Gensler is one of those architecture firms you hear about regularly as they’re busting at the seams with superb talent and incredible projects. Architect Jordan Goldstein is one of those people, whose career with the firm now spans two decades. The Washington, DC native earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Maryland, College Park before heading to the University of Pennsylvania to receive his Master of Architecture degree. After going to work at Gensler in 1996, his projects have landed him various awards and recognition in numerous publications, including Interior Design, Fortune, US News, and The Washington Post. Goldstein has twice been recognized as one of the city’s most influential business leaders by the Washington Business Journal in their “Power 100″ list. When he’s not designing any number of structures, he’s Gensler’s managing director of the 400-person Washington, DC office and the co-regional managing principal of Gensler’s Southeast US region. For this week’s Friday Five, Goldstein shares five things that drive his creativity.
1. Japanese Architecture

When I was in grad school, I had the chance to study traditional Japanese architecture overseas with a Japanese master. We traveled throughout the country, often staying in old ryokans and Shinto temples, sleeping on tatami mats in spaces defined by shoji screen walls. It was an eye-opening experience that gave me a deep appreciation o...