James Rodney Youngson

James Rodney “JR” Youngson was born April 23, 1932, in McCook, Nebraska, prior to the family moving to Pasadena. Following graduation from Pasadena High School (in 1950), JR served in the US Army (through 1958) and secured his Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture at USC (in 1961).

One of Youngson's early jobs in San Diego was working alongside architects Stanley Livingstone and Henry Hester (during their partnership as Hester & Livingston circa 1966-1969). Together they would form Youngson & Livingston in 1969.

Following the Youngson Residence (1967) being published in LA Times Home Magazine, JR launched The Youngson Company, Inc., in 1975, with Sydney Ashton, whom he had married in 1958. The firm served architecture, interior design and landscape clients via offices in Los Angeles and Palm Desert by the time of his retirement. He earned San Diego AIA Honor Awards; a National AIA/Sunset Magazine Design award; and a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Architecture from the San Diego Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 2019.

Having built and designed homes in San Diego County, Los Angeles, Montecito, Mexico, Fiji, Hawaii, Idaho, and France he was able to garner press attention in Architectural Digest, Luxe, Veranda, Sunset Magazine, The New York Times and Los Angeles Times.

Youngson designed until 2018 when he passed The Youngson Company on to his partner Bill Ruegge. He died on May 13, 2020.

Partial List of Projects

Barret, Hibbard & Co. Apartments (1967)
2300 Front Street, San Diego
*Attribution via San Diego Union (8/6/67)

Clairemont Medical-Dental Building (ca. 1971)
4295 Gesner Street, Bay Park
*Designed by James Youngson and Stanley Livingston

Collwood Apartments (1969)
4885 Collwood Boulevard, San Diego
*Attribution of 82-units designed for Barret, Hibbard & Co. via San Diego Union (5/25/69)

Condominiums (1975)
265 Coast Boulevard

Hibbard Residence (1980)
7747 Whitefield Place, La Jolla
*Attribution by real estate listing in 2023

Pacific Villa Apartments AKA The Plaza (1969)
1801 Diamond Street, Pacific Beach
*Attribution of 500-units designed for Barret, Hibbard & Co. via San Diego Union (1/24/69)

Private Residence (1965)
1595 Coast Walk , La Jolla
*Possibly the Mr. and Mrs. H. Cushman Dow Residence

Private Residence (1973)
7732 Lookout Drive, La Jolla

Private Residence (1966)
5979 Camino De La Costa, La Jolla
*Attribution via San Diego Union (4/18/65); was likely 6003 Avenida Cresta in the 1960s.

Weseloh Residence (1977)
2315 Via Cascabel, Escondido
*Attribution via original drawings

Willis Residence (ca. 1969)
La Jolla
*Attribution via San Diego Union (4/6/69)

Youngson Apartments (1966)
2922 Bayside Walk, Mission Beach
*Attribution of this 5-unit apartment building via San Diego Union (12/9/65)

Youngson Apartments (1965)
2868 Bayside Walk, Mission Beach
*Attribution of this 6-unit apartment building via San Diego Union (2/17/65)

Youngson, James Rodney "J.R." Residence (1967)
7722 Ludington Place, La Jolla
*Attribution via LA Times Home Magazine; earned an AIA Honor Award in 1968

Youngson, James Rodney "J.R." Residence (1980)
7580 Hillside Drive, La Jolla
*Attribution via former employee of Youngson's

Youngson House Remodel (1969-1970)
7762 Lookout Drive, La Jolla
*Attribution via San Diego Union (4/21/69); remodel earned an AIA Honor Award in 1970.

Youngson Spec House (1973)
2942 Caminito Bello, La Jolla
*In 1973, the house was sold for $155,000 by James Rodney & Sidney Ashton Youngson to Richard E. Woodward. Woodward sold the home, in 1974, for $170,000 to Mr. & Mrs. Reed M. Smith