David Hertz Architects FAIA & The Studio of Environmental Architecture
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1920 Olympic - remodel

T

he Architect built this project as his own office and “research station” to not only showcase his 25-year commitment to environmentally conscious design, but to also act as a positive example for the surrounding community by creating a zero net energy solar powered and carbon neutral architecture firm. The project is a creative adaptive reuse of two existing buildings, formally a Taco Stand and a Mexican Market, on a prominent corner in Santa Monica, CA. Unifying the two buildings to create a singular statement worked within the buildings original footprint and saved over 90% of the original structure. Another ecological goal was to turn the site from 100% impervious to 100% pervious.

The main architectural intervention and innovation, is an elevated aluminum clad roof monitor, which floats above the bow truss ceiling, which was exposed. The roof monitor serves three primary functions: to provide for a flat roof to accommodate the “Open Energy” integrated building photovoltaic roofing membrane, as a daylight harvester which uses the white cool roof to reflect diffused daylight into the space off its aluminum ceiling and as a solar chimney with four thermostatically controlled actuator windows that regulate natural ventilation and passive cooling.

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olympic office

SEA leads by example, which is why our former office was built as a research station to showcase environmentally conscious design in practice. The net-zero energy, carbon-neutral building is a creative adaptive reuse of a market and and restaurant on a prominent corner in Santa Monica. Unifying the two existing buildings saved over 90% of the original structure, and the site was converted to 100% pervious surfaces.

An elevated, aluminum-clad roof monitor floats above the exposed bow truss ceiling, providing a flat roof for the “Open Energy” integrated building photovoltaic roofing membrane. The monitor also acts as a daylight harvester: the white roof reflects diffused daylight into the space off the monitor’s aluminum underside. Lastly, it is also a solar chimney with four thermostatically controlled actuator windows that regulate natural ventilation and passive cooling. Rising from the primary volume, the roof monitor is a beacon for environmental responsibility.

Project Details

Year: 2007
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Typology: office
Sustainable Features: LEED Platinum