How a Canal Inspired Architects:

Spanish Revival in Florida ;
Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent, architect Addison Mizner was adding new excitement to Spanish Revival architecture.
Born in California, Mizner had worked in San Francisco and New York. At age 46, he moved to Palm Beach, Florida for his health. He designed elegant Spanish Revival houses for wealthy clients, purchased 1,500 acres of land in Boca Raton, and launched an architectural movement known as the Florida Renaissance.

High Style Spanish Revival in Santa Barbara, California :
Possibly the most famous examples of Spanish Revival architecture can be found in Santa Barbara, California. Santa Barbara had a rich tradition of Hispanic architecture long before Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue unveiled his vision of a Mediterranean skyline. But after a massive earthquake in 1925, the town was rebuilt. With its clean white walls and inviting courtyards, Santa Barbara became a showplace for the new Spanish style.
A landmark example is the Santa Barbara Courthouse designed by William Mooser III. Completed in 1929, the Courthouse is a showplace of Spanish and moorish design with imported tiles, enormous murals, hand-painted ceilings, and wrought iron chandeliers.

How a Canal Inspired Architects:
In 1915, gates to the Panama canal swung open. To celebrate, San Diego - the first North American port of call on the Pacific Coast - launched a spectacular exposition. The chief designer for the event was Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, who had a fascination for Gothic and Hispanic styles.
Goodhue did not want the cold, formal Renaissance and Neoclassical architecture that was normally used for expositions and fairs. Instead, he envisioned a fairytale city with a festive, Mediterranean flavor.