International Wood International Wood 2008 | Page 21

“We chose the mahogany and ipé to add
warmth to a contemporary home.”
David Hertz
Jed Hirsch, General Building Contractor
Homes for the Stars
Sustainably harvested exotic species
have become a fixture in environmen-
tally conscious design. Innovative ar-
chitect David Hertz owns SEA, Studio
of Environmental Architecture, lo-
cated in Santa Monica, California.
Hertz is on the leading edge of en-
vironmental design and energy-re-
newing building technology. Tropical hardwoods play an important
role in his residential endeavors. Projects built around advancing
environmental technology such as photovoltaic cells and retractable
roofs achieve balance when tropical species are involved. ‘’We select
the materials for their natural weathering properties, so like a piece of
driftwood, the house gets better with age,’’ Hertz said. “It is the woods
that bring the feeling of warmth and texture.’’
Hertz recently completed a high-profile renovation of a beach
bungalow just north of Santa Barbara for Julia-Louis Dreyfus and her
husband Brad Hall. The owners are long time environmentalists and
understand the importance of using wood for conservation.
The certified Guatemalan mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)
from a sustainable stand probably cost 10% more then conventional
mahogany would have for the project, but demand drives the market.
When people consciously choose to use exotic species it propagates
more meaningful interest. This in turn encourages the creation of
policies and practices that help manage forests in a responsible, on-
going way. In many places where exotic species grow, if there is no
perceived interest in wood as an export, then there is no reason to
protect the forests.
Hertz designed the residence to look like a ship, including steel-
cable railings fabricated by Furling and Rigging Corporation, which
also supplies sailboat manufacturers. There is even a slender walkway
constructed of Braz ilian ipé (Tabebuia spp.) slats that hangs above
the living room, connecting the upstairs office to a little cantilevered
porch affectionately referred to as the “bowsprit.” Ipé is also used
for the outside decking and kitchen island. The kitchen cabinets are
crafted from Guatemalan mahogany. Northern California cedar was
chosen for the exterior paneling.
Jed Hirsch, general building contractor for the project, specified
and located the materials for the home. “We chose the mahogany and
ipé to add warmth to a contemporary home,” says Hirsch. “Plus, as a
beach house, there are a lot of environmental factors. The oils in these
imported woods help to repel insects and moisture.” For the exterior
decking, the ipé was simply oiled. The mahogany in the kitchen was
varnished for aesthetic reasons.
Hirsch has been a carpenter and contractor for over 25 years. In that
time, he has witnessed the “green” building trend continually growing
in popularity which he views as a good sign overall. “The more that
people build ‘green,’ the more economical it becomes,” states Hirsch.
Homes From the Heart
That’s good news for the rest of us who don’t have a second home on
the beach, or a first one. Even regular people can build a dream home
that use exotic species, even people whose first dream home was flat-
tened by the earthquake of 1989. Just ask Ron and Lynette Werner.
“We expect to complete the rebuild in the next couple of weeks,”
Ron Werner said sounding quite satisfied. For some homes, the
building process is as meaningful as the end product. With help
from a carpenter and other experts, Werner has spent the last 19
years building his custom English Tudor home in Soquel, California,
which features several species of carefully chosen exotic wood.
The Werner Home in
Soquel, California
The front door, garage doors and timber framing for the home are
constructed from Honduran mahogany, a species that was specified for
its excellent workability, strength and finishing quality. In addition to
being a lovely straight grain wood with a fine even texture, Honduran
mahogany is very durable due to its natural density, a desirable trait in
an earthquake zone. South American jatoba (Hymenaea spp.), with
its high rating for shock absorption, was specified for the tread of the
curving interior stairway.
In design, it is often the finishing touches that add consistency
to the overall character of a project. For the Werner home, African
sipo (Entandrophragma utile) is a unifying element. “I chose the sipo
because we wanted to carry the style of the exterior inside, and the
uniform dark purplish-brown color works really well,” Werner says.
In addition to being aesthetically on target for the home, sipo’s char-
acteristic workability
and ease of finish made
it a good choice for a va-
riety of interior features
including the home’s
window shutters, book
shelves, stair trim, door
trim, baseboards and
crown moulding.
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