Joel Burke is trained as an architect and is the founder of JRB Design, an independent design practice that is based in Columbus and focused on residential architecture, exhibit design, and immersive spatial experiences. His work has spanned large-scale corporate and institutional environments, highly detailed residential renovations, custom installations, and community-focused neighborhood projects.
He earned his undergraduate degree in architecture from Knowlton School and his Master of Architecture from Yale School of Architecture. Over 16 years in professional practice, he has worked within corporate, boutique, and independent architecture studios, developing experience across healthcare, workplace, retail, residential, and experiential design.
His work is driven by close collaboration with clients and a strong interest in problem-solving through design. He enjoys helping clients navigate challenges they may not initially anticipate while developing thoughtful and highly tailored solutions. He believes meaningful design can emerge at any scale, from major institutional projects to small neighborhood renovations and community-based initiatives informed by his ongoing involvement within his neighborhood of German Village.
In teaching, he emphasizes curiosity, experimentation, and process-driven design thinking. He enjoys learning from students and adapting his teaching methods to support different approaches to communication, representation, and spatial exploration. His studios often encourage hands-on making, iterative design development, and the integration of conceptual thinking with practical problem-solving, reflecting the evolving relationship between architecture, interiors, art, and fabrication.
