Mario Joseph Ciampi (1907-2006)

Mario Ciampi was a native of San Francisco. His architecture education was varied in that he studied at the San Francisco Architectural Club (1927-29), was a Special Student at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (1930-32), and attended the Beaux Arts Institute in Paris (1932). During this time he apprenticed as a draftsman with Alexander Cantin and Dodge A. Riedy of San Francisco. He earned his certificate to practice architecture in 1935.

Ciampi eventually gained prominence within the profession by designing schools and churches in such fast-growing communities as Daly City. In 1959, for instance, his Westmoor High School in Daly City and Sassarini Elementary School in Sonoma received two of the five honor awards given that year by the American Institute of Architects. In the 1960s, his firm went on to design the remarkable Berkeley Art Museum and the Newman Center for the University of California. He won an AIA Honor award for the much published Junipero Serra Overpass for Highway 280 on the San Francisco Peninsula. In addition to his architectural projects, Ciampi was involved in a number of significant planning projects including a master plan for San Mateo County’s Jefferson High School District, St. Mary’s College in Moraga, and the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. Mr. Ciampi left his imprint on San Francisco as the consultant in charge of the city's 1963 downtown plan that included beautification of Market Street, the Embarcadero, and United Nations Plaza. He also served as a design consultant for The Golden Gateway, Yerba Buena Center, and the Ferry Plaza. According to his obituary “While many of the specifics were never implemented -- such as removing the wings of the Ferry Building to create a bayside plaza surrounding the campanile-like tower -- the result of his call for creating large squares along Market Street at BART stops is seen today at United Nations and Hallidie plazas.” He was elected a Fellow of the AIA in 1960.

Sources: Ciampi CV from the Ciampi collection files. King, John. “Mario Ciampi -- visionary, award-winning architect.” San Francisco Chronicle. Saturday, July 8, 2006.