Should you find yourself visiting San Diego, see if you can take a couple hours to drop by the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to see the Geisel Library. This striking structure combines elements of brutalist and futurist design. It is one of the most recognizable brutalist landmarks in the country.
History of the Geisel Library
The University of California commissioned William Pereira & Associates to design the main library for the UCSD campus in 1965. The project broke ground in 1968, and was completed in 1970. At the time it opened, it was known as the Central Library. A subterranean expansion began in 1990, and was completed in 1993, by architect Gunnar Birkerts.
Audrey Geisel, wife to Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known by his pen name “Dr. Seuss,” donated $20 million to the library along with original works by Dr. Seuss worth $2.3 million. That was when the university changed the library’s name to the Geisel Library.
An Imaginative, Yet Practical Design
Spotting the Geisel Library for the first time as you explore campus can feel surreal. The distinctive tiered shape of the library looks a bit like a UFO ready to take off. The unusual shape was actually intended to invoke the idea of hands holding a stack of books.
The original concept for the building was quite different from the structure today. Pereira visualized it as a sphere, which he figured would bring the most light inside for reading. He also planned for it to be steel-framed. But due to costs, he had to build it out of reinforced concrete instead.
This material offered some new possibilities, and led to the current sculptural form of the library. While it is not a sphere, it still tapers at the top and bottom, allowing light to flood the interior in a similar way. Additionally, the interior is more open than it would have been had it been steel-framed, as the need for bisecting trusses was eliminated. So, while the library may appear fanciful, its design is quite practical.
The library includes eight stories. Two are underground, and six are above ground. The levels below ground are 1 and 2, and those above are numbered 4 through 8. Myths and rumors abound regarding a “missing” or “empty” third floor. But the “third floor” actually consists of the outside forum.
Visiting Geisel Library
If you are at the UCSD campus, you can take a self-guided tour of the Geisel Library. Visitors are asked to stay on the 1st and 2nd floors so as not to disrupt students at work. Be sure to check the campus calendar, as there are certain weeks visitors are not permitted (typically the first week of the fall quarter and the final two weeks of every quarter). Additional guided tours may sometimes be available as well.
Geisel Library FAQ: A Mid-Century Modern Icon at UCSD
What is the Geisel Library and why does it matter to MCM design fans? The Geisel Library is the central library of the University of California, San Diego, in La Jolla, California. Completed in 1970 and designed by architect William Pereira, it is one of the most significant examples of late mid-century modern and Brutalist architecture in the United States. Its tiered concrete tower — cantilevered outward from eight dramatic legs — remains one of the most photographed academic buildings in the world and a pilgrimage site for architecture enthusiasts.
Who designed it and what else did they build? William L. Pereira, a Los Angeles-based architect known for his futurist sensibility, designed the library. He is also responsible for the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. The Geisel Library is widely considered his masterwork — a building that pushed structural engineering and aesthetic ambition into complete alignment.
Is it Brutalist or mid-century modern? Both. Brutalism — named for the French béton brut (raw concrete) — is a subcategory of modernist architecture defined by exposed concrete, monumental scale, and structural honesty. The Geisel Library uses all of these qualities within the forward-looking design vocabulary of late MCM. For design fans, it represents the moment those two movements converged at their most confident.
What architectural details should visitors look for? Four elements reward a close look:
- The concrete legs — eight tapered columns create the illusion the building floats above the ground, a classic MCM expression of structural confidence
- The cantilevered floors — each upper level steps outward beyond the one below, maximizing interior space through pure engineering
- The glass curtain walls — floor-to-ceiling glazing floods reading spaces with natural light and connects the interior to views of the surrounding canyon and eucalyptus grove
- The sunken plaza — the entry sits below grade, making the structure feel even more monumental as it rises overhead
Why is it called the Geisel Library? It was renamed in 1995 to honor Theodor Seuss Geisel — Dr. Seuss — and his wife Audrey, longtime La Jolla residents and generous university supporters. The name suits the building: its whimsical silhouette bears a striking resemblance to the fantastical structures in Geisel’s illustrated worlds.
Can visitors tour it, and what else is nearby? Yes — the exterior, entry spaces, and surrounding campus are open to the public. It photographs best in early morning or late afternoon light. A short drive away, the Salk Institute (Louis Kahn, 1965) is essential viewing and rounds out what is arguably the greatest concentration of mid-century institutional architecture in California.
Geisel Library, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, University of California, San Diego.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like The Philips Exeter Academy Library: A Cathedral of Learning and Lauinger Library: A Brutalist Take on Romanesque Design.
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