David Brodie

Emeritus Professor

David Derek Arthur Lind Brodie, former emeritus professor, peacefully passed on November 30, 2023 in San Luis Obispo after a long illness. Born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, David was a globetrotter exposed to a cross disciplinary education. With a Bachelors of Architecture from Cape Town University, he would later spend time in London; studying furniture design, practicing architecture with his brother-in-law Manfred Berlowitz, working in landscape architecture, interior design, and creating theater set designs. Though after some time, David would go on to the University of California, Berkeley, to obtain his Masters of Architecture and becoming an Assistant Professor for seven years before joining the Cal Poly community. 

During his time at Cal Poly, David taught both architecture and city regional planning along with coordinating the Fontainebleau Exchange Program. After retirement, David continued to mentor and tutor within and outside the teaching environment. His message to the youth was to show initiative, challenge, themselves, and create and seize new opportunities.

Another part of David Brodie' life was devoted to civic affairs. David worked to elect a number of notable candidates including County Planning Commissioner Anna Alexander, Senator Diane Feinstein, and then Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Locally with his friends, Allan Cooper and Elizabeth Abrahams, David founded the Save Our Downtown citizen activist group.The group aimed to give a voice to the average citizen when the City had shown bias in community development priorities. Concerned for the preservation of San Luis Obispo's unique qualities, David fought to preserve human centric communities. 

David is survived by his beloved sister, Ravena and two nieces Andrea and Vanessa, nephews Blaise, Milo, and Cameron, and family all in the West of England.