Joshua Burdick of SBLM Architects: Inside the Quest to Balance Building Science with Hands-On Architectural Experience

As a part of my series about the ‘Five Things You Need To Know To Create A Highly Successful Career As An Architect’, I had the pleasure of interviewing Joshua Burdick.

Joshua Burdick is the founding partner and president of SBLM Architects, a dynamically impressive architecture firm with offices in New York City and Long Island, NY, Dallas, TX and Miami, FL. Since its inception in 1993, the firm has completed well over 5,000 projects with a notable roster of clients across its five principal-led Studios: 1) Healthcare & Wellness, 2) Education, 3) Mixed-Use Residential, 4) Retail/Commercial and 5) Civic. Joshua infuses passionate and creative thinking to the entire family of SBLM Studios. He’s focused on creating appropriate, sustainable and appealing design solutions while responding to the needs of a diverse clientele.

Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to this particular career path?

I believe I was born an architect so my story is pretty simple. Along a wall of my office where I have many different state architectural licenses, the most precious of those adorning that wall is my framed kindergarten report card that reads: Joshua is an active, self-sufficient child who is well liked by other children. He is at home in a group situation and often assumes a position of leadership. All activities appeal to Joshua. He especially likes block building and free dramatic play. Lately, he has shown an increased interest in drawing. The results of the Metropolitan Reading Readiness Test show he will do good work in 1A.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far?

I have many interesting stories — so many that I decided to write a book about a developer who wants to build a 600-story condo with elevators powered by NASA called ‘The Odyssey of the AOR’. It’s an entertaining satire that explores the many characters that are typically involved in condo development. The book’s been quite a success after which I decided to make a television pilot which has garnered 17 awards so far.

Do you have a favorite “life lesson quote”?

Life is a treasured experience. Use it to do good for the next generation.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now?

Many. Each SBLM Studio is (thankfully) quite busy and has their own very interesting challenges and opportunities. We have so many incredible projects in the works. It would be like asking the father of a family which child he likes best. I love all of our projects and find every single one of them to be exciting in their own way.

What do you think makes your company stand out?

SBLM has a wonderful can-do spirit and our diverse client base knows that. They all rely on us to respond with creative and thought-provoking solutions while considering and respecting their budgets. We are empowered by cross-industry collaboration and display an impressive transfer of knowledge from one Studio to another. On a mission to create a healthier, more resilient built environment, our team is dedicated to evolving the practice through advanced strategies and resources.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?

Actually, I had no help or encouragement except for a shrink who told me that if I focused my (what he saw as) talents, I’d have a stellar career.

Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success?

Curiosity, Respect for Others, Desire.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about architecture and the Real Estate industry in general?

Architecture is the most exciting career anyone could have. There’s so much to learn and embrace. I love working with so many different types of people. And finally, I enjoy being challenged by the many obstacles faced in architecture and design. This career path isn’t just about making a building “pretty”, it’s about creative thinking and problem-solving.

If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

One component that’s top of mind for me is the overtaking of CAD and Revit technology that has dwarfed the physics of building science. There are so many distractions that divert the fundamental focus of making a building work well. We have found that sending those who are inexperienced to the field tends to be worth more than simply working behind a computer, because they learn better from the hands-on experiences.

Ok, here is the main question of our interview. Can you please share with our readers the “Five Things You Need To Know To Create A Highly Successful Career As An Architect?”

One needs the following traits: Desire; Commitment; Curiosity; Porosity; Respect

Because of your position, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?

Respect for the humanity of others. We’re all here (on earth) for a short period of time.

Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you continued success.