San Diego Architecture from Mission to Modern: Guide to the Buildings, Planning, People, and Spaces That Shape the Region

by Dirk Sutro

This guidebook is geared toward anyone who wants to get out and see San Diego’s best buildings. By using the regional map provided, even those new to San Diego can figure out how to get where they want to go. Each neighborhood has its own map, and, wherever possible, essential buildings are clustered within walking distance of each other on one map. In many neighborhoods, one may park their car and explore the architectural attractions on foot. Downtown San Diego and urban neighborhoods like Mission Hills and North Park get their obvious due, but this guide also includes beach cities and the North Coast as far as Oceanside, the inland sections of North County, East County, and it extends south to San Ysidro and Tijuana. Styles covered range from modern to Mediterranean The full-color book has photographs to accompany each of the hundreds of listings, but is still compact enough to fit in a car’s glove compartment.

Genres: Architecture, Art

336 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2002

Reviews

[Emily]

UCSD Extension — San Diego Architecture

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Handy to have around. Certainly the most comprehensive (and only) guide to San Diego architecture that I've been able to find. Well organized with plenty of pictures and addresses. Also contains several mini-narratives of regional history.
Sutro isn't biased towards one or more specific time periods as compared to other time periods. This suprised me, but I guess it reflects his attempt to be even handed (I also noted that the Publisher is supported by several developers). Whatever, Sutro's credentials are bonafide as a journalist, so I won't quibble.

Still, it was a little bit shocking to hear him waxing enthusiasticly about some of the more recent condo developments downtown.

Also, I saw an unaddressed picture of a Victorian in the Bankers Hill section of the book that has been moved to Golden Hill. I wasn't sure what was up with that.

Perhaps the coolest part of this book is reading about the past (often bawdy) history of some of the buildings in Downtown and the East Village. For instance, they used to keep zoo animals in the basement of the Granger Building (5th and Broadway), and the Jerome's Furniture warehouse at fifteenth and Broadway was once a venue where people watched boxing and wrestling matches!

Another highlight is his section on the East County region. I was fairly dissapointed with the coverage of areas like Del Mar and National City.

All criticism aside, the subject matter, clear organization and over all usefulnesss make this book a "must have" for anyone interested in the subject.