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‘Never, never, never quit’: Bradley DeBose ’10 building better world through architecture

Liberal Arts alumnus Bradley DeBose ’10 never quits. As a successful architecture professional, he’s never quit on a project, a chance to help people or an opportunity to support young professionals.

DeBose serves as the pursuit manager for Urbahn Architects, a large architecture firm in New York City. Beyond architecture, he’s also on the board of non-profit organizations that support affordable housing, family stability and emerging professionals, while also owning his own architecture consulting company, BUDesigns.

Throughout it all, DeBose uses what he learned at Auburn to shape the world.

“A Liberal Arts degree doesn’t narrow you to one technical track. Instead, it trains you to read situations, understand people, ask better questions and make a case for your ideas,” DeBose said. “Critical thinking, writing, speaking, collaboration and curiosity are not ‘soft’ skills. They are leadership skills and the foundation of many successful careers. They translate everywhere.”

An artistic foundation

When DeBose was just seven years old, he won his first art competition. He used a pack of colored pencils, gifted by his Aunt Lula, to draw a piece about a Native American sitting outside, enjoying the landscape.

His work was featured on the Ann Varnum Morning Show in Dothan, Alabama. Beyond the positive attention and a new artwork for his Aunt Lula, DeBose gained an understanding of how we interact with our environment.

DeBose won several art competitions throughout his childhood in Alabama and had his art displayed in the Wiregrass Museum of Art. His higher education career began at Wallace Community College, where he studied art and architectural design.

Through his early studies, DeBose found a passion for storytelling through a combination of art and architecture.

“I realized I wanted to work in a field where design could shape everyday life,” DeBose said. “A Liberal Arts education helped me understand that the built environment reflects our values as a society. Where we invest in thoughtful design, and where we do not, says a lot about who we believe matters. I wanted to work at that intersection of design and equity, and architecture offered a path to do that.”

Academic elevation

Auburn built on his foundation as an artist and architect. His ceramics course helped him understand form and function, while his sculpting class pushed him to think critically about how people and space shape each other.

An education in the arts taught DeBose intentionality behind each brushstroke – a specific kind of communication architects need to explain each detail. His other courses equipped him to communicate clearly, think critically and lead confidently.

“The Liberal Arts program gave me the freedom to study people, culture, history and communication, and I knew those perspectives would serve me well no matter what field I entered,” DeBose said. “I chose Auburn because I believed it would help me grow into the kind of professional and person I wanted to become, and it delivered on that.”

Following his graduation from Auburn, DeBose earned a master’s in architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He’s since helped drive storytelling through architectural graphics and communications at Gensler in Atlanta; designed at DIGroupArchitecture, Jorge Mastropietro Architects Atelier and ZGF Architects in New York; and directed design and marketing for Façade Solutions New York.

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He’s been at Urbahn Architects since 2021, where he oversees every phase of architectural projects. From coordinating proposals to building teams to launching ribbon-cuttings, Urbahn’s projects – which include accessible public transportation construction, higher education centers and health care facilities – rely on DeBose’s leadership and communication.

Urbahn’s decades-long commitment to designing civic, educational, health care and justice-focused spaces connected DeBose’s personal mission of giving back and passion for storytelling through design.

His path from Auburn to his current role at Urbahn Architects was far from linear, but DeBose said he never lost faith because of the skills and mindset he developed on the Plains.

"One thing I learned from Auburn is the knowledge that I can do anything I want to do and become anything I want to become. I pinned this quote: ‘Never, never, never quit.’ I started saying that at Auburn University, and I’ve used that as momentum to help as many people as I can."

Bradley DeBose '10

Keystones of success

If you’ve been on a New York subway or toured schools in New Jersey, you’ve probably seen DeBose’s work. But for many in the area, his impact is felt most at home.

Through the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Civic Leadership Program, DeBose co-led a public program that brought together architects, designers, tenant association presidents and legislative staff to shape investment in affordable housing.

He’s worked to center resident voices in policy decisions and written about housing models designed to give working individuals experiencing homelessness long-term stability. Through the Family Promise of Hudson County, where he’s a trustee and building committee member, he helps families in crisis achieve independence with shelter designed to support them.

DeBose said an architect’s perspective is crucial to shaping policy for the benefit of residents.

“Architecture and design have historically excluded too many voices. That doesn’t change unless the people who make it through decide to hold the door open,” DeBose said. “The communities most affected by policy failures are often the ones with the least power to demand accountability. That’s exactly why professionals have a responsibility to show up and contribute their expertise.”

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To empower young and emerging professionals to find their place in the industry, DeBose serves on the National Organization of Minority Architects’ Elevate Committee and NYCOBA NOMA New York chapter board.

He regularly speaks to students and young professionals about defining their mission, building relationships and committing themselves to work that makes a difference.

“Mentorship is not something separate from my career. It’s central to it,” DeBose said. “One thing that really resonates with me is giving back and helping young, emerging professionals define their mission. For emerging professionals, you have to remember that your skills are tools, not the finish line. Use them in service of something larger than the next project or promotion.”

When DeBose reflects on Auburn, he remembers the community and friendship that gave him a foundation that he continues to build on today – and he’s far from finished making an impact.

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Tags: Art and Art History Alumni