3
Norm Applebaum Architect
SAN DIEGO, CA
N
orm Applebaum has made his name a pillar in the world of California
architecture by focusing on two simple elements: the client and the
architecture. His buildings possess distinct forms and without duplication.
His dream is to create something beautiful, a work of art, without sacrificing
the home's functionality. "If the home doesn't function for my clients, it isn't
architecture," Mr. Applebaum states.
Architecture, and everything that goes into it, is a way of life for this
architect. Studying space is the essence of his craft, and he firmly believes
that any architect who designs solely on paper or computer with no study
model, will never create an intelligent building. Architecture is a holistic
entity, it's all-encompassing. Mentored by the late Calvin Straub, FAIA,
Norm graduated in 1968 from the College of Architecture at Arizona State
University in Tempe, Arizona, and was influenced by the late Cliff May, father
of the California Ranch House. He learned from both the importance of the
site and its surroundings, and how to integrate those elements into a home's
design. Many of Mr. Applebaum's thoughts come from his background as a
jazz trombonist, relying on creativity and improvisation that was honed many
years ago. "The ability to improvise jazz freely and generate original ideas
correlates directly with my architectural process."
