Joseph William Gerber

Joe Gerber was born on October 5, 1930 in Rochester, New York. He secured his BA in architecture from the University of Michigan and served in the US Navy (between 1951-55) before moving to San Diego.

Joe worked for Lloyde Therkelsen prior to joining George Hatch’s office (where he and Art Simpson worked together). Following a stint with Tucker, Sadler & Bennett he reconnected with Art to create their own firm.

Joe’s partnership with Art Simpson as, Simpson & Gerber Architects, was founded in 1962. At the time their office was located at 7911 Herschel Avenue Suite #410.

Through the decades the firm enjoyed a number of residential commissions throughout San Diego (including the Oaks North tract in Rancho Bernardo) and a number of commercial projects (especially hospitals) across the U.S. According to Art, their office was the largest firm in San Diego during the peak of their hospital work. In 1968, the office raised local eyebrows when they voluntarily raised their staff’s wages 20%. The local chapter of the AIA held a special meeting to discuss the ramifications of this wage increase on other local firms. Fellow architects like Ward Deems reached out to the team to gain the backstory behind such unprecedented pay raises.

According to author Dirk Sutro, “Some of Simpson & Gerber’s best-known designs are clean-lined La Jolla beach houses covered with rustic wood siding, and the Revelle College Provost’s Office draws from their residential work.” The Revelle College Provost wanted a glass building, according to Mr. Simpson, as he “…did not want anything between he and the students [at a time of campus student uprisings].” Joe Gerber created a structural roof system so it could be wrapped in glass.

Following service to the local AIA chapter on its membership committee (1966-67), Joe Gerber served as the chapter's chairman in 1967. He died in 1995 of Alzheimer’s disease.

Partial List of Projects

Armbruster, Frazier & Portia House (1967-68)
12812 Via Esperia, Del Mar

Delano Community Hospital (1969)
Delano, CA

Ellis Residence Addition (1962)
4551 South Lane, Del Mar
Pool-Cabana Addition to a house attributed to Lloyde Therkelsen (ca. 1959)

Gerber, Joseph Residence (1970)
421 Serpentine Drive, Del Mar

Kriege, Jack and Peggy Residence Remodel (1962)
2012 Santa Fe Avenue, Del Mar

Laguna Hills Convalescent Hospital (1969)
Laguna Hills

Masek Residence #1 (1967)
1439 Calle Altura, La Jolla

Masek Residence #2 (1972)
La Jolla Shores, La Jolla

Masek, Lois and George Residence
727 J Ave.
*unclear if this was built

Masek Residence
Costebelle Drive La Jolla
Demolished in the 1980s

Neeley Residence #1
Del Mar

Nuuanu Doctors Hospital and Clinic (1969)
Gerber served as Associate Architect with Wilson/Okamoto Architects & Engineers

Oaks North Housing (ca. 1979)
Rancho Bernardo

Private Residence (1978)
12911 Via Latina, Del Mar

Private Residence (1973)
8521 El Paseo Grande
AIA Award of Merit on 10/19/74,
Published in San Diego Magazine November 1974

Revelle College Provost's Office (1967-68)
UC San Diego

Seven Lamps Office Building (1974)
Possibly at 7825 Ivanhoe
AIA Award, 1974. Published in San Diego Magazine – November, 1974

Simpson, Art Residence (1969)
4875 Academy Street

US Navy Barracks (1967)
San Diego