Steinbrueck's focus on the character of Seattle's architecture and urban places dates from the early 1950s when he authored "A Guide to Seattle Architecture", which was published for the American Institute of Architects' national convention held in Seattle in 1953. Steinbrueck went on to publish several other books promoting awareness of the city's unique character: "Seattle Cityscape" (1962; published to coincide with Century 21, the Seattle World's Fair), "Market Sketchbook" (1968), and "Seattle Cityscape #2" (1973).