An USC graduate, Jerde achieved his fame for his 1977 design of the Horton Plaza in San Diego, where he rejuvenated the downtown core with a radical design. Since then, most of his works are synthetic urban experience such as the Universal CityWalk, the 1984 L.A. Olympic, and several Las Vegas mega-casinos.
Although highly artificial, his designs immerse visitors with fun filled experiences. His shopping malls consistently enjoy the highest per area sales volume.
Probably because he never design any major civic monuments such as museum or concert hall, his detractors criticize him as over commercialized by keeping foot traffic within the confine of the project, thus, not enriching the surrounding communities.