SJB

Founded in Melbourne in 1976 by Alan Synman, Charles Justin and Michael Bialek, SJB formed from a mutual passion for architecture and a shared commitment to collaboration. Almost five decades later, we are a multi-studio collective of experts in architecture, urban design, interiors and planning.

All of our work is based on a simple guiding principle: empathy. We pride ourselves on the strength, quality and longevity of our professional relationships. We cultivate an inclusive workplace where diverse perspectives and talents can flourish and we listen to, understand and interpret our clients’ needs with zeal.

Our directors each lead specialist teams built around people from diverse backgrounds, who speak different languages, and draw on far-reaching education and life experiences. This diversity, as well as our curious and exploratory way of approaching every project, allows us to see the full spectrum of possibilities available in the design process – and affords us the foresight to navigate to the exact combination of possibilities that best meet the needs of each project.

We approach every project with our focus fixed towards context. We investigate the unique characteristics of each site to understand and reframe meaning, ensuring our approach is grounded in an authentic understanding of place.

Through a rigorous process of interrogation – of our clients’ brief and aspirations; of the site and budget constraints; and of the necessary functional performance of the project – we discover the unexplored solutions that can be used to exceed expectations.