1. ArchDaily
  2. Rob Quigley

Rob Quigley: The Latest Architecture and News

San Diego City Guide: 12 Projects to Explore in the 2024 World Design Capital

Subscriber Access | 

Nestled along the coast of Southern California, San Diego has emerged as a vibrant hub for architectural innovation, shaped by the confluence of different cultures, from its early Spanish colonial heritage to the cutting-edge modernist masterpieces that define its urban fabric. For this reason, the city was chosen as one half of the World Design Capital 2024, alongside its cross-border counterpart, Tijuana, celebrating the intercultural collaborations and influences of the two cities.

Throughout history, San Diego has been a canvas for visionary architects who have left enduring legacies on its built environment. From iconic landmarks like the Geisel Library and the Salk Institute to the dynamic spaces of the San Diego Central Library and the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, each piece of architecture reveals hidden aspects of the layered history and the spirit of exploration of San Diego.

San Diego City Guide: 12 Projects to Explore in the 2024 World Design Capital - Image 2 of 4San Diego City Guide: 12 Projects to Explore in the 2024 World Design Capital - Image 3 of 4San Diego City Guide: 12 Projects to Explore in the 2024 World Design Capital - Image 5 of 4San Diego City Guide: 12 Projects to Explore in the 2024 World Design Capital - Image 6 of 4San Diego City Guide: 12 Projects to Explore in the 2024 World Design Capital - More Images+ 8

Video: Architect Rob Quigley on the 35-Year Struggle to Build the San Diego Library

Subscriber Access | 

"Big things don't happen overnight," says architect Rob Quigley, speaking to Breadtruck Films, "and civic buildings certainly don't happen overnight." The words ring true in the context of Quigley's San Diego New Central Library, which opened in 2013 following a protracted 17 year period of design and construction. After conceiving of the design in 1996, Quigley's plans for the library were "put on the back burner" when planning authorities chose to halt construction on the project in favor of a new ballpark. Construction eventually recommenced years later, in what has since been described as "absolutely a surreal experience."

In this video Quigley describes the driving force of "creating an architecture that responds honestly and authentically to who we are," and how the library has come to be a "symbol of [San Diego]'s commitment to learning and literacy."