James Frank Bernard

James Bernard was born on September 3rd, 1924 in San Francisco and earned a Life Membership scholarship from the California Scholarship Federation in 1942. By 1944 he attended United States Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School at Columbia University as a commissioned officer. Following his graduation from the USNR Communications School at Harvard, in 1945, he left for California - securing his BA in Architecture at Cal (in 1948). Remaining on campus he was retained as a teaching assistant overseeing courses in Orthographic Projection and Shades & Shadows. Bernard then earned an MA in architecture in 1949. While still on campus, in 1947, his “Hillside House” was published in House & Garden.

Bernard started his professional career in architecture in 1950, remaining in San Francisco serving as a draftsman for Mario Corbett Architecture. Between 1951-52 he remained in the Bay Area working for Ward & Bolles Architects. Moving to San Diego, he worked for Clyde Hufbauer between 1953-1954 prior to hanging out his own shingle as James F. Bernard, Architect (in 1954) working from his home office at 4375 Alamo Drive.

Fellow architect John Mock recently recalled, “James was quiet, and had a stiff or infirmed arm which didn’t stop him from anything. He bought a lot in Pacific Beach from my Dad around 1964 to build an apartment building."

Bernard's career was cut short when he died of cancer in 1965.

Partial List of Projects

Apartment Building (ca. 1965)
Pacific Beach

Arlington Avenue Community Church Addition (1951)
Berkeley, CA

Bernard, James Home & Studio
4375 Alamo Drive, Rolando
*Remodel of a 1946 home

Cavenee, C.M. Loggia Addition (1954)
San Diego

House & Garden ‘Hillside House’ (1947)
Honorable Mention in publication

House of Ice Skating Rink
La Mesa

Krauss, Dr. George and Mrs. Dr. George and Georgella Residence (1958)
5457 Redding Road

Ruja, Harry & Rose Residence (1958)
4664 Troy Lane, La Mesa
*Harry Ruja knew Lloyd Ruocco through his teaching position at San Diego State College (he in Philosophy, Lloyd's wife Ilse in the Art Department). While Ruocco was a bit more expensive than his salary would allow for, Harry Ruja was given Bernard’s name by Lloyd Ruocco.