Fred Rieber

Fred_RieberBeing born and raised in a working class, immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, deeply planted seeds of creativity and imagination. The diverse families who lived on my block were from all parts of the world. My young imagination created games, theatre, adventure and shelter. It was the “virtual” world we played in!

Ability in math and an aptitude for art led me to architecture and to the School of Design, Architecture and Art at the University of Cincinnati where I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture. The curriculum instilled in me the methodology of problem solving and the critical value of concept… In school, I always leaned toward highly conceptual ideas!

This talent came into profound focus while serving in the Peace Corps, Marrakesh, Morocco. My assigned project was to design high density, low income housing for poor, illiterate families living on the outskirts of major cities in “Bidonvilles” (temporary shelters made of tin and scraps). The first site visit impacted me as I had an “awakening”, demanding both creative and pragmatic skills. My innovative solution received recognition from the United Nations and went on to become Morocco’s prototypical urban housing standard.

Back home in the U.S.A. my journey took me from the office of I.M. Pei in New York where I honed my design skills, to my own practice in Los Angeles where I learned the art of listening. I moved to San Francisco to direct the interior design and renovation of Levi Strauss & Co.’s Icehouse while at Swatt Architects. Another unique opportunity came my way when I became the design principle of Space, an international strategy and workplace design firm. Interestingly, I found that strategic thinking need not be an end in itself but a driver of innovative thinking (Indeed, my comfort zone!) Serving as global corporate designer for Gartner afforded me the opportunity to realize the potential of linking strategy and design and, of critical importance, linking both to today’s Algorithmic Revolution.

Ted Pratt and I have partnered to add dimension and depth to the practice of architecture… Think, Work, Live, Fun… and bring the richness of our experiences to our clients.