The Joachim Herz House
The Joachim Herz House southeast of Atlanta is a lively place for transatlantic dialog and exchange. The house provides guests from the US and Germany with an with an ideal place to discuss current events, explore future scientific developments as well as progress in education and urgent topics of society.
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Get an impression of the Joachim Herz House in our short drone film.
Meeting Rooms, Technology and Equipment
The Joachim Herz House can be booked by our project partners from both sides of the Atlantic, as well as regional non-profit organizations. With modern and flexible furnishings, the house is suitable for guests of all ages, including youth groups, students, and researchers. It is intended for day use only; overnight accommodations can easily be found in Covington.
On 4,951 sq ft (460 m²) of event space you can find:
- Versatile Rooms: Main Meeting Room for up to 50 people, three group rooms for smaller sessions, casual meeting room for 25 people, lounge for 10 people, small meeting room for up to 10 people, one back office and outdoor spaces.
- State-of-the-Art Technology: High-speed internet and Wi-Fi throughout the facility, video conferencing capabilities, advanced audio-visual equipment, and click-share.
- Comfort and Accessibility: Climate control, lockers, accessible facilities for people with disabilities (ADA)
- Catering: Catering kitchen with a warming oven, a high-density dishwasher, a large catering fridge, and access for rolling food storage containers.
- Outdoor Spaces: 850 sq ft (80 m²) of surrounding patios and spacious outdoor seating, perfect for informal meetings and outdoor activities.
Vision
The former home of our founder Joachim Herz is a place of exchange and dialog - it will also be the place where the transatlantic activities of the Joachim Herz Foundation have their anchor. In the foreseeable future, our partners on both sides of the Atlantic will be able to use the Joachim Herz House for conferences, workshops and events in cooperation with international partners, thus promoting transatlantic exchange. The house will also be available to non-proft organizations from the surrounding area and Atlanta. It is important for us to become part of the local ecosystem of educational institutions and NGOs via the Joachim Herz House.
“The Joachim Herz House is a key hub for fostering essential dialogue between the USA and Germany. Establishing this facility makes us an integral part of the academic and civic networks in the south-east of the United States. Joachim Herz, a visionary entrepreneur, strongly believed that education, research, and science are the pillars of a free society, essential for fostering innovation. These beliefs are the cornerstones upon which the Joachim Herz Foundation stands.”
Ulrich Müller, Board of Directors, Joachim Herz Foundation
Background
The Joachim Herz House is located on the 2,700 acre Little Springs Farm. Surrounded by old trees and built on a slight elevation, you have beautiful views on Lake Petra (left) and Lake Achim (right). On the far left you see the end of the runway and, mostly hidden by trees, the hangar where Joachim Herz stored his sports plane, a Fournier RF 4 from 1968. The runway is now connected to Moores Road and serves as the new access road to the house. Parking spaces have been created around the hangar. With a bit of luck, you might see cattle and horses grazing in the meadow between the house and the lakes. The single-story ranch house dates back to the 1960s and was built in the mid-century style with the typical corner windows and eaves. Joachim Herz later opted for a slate roof and designed the surrounding areas with boulders. The requirement for the architectural aim in Atlanta was to convert the house as sustainably as possible.
Sustainable reconstruction
The Joachim Herz Foundation is committed to sustainability. To achieve this, we chose an architectural firm in Atlanta known for its environmentally friendly practices. Jones Pierce Architects designed custom solutions for us and started renovating the house at the beginning of 2023.
Here are the steps we’ve taken to create a sustainable collaborative space:
- Windows, electrics, pipework, and insulation from the 1950s have been replaced to enhance energy efficiency.
- Existing building materials have been reused and locally sourced materials have been prioritized.
- Drinking water is supplied by a recycling plant to avoid the use of plastic bottles.
- Installed solar cells to power the building entirely with renewable energy and provided one charging point for electric cars.
- Transformed the 2,300-foot (700-meter) runway, originally built by Joachim Herz, a passionate hobby pilot, into the new access road to avoid additional asphalting.
- The Joachim Herz House is certified with the Earth-Craft Label, developed by Southface Institute. This ensures that the house benefits from improved indoor air quality while protecting natural resources.
Directions
The Joachim Herz House is about an hour’s drive from both Downtown Atlanta and the airport.
Once in Covington: Follow 278 NW. Turn right onto Pace Street. Cross Covington southbound and continue on Highway 36 you will see a sign on the right-hand side directing you to Moores Road. The Joachim Herz House will be on your left.
Contact
Continuous dialog is essential, especially in times of multiple crises. Only if we stay in contact and talk to each other can we develop an understanding of the other side’s perspective. With the newly renovated Joachim Herz House, a location has been created in which this exchange is possible. If you aim to facilitate transfer and innovation within our focus areas and wish to engage in transatlantic exchange, please feel free to contact us!
