Esslinger Building, San Juan Capistrano

The Esslinger Building looks like somebody accidentally dropped it on the way to somewhere else – maybe to Miami? It’s not that San Juan Capistrano wouldn’t deserve such a wonderful piece of streamline design. It just doesn’t really fit in. And it also doesn’t entirely fit our mid-century modern concept, but we consider the streamline modern architecture of the 1930s an important milestone on the road of modern design. The Esslinger Building is even listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Its story begins in 1937 when Dr. Paul H. Esslinger travels to Buenos Aires and, under the influence of this trip, decides to design his future medical office in the streamlined modern style. When completed in 1939, Esslinger’s clinic is more like an emergency hospital with 23 rooms. The medical office is sold in 1978 before the present owner brings i back to its former glory in 1982. By the way: On our latest visit to San Juan Capistrano, it had a very tempting »office spaces for rent« sign on the outside. Maybe it’s time to relocate…