John Beck Sjoberg

Architect | 1920-1995

Sjoberg worked in Los Angeles and Honolulu prior to moving to Escondido.

Baum House. Photograph by Julius Shulman. © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10)
Olincey House. Photograph by Julius Shulman. © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10)
Sjoberg House I. Photograph by Julius Shulman. © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10)

John Sjoberg was born in Minnesota, in 1920, and visited Taliesin West while World War II was in full swing. The young man ventured to the complex of Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings on horseback from Phoenix - and stayed, alone, when the summer caretakers left him alone to fend for himself and watch over the architecture school. He returned to Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin in 1946-1947. Alongside Wright apprentice Lee Kawahara, John worked diligently to bring Taliesin's Romeo and Juliet windmill vertical after leaning over the years since its 1897 completion.

Following his time with Wright, Sjoberg went on to practice architecture in Los Angeles (where he joined the local AIA chapter in 1959), Honolulu and in San Diego. Sjoberg launched Bradley, Wong & Sjoberg followed by John Sjoberg & Associates, Inc. Architects. The office of John Sjoberg, AIA Architect was at 1820 S. Escondido Blvd. Ste. 101.

He exhibited his paintings in Honolulu, Los Angeles (at Robert Wright Fine Arts, 1989), Palm Desert and in Escondido.

Partial List of Projects

Baum Residence, Dr. & Mrs. Alfred T. (1966)
13750 Romany Drive, Westwood Village

Okinawa Hilton (1973)
Naha, Okinawa
*Later became Sheraton Hotel; by John Sjoberg & Associates, Inc. Architects

Olincey Residence (Ca, 1961)
Photographed by Julius Shulman for Barbara Lenox of the Los Angeles Times

Palisades Sunset Mesa by April Builders (circa 1963)
Tract located between Sunset Blvd and Topanga Canyon Blvd on PCH
Published in Los Angeles Times Home Magazine, 3/17/63

Project for an Embassy by John Sjoberg
Published in Arts & Architecture, January 1960

Sjoberg Residence I (1954)
7987 Woodrow Wilson Drive, Hollywood
Julius Shulman photographs published in 1954 issue of Better Homes and Garden

Sjoberg, John & Deborah Residence II (1976)
419 Marlynn, Escondido

Sjofloat, Patented Floating Hotel and Apartments Concept (1975)
Unbuilt