John Sheehan, FAIA

John is a native of the Golden State, born in San Francisco in 1960. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1984. In 1986, he pursued a Graduate Design Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, England. John worked at various offices in Boston before moving to San Diego in 1989 to join his former Cal Poly classmate Eric Naslund at Studio E Architects.

John’s career has focused on producing thoughtful, sustainable, and life-affirming places for communities historically underserved by the profession. Fueled by an optimistic pragmatism - his work has wrested the exemplary from the unlikely. John has embraced the kit-of-parts of the region and created constructions of quirky complexity and unexpected richness. Making meaningful places from ordinary programs, slim budgets, and leftover sites -he has taken full advantage of the no-cost, natural “givens” of the West Coast – the sunlight, the breeze, and the landscape.

John has lectured at USC, Woodbury University, San Diego’s New School of Architecture, and the Monterey Design Conference. He is a frequent speaker at housing design conferences.

John has a keen interest in history and travel. After hours are spent hiking, biking, kayaking, making good food, and spending time with his wife and three children.