Finding inspiration closer to home
As a New River Valley local who grew up hiking and exploring the area, Greenough also draws inspiration for his designs from nature.
“You can ask either of my professors during second year; I’ve been told to stop using green so much in my projects,” Greenough said.
Because of his appreciation for the natural world, Greenough emphasizes the importance of sustainability in his work. He holds an LEED Green Associate credential. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a widely used green building rating system, and Greenough’s certification reflects his value and knowledge of healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving building practices.
In addition to finding inspiration in nature, Greenough has also learned the importance of other environmental influences.
When he is unable to land on a specific inspiration for a project, he takes a broader look at the site and what is happening, as well as what has previously happened in the area. “It’s something we learned pretty early on,” Greenough said. His current project is based in Chicago, where he drew inspiration from the historic unveiling of the first Ferris wheel at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.
Getting set up for success
The structure of the interior design program encourages camaraderie among students through group work, experiential learning opportunities, and even the physical layout of the studio.
“There’s this sense of bonding that happens in this college,” Greenough said. “I’ll be sitting at my desk, and I have my own space that I can customize however I want. It’s near my friends. I know that no matter what, I still have my friends near me.”
The studio environment also provides Greenough and his fellow interior design majors with hands-on learning opportunities, like taking software such as Midjourney and Revit on a trial run.
“Everything that we’re learning in our classes directly applies to the real world,” Greenough said. “I’ve used software I’m learning about in my four-hour studio in my internship.”
Greenough secured that summer internship, at AECOM, an architecture and engineering firm, through the help of Brad Whitney, program chair. At the office in Roanoke, he assisted the team with their projects, learning and absorbing the professional experience as much as possible. One of the responsibilities he was most proud of was working directly with the team to mark up his boss’ construction documents, which are final documents of building plans.
Greenough credits much of his development as an interior design student to the strong support system he found in the interior design program and in IDEAS. He expressed his enthusiasm toward supporting other students any way he can, returning the favor that more experienced students had extended to him.
“I think the interior design program is set up wonderfully,” Greenough said. “There are so many support systems set up in the program itself. It truly feels like I’m building a better future for myself.”
Greenough’s experiences as a Hokie represent the kind of transformational experiences that Virginia Tech seeks to make available to all students, regardless of their financial situations as part of the Virginia Tech Advantage.
Written by Ashley Falat, a junior communication major at Virginia Tech
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