San Diego Architectural Foundation

Orchid Tours
Orchid Tours are an offshoot of our enormously popular Orchids & Onions program, offering attendees a bird’s eye view and whenever possible an architect/designer/owner’s perspective of projects that have been recognized by the Orchids & Onions jury as amongst San Diego’s finest, and worthy of the coveted Orchid.

Orchid Tours are segmented by geographic location, starting with Urban Orchids in June, 2012. Click here for more information.

Custom Tours
San Diego is blessed with a wealth of diverse architecture; contemporary,  traditional, and everything in-between. The San Diego Architectural Foundation will create a custom specialty tour for your group focusing on the genre, area or architect of your choice. Interested in modernist houses or Old Town adobes? Want to see and learn about cutting-edge medical facilities or the works of Irving Gill? Please contact us at tours@sdarchitecture.org, and we'll bring San Diego's architecture to life for your group! For an idea of just some of the tours currently available, click here.
    
Downtown Podcast
Want to get outside and learn about San Diego's downtown architecture? Pop your iPod earbuds in and enjoy a 60-minute leisurely stroll through historic downtown. The SDAF, in cooperation with the American Institute of Architects California Council, is offering this self-guided podcast walking tour for you to download.

Become a well-versed expert about San Diego's downtown as you experience this entertaining tour featuring the following historical and architectural landmarks:

• U.S. Grant Hotel
• San Diego Trust and Savings / Marriott Courtyard
• Samuel Fox Building
• Watts Building
• Several select Gaslamp Quarter buildings
• the newly restored Balboa Theatre
• Horton Plaza
• Spreckels Theatre

Hosted by Eric Naslund of Studio E Architects, narration is provided by former San Diego City Architect Michael Stepner, David Marshall of Heritage Architecture and Planning and Bruce Coons of Save our Heritage Organisation.

Podcast length: 58 minutes. Format: MP3. File size: 33.2MB
Price: $5.00 / free to members of SDAF
Click here for accompanying tour map.
Click here to download file.