San Diego’s Design Scene Is More Than Just Beach Art

Furniture maker Nicholas Bijan Pourfard sees the coastal city embracing high-end craft—and its deep ties to Mexican culture.

Text by

Jesse Dorris

Illustrations by

Salini Perera

This story is part of our annual look at the state of American design. This year, we’re highlighting work that shines through an acrimonious moment—and makes the case for optimism.

With its postcard-perfect beaches and bustling military bases, San Diego is often dismissed as a conservative oasis and sleepy surfer town. In fact, it’s among the largest cities in the country, with major architectural landmarks including Louis Kahn’s Salk Institute and, more controversially, Selldorf Architects’ redo of Venturi Scott Brown and Associate’s postmodern addition to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

Designer Nicholas Bijan Pourfard grew up there and got his start as a guitar luthier before venturing into furniture and lighting design with his eponymous brand. Pourfard is well versed in the local history of 20th-century modernism, as he’s currently renovating a house by Walter S. White for himself. But he’s also interested in another aspect of the region: San Diego and Tijuana have a symbiotic design relationship, he notes, as evident in Barrio Logan, the city’s oldest Mexican American neighborhood, and its 100-plus murals by Chicano artists. "Architecture and design consciousness is becoming more apparent in both cities." In practice, this means fine woodworking in white oak, walnut, and, recently, fir, along with lots of brass. "In some cases," Pourfard says, "the forms themselves are also more identifiable as coming from Mexican culture."

Nearby vacation destinations like Valle de Guadalupe and Ensenada in Mexico are very design-forward, he points out. And the interior design in San Diego is starting to reflect a focus on high-end craft: "Lately, I’ve noticed an increased importance in people owning statement pieces of furniture that are less mass-produced and more bespoke."

Although San Diego’s beaches "are amazing," Pourfard says, that doesn’t mean its cultural scene should be known only for its sunset art.