Jon Jerde | 1940 - 2015

The Jon Jerde-designed Horton Plaza in San Diego, shown in 1985, with its post-modernist color scheme and split-level walkways, has been likened to an Escher drawing. The shopping center and entertainment complex is the centerpiece of downtown San Diego.  (Anthony Pidgeon / Getty Images/Lonely Planet Image)

Jon Jerde designed the Wynn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

The Freemont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas was designed by Jon Jerde.  (Gavin Hellier / Getty Images)

Jon Jerde designed Fashion Island, an upscale shopping center in Newport Beach.  (John Connell / Getty Images)

Los Angeles architect Jon Jerde redefined the shopping mall and other urban spaces in projects such as Universal CityWalk, Horton Plaza in San Diego and the 1984 L.A. Olympics.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

The Jon Jerde-designed Canal City Hakata, the biggest shopping mall in Fukuoka, Japan, is built around an artificial canal running off the Naka River.  (Rio Helmi / LightRocket via Getty Images)

Horton Plaza, designed by Jon Jerde, helped resuscitate San Diego’s deteriorating downtown.  (John Elk / Getty Images / Lonely Planet Image)

Jon Jerde designed the Seventh Market Place mall in downtown Los Angeles.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

The interior of the Westside Pavilion in West Los Angeles was designed to resemble a Paris arcade.  (Randy Leffingwell / Los Angeles Times)

Jon Jerde designed the Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon in Riverside County.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)