The site was previously owned and developed by the eccentric designer Tony Duquette, who designed over 21 unique structures incorporating found objects worldwide. Unfortunately, in 1995 the Malibu fire destroyed all but a few steel pagodas. When David Hertz first visited the site, he was struck by the creativity by which Duquette appropriated found objects and made them look like they were crafted like traditional indigenous structures. In searching for inspiration, David imagined a roof structure that would allow for an unobstructed view of the mountain range and distant views.

The client requested curvilinear/ feminine shapes for the building. The progenitor of the building's form was envisioned as a floating curved roof, and it soon became apparent to David that an airplane wing could work. In researching airplane wings and superimposing different airplane wing types on the site to scale, the wing of a 747, at over 2,500 sq. ft., became an ideal configuration to maximize the views and provide a self-supporting roof with minimal additional structural support needed. By incorporating many of the previous pads and retaining walls, the goal was to minimize significant grading and subsequent impacts on the existing topography and landscape.

The wing structures were conceived to float on top of simple concrete, shotcrete, and rammed-earth walls cut into the hillsides. The floating roofs will derive simple support from steel brace frames, which will attach to strategic mounting points on the wing where the engines were previously mounted. Frameless, structural self-supporting glass will create the enclosure from the concrete slab on grade into the wing as a roof. The 747 aircraft is enormous - over 230 feet long, 195 feet wide, and 63 feet tall, with over 17,000 cubic feet of cargo area alone.

It represents a tremendous amount of material for a very economical price of less than $50,000.