We are continuing our series of articles that zoom in on an individual designer to give our readers a chance to get to know a person behind the beautiful designs on Arcbazar. Jeff Ribnik is one of our veterans, having participated in 65 competitions. He is also one of the top 50 designers, based on the number of competitions he won or was selected a finalist for. With his strong architectural background, we suppose it comes as no surprise.

Jeff attended architectural school at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia, and received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree there. He also taught there for a year and served as an assistant campus architect. He currently practices architecture in Columbus, Georgia, and enjoys to play tennis, garden and jog in his free time.

Making it to Arcbazar’s Top 50

Jeff was introduced to Arcbazar by his cousin – also an architect. “Design competitions were a part of my college education, and I always enjoyed the challenge of competing,” he shares during our chat. The road to Arcbazar’s Top 50 is never easy. The key to Jeff’s success was and still is in both carefully studying what the client has asked for, as well as anticipating other possibilities that the client may not have considered. “This is quite a challenge. Fortunately you can test potential new ideas by writing to the client on the competition’s ‘Wall’. It’s also important to gauge if the client is more budget conscious or mainly aesthetically concerned,” explains Jeff.

It is interesting, though, that some clients are highly specific about what they are looking for, while others give the designer lots of freedom to be creative.

Out of 65 competitions Jeff took part in, one stands out to him the most – a Hostel design competition in Connecticut. “All the other designers submitted beautifully designed and rendered modern structures. However, I decided to show a traditional rural farm inspired design. I would have been thrilled with a 3rd place finish, so I was ecstatic when I received the e-mail that I received 1st place.”

Technique and Source of Inspiration

While Jeff’s portfolio on Arcbazar includes everything – from remodeling to new residential to commercial designs – he personally prefers exterior facade design and curb appeal projects. He draws his inspiration from the surroundings

I love getting on Google Earth and getting a feel for the neighboring structures, so that my design can harmonize with the neighborhood

Jeff admires the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. “What a unique talent he was!”

To make sure his designs fulfill and exceed a client’s expectations, Jeff pays very close attention to his/her statement, looking for keywords and inspiration. Finally, he builds a virtual 3D model of the existing location, which enables him to present a complete vision of his design to the client.

Make sure to follow Jeff Ribnik’s Arcbazar page. For more tips, architectural trends and design inspirations, stay tuned!