The LOEB Fellowship

Wolfgang Rieder is an Austrian entrepreneur and CEO of Rieder Group, founded in 1958, which he has led on a transformative journey, and into its third generation, since joining in 2003. He considers what he calls “the currently disrupted design value chain” and initiatives like zero-waste buildings and cities as keys toward encouraging the building industry to become more resource-friendly–or, in the words of Phineas Harper, to “challenge contemporary material culture and our compulsion for durability.”

Contributing and giving back are of paramount importance for Rieder. He sees engagement with leading design and architectural schools as part of his societal responsibility. Among other activities, he has served as a member of the External Advisory Board for Harvard’s Master in Design Engineering program since its founding in 2016. From the start of his career, Rieder has been committed to innovative solutions that anticipate the needs of future generations of designers; the promotion of young talents in architecture and collaborations with established artists are fundamental to his work.

A graduate of the Vienna University of Economics, Rieder lives with his family on an organic farm in Maishofen, Salzburg, and on Vancouver Island.

See Wolfgang’s Fall 2019 “Meet the Loeb” address here.