Legal name

David Hertz Architects

Website

https://davidhertzfaia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

David Hertz Architects (Studio of Environmental Architecture) is a Venice, California-based boutique architecture firm founded in 1983 that designs sustainable, regenerative, and fire-resilient residential and commercial buildings, serving high-net-worth clients, boutique hospitality developers, and environmental nonprofits with a 5-person team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Interior Design Services (541410), Residential Remodelers (236118)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

Keywords

• Sustainable architecture services
• Green building design
• Fire resilient design
• Custom residential architecture
• Sustainability consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Venice

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural design for residential and commercial projects. Revenue generated through project-based fees for design, planning, and construction administration services. Projects span custom homes, boutique hotels, restaurants, and institutional buildings.
2. Sustainability Consulting: Standalone consulting services for clients seeking green building certification, resilience planning, and environmental design guidance. Services include life-cycle analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and green building specifications.
3. Product and Furniture Design: Design and creation of furniture and products derived from architectural commissions and sold as standalone pieces. Includes Syndecrete forms, reclaimed wood pieces, and metal furniture.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

David Hertz Architects is a full-service green architecture and design firm that delivers sustainable, regenerative, and fire-resilient design services for custom residential and commercial projects. The firm supplements architectural practice with standalone sustainability consulting, proprietary material innovation (Syndecrete recycled concrete), custom furniture and sculpture fabrication, and fire recovery and resilience planning through an in-house Resilience Lab.

Product overview

David Hertz Architects, operating as Studio of Environmental Architecture (SEA), is a full-service green architecture and design firm with over 40 years of experience. The firm's core offering is architecture and design services for residential and commercial projects, complemented by specialized services including sustainability consulting, fire resilience planning, and materials innovation. The portfolio includes Syndecrete (a proprietary recycled concrete material), WEDEW (atmospheric water generation technology), custom furniture and sculpture, and an in-house Resilience Lab think-tank. Projects span custom homes, commercial buildings, hospitality, and special installations, all united by principles of regenerative design, sustainability, and environmental stewardship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Resilience Lab: An in-house think-tank embedded within S.E.A. that offers planning and design services for the wildland-urban interface, researching and developing technology and best practices for the built environment of the future.
• Syndecrete

Products and services

• Architecture and Design Services Full-service architecture and design for custom residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional projects with a focus on sustainable, regenerative, and fire-resilient design principles; clients include high-net-worth homeowners, boutique hotel developers, restaurant operators, museums, and nonprofits.
• Sustainability Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully rebuilt homes after multiple major wildfires including Green Meadows Fire (1993), Thomas Fire, Woolsey Fire, Franklin Fire, and Palisades Fire
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Millán Architect / StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 1639 Abbot Kinney Blvd project - historic preservation and major mixed-use remodel consisting of three-story street-facing building with commercial space on ground floor and apartments on top floors.
• Community BrigadecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer nonprofit organization co-founded by David Hertz that works with Los Angeles County Fire Department to support wildfire preparedness and community resilience. David Hertz serves as Captain of the County Line Community Brigade.
• Resilience FoundationcoreOthers501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by David Hertz focused on community resilience and climate adaptation initiatives.
• SkysourcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization co-founded by David Hertz and his wife Laura to democratize water access. Developed WEDEW technology that won Water Abundance XPRIZE.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Studio-MLA: Los Angeles landscape architecture and urban-design firm operating at the intersection of architecture and outdoor environmental design — relevant adjacency given site/design integration work common in SoCal residential projects.

Direct peers

• Walker Workshop: Los Angeles architecture practice specializing in high-end custom residential and boutique commercial work with a strong design and material-craft identity — comparable boutique model and client profile.
• ShubinDonaldson: LA-based architecture firm with deep custom residential and small commercial portfolio, including mountain and coastal wildfire-adjacent projects — comparable project scale and regional client base.
• KieranTimberlake: Nationally recognized sustainable architecture firm with a research-driven, technology-integrated practice and emphasis on environmental performance — comparable mission around sustainability innovation.
• Marmol Radziner: Los Angeles-based architecture firm specializing in high-end custom residential, commercial, and hospitality projects with a strong sustainability and craft-driven design ethos — directly comparable clientele and Southern California footprint.
• Standard Architecture: LA-based architecture firm working across residential, hospitality, and cultural projects with a contemporary, design-forward approach — comparable geography and project type mix.
• Brooks + Scarpa: LA-based architecture practice with deep expertise in sustainable, regenerative, and socially focused design across residential, institutional, and civic projects — comparable sustainability positioning and SoCal base.
• Olson Kundig: Award-winning architecture firm known for high-end custom residential and hospitality projects emphasizing craft, materiality, and innovation — comparable premium-residential positioning and design-led brand.
• EYRC (Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney): Long-established Los Angeles architecture firm with broad portfolio across residential, commercial, and adaptive-reuse projects — comparable SoCal geographic focus and mid-sized boutique practice.

Others

• KlingStubbins: Multi-disciplinary sustainable architecture and engineering firm with strong higher-ed and institutional practice — comparable sustainability credentials and resilience planning expertise, but at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/davidhertzarchitects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/david-hertz-architects-studio-of-environmental-architecture

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about David Hertz Architects