William Kesling

William Paul Kesling was an American architect whose career bridged the Streamline Moderne and International Style periods. Born William Paul Kessling on October 18, 1899, in Brenham, Texas, to German immigrant parents, he moved with his family to Calexico, California in 1916. After World War I, Kesling relocated to Los Angeles where he worked as a carpenter, eventually rising to superintendent within the Jarboe Construction Company. In 1926, he married Ehrma Williams and changed the spelling of his surname from 'Kessling' to 'Kesling' because he thought it looked better. Kesling claimed to have worked as Rudolf Schindler's draftsman in 1928 before establishing his own firm, Kesling Modern Structures, in 1935.

His career was divided into two distinct periods: a prolific Los Angeles period (1934-1937) during which he designed primarily in the Streamline Moderne style, and a San Diego period (1939-1962) characterized by International Style work. Legal troubles in the late 1930s over construction cost overruns led to his conviction and probation, after which he relocated to La Jolla in 1939. During World War II, he designed prefabricated housing for the US Navy. Kesling died on October 13, 1983, in San Diego from Alzheimer's disease, largely forgotten until his work was 'rediscovered' in 2000. Kesling was a pioneer in making modern architecture accessible and affordable to middle-class clients. His early work embraced the Streamline Moderne aesthetic with its characteristic horizontal lines, curved corners, and nautical-inspired details.