James Hubbell
Shaping San Diego and the World Through Architecture, Design, and Collaborative Art
The Art of James Hubbell
Over his 70-year career, James Hubbell’s organic architecture and design uniquely expressed San Diego’s unique place in the world. Inspired by its nature, culture, proximity to the international border and the Pacific, he created thousands of works of art and architectural installations and numerous public art projects across the community. His international acclaim grew from collaborative projects like Pacific Rim “Peace Parks” and Tijuana initiatives, a testament to San Diego’s distinctive cross-border ties.
James Hubbell’s 75+ exhibitions and 100+ global artworks, including Pacific Rim Park, have deeply impacted San Diego’s cultural identity. His significant local public art enriches San Diegans’ lives, featuring installations like Glorietta Bay Fountain, San Diego Botanic Garden sculptures, library art (Del Mar, National City, Ramona, Julian, Fallbrook, Alpine), nature preserve art (Elfin Forest, Crest, Lakeside, Volcan), Pearl of the Pacific, and Pacific Portal.
A vision that informed his life and work
A vision of how beauty can inform how we live as a family, a community, and the world
“I believe we are passing through a gate from one age to another; one more profound than the changes medieval man faced with the rise of Humanism and the age we call the Renaissance. We have spent the last five hundred years trying to understand the world by dividing it into parts. We now have the task of putting it back together by seeking a vision of a whole world, with ourselves as part of that whole.” Learn More About Hubbell’s Vision
See
Enjoy a photo tour of James’s life, from his early years as a formative artist to his many collaborations. See
Learn
Read Hubbell’s iconic essay on the “Architecture of Jubilation” written in 1974, and a guide throughout his lifetime. Learn
Explore
Use an interactive map to explore Hubbell’s art in and around Southern California, Northern Baja, Mexico, and beyond. Explore
“Art and beauty, can bridge prejudices, build lasting friendships, change people’s visions of who they are and what is possible in life, and, in fact, change our myths.”
—James Hubbell
Selected Books and Media
We have compiled this selection of the most popular books about James Hubbell
These biographies, alongside his poetry, paint a comprehensive picture of James Hubbell as not just a builder of extraordinary spaces and objects, but also as a thoughtful observer and interpreter of the world around him, whose artistic expressions spanned diverse mediums, all connected by a deep sense of wonder and a commitment to beauty and harmony.
Top Photo: James Hubbell working in clay in 1979, by Otto Rigan