Architecturally, is San Diego a debutante or...

Architecturally, is San Diego a debutante or a Brat City? (Is there a difference?) What is “googie” architecture? Can “good” architecture be legislated?

Such issues will be debated in the course of a 10-day spree of workshops, seminars, panel discussions and architectural tours of the city sponsored by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The third annual “San Diego: By Design Week” officially gets under way tonight with a reception at Ernie’s Place on the fifth level of Horton Plaza near Nordstrom’s. The public reception fetes about 140 members of AIA who have submitted entries in the institute’s annual design awards contest. Pictures of their designs will be on display all week at Ernie’s Place.

Conceived as a means of raising public consciousness regarding architecture, Design Week has caused dissention among local architects. For the past three years, the out of town design jurors who have voted on the awards, have generally dumped on San Diego architecture.

This year, the awards jury consists of architects who specialize in large urban projects.

“Juries come in and say, year after year, that the city is at a critical point, that what has been done has not been to the benefit of city, that we’re building a wall around the waterfront, that buildings downtown are not distinguished,” said Russ Stout, this year’s design awards chairman.

Not surprisingly, a number of local architects have complained.

“People that don’t want to hear that or want to say (San Diego’s architecture) is OK, blame it on the jury’s lack of experience,” Stout said. “In the past a big issue with the jury is that they’re always picking small projects (as winners). People say the people on the juries only specialize in small projects.”

Stout said that past juries have been criticized for not understanding the process of working with developers on large projects and the special constraints that imposes. This year, the awards committee has brought in a jury that is highly specialized in dealing in the urban environment and specialize in evaluating cities, he said.

Stout hopes that this year’s panel--Gerald Horn, Chicago; Brad Korder, San Francisco/Miami; Tony Lumsden, Los Angeles; Alexander Ward, New York--will either appease certain critics of the process or set the record straight about San Diego architecture once and for all.

By the way, if you really want to know what googie architecture is, check Wednesday’s schedule below.

E Design Week events:

Saturday, June 18, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Symposium: Vision 2020, Marston Building, 5th and C streets.

Centre City Bus Tour, 10 a.m., Downtown Information Center, 119 West F St.

Sunday, June 19, 1 p.m., Center City Walking Tour: Downtown Information Center.

Monday, June 20, 6 p.m. Round Table Discussion on Legislating Good Design, La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla.

Tuesday, June 21, AIA Spark Forum: “Function Versus Folly.” 7:30 p.m. San Diego Women’s Club, 2557 3rd Ave.

Wednesday, June 22, “Googie Architecture” slide lecture on Art Deco. 7:30 p.m., San Diego Women’s Club.

Thursday, June 23, American Planning Assn. Annual Banquet/Awards program, 7 p.m., Hyatt Islandia Hotel.

Saturday, June 25, Historical Homes Walking Tour, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Katherine Teats House, 3415 Albatross St. $5.

Center City Bus Tour, 10 a.m. Downtown Information Center.

Design Awards Gala Banquet: 6 p.m., Horton Court in Horton Plaza opposite Robinson’s. $25.