David Lawrence Greenberg

David Lawrence Greenberg died of natural causes in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 19, 2020 at age 77. Born in Los Angeles, David studied architecture at Arizona State University before starting Environmental Communications in 1969, a collective of architects and photographers based in Venice Beach that documented the eclectic visual culture unique to Los Angeles throughout the 70's. The hundreds of thousands of 35mm slides, films and videos were distributed to universities and private individuals with the use of ornate collectible catalogs and helped change the way we perceive our urban environments. The archives saw renewed interest in the last 10 years and were featured in museum exhibitions around the U.S. and Europe as well as featured in a Calvin Klein collaboration in Spring 2019. Last year, the archives were acquired by the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. Always known for his passion and endless energy, David eventually turned his attentions from the urban to the rural. A self-described "sustainable ruralist," David lived the second half of his life on the island of Maui, where he became an early pioneer in designing and building showpiece treehouses. He spent much of his time in China consulting with local governments on how to make development of rural communities more sustainable. Also in China, David built his signature treehouse "The Big Beach in the Sky" at a Buddhist Park on Hainan island in 1998. Books David authored include: "Treehouses in Paradise: Fantasy Designs for the 21st Century" (Harry Abrams, 2006). David is survived by his son Jonah, 44, in Beijing.