Following his graduation from U.C. Berkley, Ruocco returned to San Diego and worked within the offices of Requa Jackson as well as William Templeton Johnson. During this period he assisted on the 1935 Panama Exposition in Balboa Park, the County Administration Building as well as the master plan for Rancho Santa Fe under the supervision of Lillian Rice, his high school drafting instructor.

While growing increasingly dissatisfied with the rehashed revival styles that prevailed through the 1930's, Ruocco opened his own offices in hopes of bringing a more modern style of architecture to San Diego. He along with his wife Ilse Hamann Ruocco, an interior designer and artist, would go on to become San Diego's pioneering post-war modernists. Designing well over 100 projects throughout San Diego County, Lloyd is responsible for several projects that are considered to be some of the best examples of the mid-century modern period.

The elements of Lloyd Ruocco's designs have resulted in buildings that have themselves become works of art. Homes were sited to take advantage of spectacular views and to afford maximum privacy. Many of his buildings are wood with expansive glass. Post and beam construction provided maximum spaciousness and eliminated the need for load bearing interior walls. He frequently limited interior walls to door height and made up the difference with fixed glass transoms or clearstory windows to foster openness.

Universally respected as one of the fathers of San Diego's post war modern architectural movement, Ruocco was equally devoted to the art community as well as the city itself. His ultimate goal was to better the lives of the people of San Diego through his tireless efforts to promote and encourage art, architecture and design. Many would say that he achieved his goal. Instrumental in founding several community design organizations, Citizens Coordinate for Century 3 (C3) , Allied Artists and Allied Craftsmen. Lloyd Ruocco laid the foundation for architects, artists and designers to come. Following a career that would span nearly five decades Ruocco died in 1981 followed by his wife and partner Ilse just nine months later.

"Good architecture should call for the minimum use of materials for the most interesting and functional enclosure of space" - Lloyd Ruocco FAIA

Borrego Valley Design
Research and Text by William Lawrence

There is one known work of Lloyd Ruocco in the Borrego Valley and that is for agricultural pioneers Sam and Charlotte Fortiner, whose home was designed and built in 1950.

In 1941 Charlotte Fortiner graduated from San Diego State College (later San Diego State University) and went to work teaching art to children at Vista Junior High. During her years in college one of Charlotte's primary instructors was IIse Hamann Ruocco, the influential wife of Lloyd and founder of SDSU's Environmental and Interior Design Program. Ilse Ruocco recognized Charlotte's talents as a painter while in college and through their association the couples became friends . She remembers Ilse having Lloyd into class to lecture on architecture. She would visit the Ruocco's at their home where Ilse would stroll about in the buff on a balcony area as he, in a booming voice, went on about "his big, beautiful German wife" (Ilse was the daughter of a German cabinet maker)¹ Ilse also, on several occasions, helped sell some of Charlotte's art.

It was the fire that led the Fortiner's to Lloyd Ruocco and Lloyd Ruocco to Borrego. At the time money was tight for the Fortiner's (there had been no insurance on the home that burned). They also had a young and growing family. Lloyd and Ilse had visited Sam and Charlotte and camped and explored the desert. Lloyd offered to design them a replacement for the home that burned. Charlotte doesn't remember what fee if any they paid Lloyd for the design. The construction work was in large part done by Sam and the ranch hands.

The home's design is rectangular with two baths in a central core that divides the two bedrooms from the kitchen and living area. The baths feature skylights. Trusses, designed by Ruocco and welded by Sam Fortiner out of irrigation pipe and rebar, support the roof and allow for large expanses of open space. The interior ceiling was built using reused stakes. The trusses and roof extend out to cover the patio to provide additional living space. Interior walls are not full ceiling height, which accentuates the feeling of openness and allows light to move between the rooms. Windows are at sitting level and provide a band of exterior views.

As years past in the field the glads gave way to citrus. The family needs for space also expanded. In 1961 Lloyd Ruocco designed a master suite addition for the Fortiner's. Charlotte says "Lloyd said the first design was on a shoe string, but now we could we could afford what he wanted to design and build" The result is breathtaking. The single master suite is across from the main house and accessed through the covered patio. Construction is of masonry block in an arc that leads from the patio down a path and into the private, wood paneled space. The room also functions as an office, with built in desk and storage. An expansive bath and changing room complete the wing. A small sitting area features various pieces of textured glass that Ruocco asked Charlotte to design. It provides light and privacy and makes the wood paneling glow.

The Fortiner's and their home have been featured in numerous stories on the Borrego Valley and architecture, including a story published nationwide in the January 1951 edition of Red Book Magazine headlined "This is the Life!".

The article ends:

"Charlotte hopes eventually to find more time for painting. On their living
room wall is her most ambitious effort to date. It's her interpretation of
the quote from Isaiah "And the Desert shall rejoice and blossom." She has
painted an Indian Girl who holds a cactus plant under her arm and is shaking
hands with a young man who holds an armful of plants. There's a gladiolus in evidence.
"The girl represents the desert", says Charlotte. Then she adds quietly, "And the
man - well, he's just a plain American…like Sam."

More than a half century later the desert where now a 2nd generations of Fortiner's live and work has bloomed; .and this piece of art continues to be displayed in a home that is in itself, a work of art.

Editor's Note: Todd Pitman, who has extensively researched Lloyd Ruocco and is preparing a book on his work notes the following:

"Many of the homes that express the best of Ruocco's architectural vernacular have been lost. Designs that demonstrate not only his design sensibility but in addition exhibit Ilse's influence on his approach are indeed very rare. The Ruocco's first home, Il Cavo ("the cave") which was internationally recognized was destroyed in the 80s and their second home Solari ("of the Sun ") was substantially altered. The Northcutt Residence (1949) was raised in Coronado a few years ago. More recently the Grossmont Spec House (1968) one of the rare Lloyd an Ilse collaborative designs came down just last year. The point is that Lloyd Ruocco is clearly San Diego's most influential post war modernist and it is in fact Borrego Springs that may contain one of his last great remaining original designs. As an artist Charlotte's association with Ilse Ruocco and the relationship of the two couples in the early 40s makes the Fortiner Residence rich not only in Borrego history but in the history of mid-century design in San Diego County."