Historic Architects and Landscape Architects
Santa Barbara is fortunate to be home to a wealth of beautiful historic buildings, crafted by a talented group of architects, landscape architects, and designers. This page offers a collection of information sourced from historic reports and archival clippings, documenting the creative minds behind these iconic structures.
Originally compiled during individual building reports and newspaper clippings, these records have now been centralized to provide a comprehensive resource on the architects of Santa Barbara’s historic landmarks. As new information emerges through ongoing archival research, we continue to update the list with additional buildings, along with their corresponding addresses, designed by each architect.
Explore this collection to learn more about the visionaries who shaped Santa Barbara’s architectural heritage.
Although some citations are missing, the information gathered offers valuable insight into the range of buildings and the work of each architect. This collection serves as a growing resource to better understand and appreciate the visionaries who shaped Santa Barbara’s architectural heritage. If needed, you can contact the Architectural Historian for works sited.
Lutah Maria Riggs, FAIA
One of her most famous buildings from this era is her design for the Santa Barbara Vedanta Temple (1956), noted for its reflection of early South Indian wooden temple architecture.
Julia Morgan, FAIA
Julia Morgan was a trailblazer in her chosen field of architecture. She was one of the first women to receive an engineering degree from the University of California, (Berkley in 1894) and was the first woman to earn an architectural degree from L’École Nationale et Spéciale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Part of a highly distinguished career, her most famous work is the immense complex she designed for William Randolph Hearst at San Simeon.