Tag: civic center

Ship’s bow splashes water into Civic Center Plaza!

A ship's bow splashes water into downtown San Diego's Civic Center Plaza!
A ship’s bow splashes water into downtown San Diego’s Civic Center Plaza!

This evening my route home included a meandering stroll through downtown San Diego’s Civic Center Plaza, which is home to the City Administration Building, the San Diego Community Concourse and the San Diego Civic Theater. I observed that the extremely popular musical comedy The Book of Mormon is playing at the theater tonight. I hope the arriving theatergoers watched their step. Because I also noted a large ship’s bow was splashing water right into the center of the plaza!

But seriously, the iconic bronze water fountain called Bow Wave, created by Malcolm Leland in 1972, was looking beautiful as dusk fell and the lights of surrounding buildings began to glow. It seemed the mysterious ship was arriving just in time for the performance!

The unique water fountain Bow Wave, by Malcolm Leland, 1972. Outward splashing water tricks the eye and the bronze sculpture seems to move forward!
The unique water fountain Bow Wave, by Malcolm Leland, 1972. Outward splashing water tricks the eye and the bronze sculpture seems to move forward!
A strange ship seems to pull into a downtown plaza, to dock beside the San Diego Civic Theater!
A strange, dark ship seems to pull into a downtown plaza, to dock beside the San Diego Civic Theater!
People arrive to watch The Book of Mormon as night approaches and lights come on in downtown San Diego.
People arrive to watch The Book of Mormon as night approaches and lights come on in downtown San Diego.
An iconic water fountain in the heart of San Diego is yet another cool sight!
An iconic water fountain in the heart of San Diego is yet another cool sight!

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Photos of San Diego County Administration Building.

san diego county administration building

This unmistakable landmark has been photographed a million times. Now make it a million and one.

Yes, it’s the San Diego County Administration Center.

Finished in 1938, designed by several renowned local architects including William Templeton Johnson, Richard Requa and Louis John Gill, the historic building is Spanish Revival/Streamline Moderne in style with Beaux-Arts classical touches.

It stands overlooking the Embarcadero, just across Harbor Drive, not far from the Star of India.

For several decades it also served as the Civic Center of San Diego. Today, a large public park is being developed on either side of the building, where parking lots recently existed. I considered posting a photo of the construction, but all you’d see is dirt and bulldozers.

County Administration Building seen from Pacific Highway.
County Administration Building seen from Pacific Highway.

The first two pics are of the building’s east side, which faces downtown’s Little Italy. The other pics from the very similar west side I took during a walk along the Embarcadero on a later day…

Looking up at the west entrance of San Diego County Administration Building.
Looking up at the west entrance of San Diego County Administration Building.
Tiles depict fish, Navy ships on the bay, Mission San Diego, Balboa Park and an airplane.
Tiles depict fish, Navy ships on the bay, Mission San Diego, Balboa Park and an airplane.
Ornamental column near entrance with eagle on top.
Ornamental column near entrance with eagle on top.
View from the west, across Harbor Drive.
View from the west, across Harbor Drive.

UPDATE!

Here are a couple more pics. I took these with a newer camera many years later. These are on the east side of the building, where there is a plaza, shady benches and two fountains. Domes featuring a beautiful tile mosaic in the American Southwest style attract the eye at either end of the building. I’m looking north in the next photo…

Cabrillo’s galleon sails in Civic Center Plaza.

cabrillo's galleon san salvador sails in civic center plaza

Walking recently through San Diego’s Civic Center Plaza, I enjoyed a variety of historical images and colorful designs inlaid in the central courtyard.

Check out Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s galleon the San Salvador. In 1542, the Portuguese explorer discovered San Diego Bay on behalf of Spain while searching for a mythical water route across North America.

An actual working replica of the San Salvador is being built by the San Diego Maritime Museum. One of these days I’ll walk north along the bay to Spanish Landing in order to take some pics!

Wider view of Civic Center Plaza.
Wider view of Civic Center Plaza.

Signs point toward San Diego’s sister cities.

distance signs at san diego civic center plaza

Should you ever walk through Civic Center Plaza, you’ll probably see this unusual group of signs. These are a few of San Diego’s sister cities. Pointing in almost every direction, the signs indicate distances in miles and kilometers.

Another similar group of fun signs can be found directly across the plaza.

San Diego’s 16 sister cities are:

Alcala de Henares, Spain
Campinas, Brazil
Cavite, Philippines
Edinburgh, Scotland
Jalalabad, Afghanistan
Jeonju, South Korea
Leon, Mexico
Perth, Australia
Quanzhou, China
Taichung City, Taiwan
Tema, Ghana
Tijuana, Mexico
Vladivostok, Russia
Warsaw, Poland
Yantai, China
Yokohama, Japan

UPDATE! I walked through Civic Center Plaza about half a year later and I noticed brand new signs!

New sister city signs at the Civic Center!
New sister city signs at the Civic Center!

More San Diego sister cities around the world.
More San Diego sister cities around the world.