Designing his own Virginia Tech experience

Name: Ethan Greenough

Hometown: Christiansburg

College: College of Architecture, Arts, and Design

Major: Interior design

Favorite Hokie memory: “One of my favorite things was during freshman year, when I lived in CID [Creative and Innovative District residence hall]. I’ve always loved stargazing. There was a full moon happening that night, a special one that wasn’t going to happen for like 25 more years. I convinced half my floor to go out with me somewhere just off campus. It was negative 2 degrees with like 20 mph winds, and we got a tent together and just camped out and watched the moon. It was so much fun. Any of my memories with my friends are definitely the best ones.”

Plans after graduation: To be an interior designer and create designs that focus on sustainability. At some point, he would like to be a professor.

From Virginia Tech to Venice

Throughout his time at Virginia Tech, Greenough has taken advantage of the many opportunities both inside and outside the College of Architecture, Arts, and Design.

Greenough is the current president of Interior Designers for Education and Sustainability (IDEAS) at Virginia Tech. In his second year, he was a sophomore liaison, and, as a junior, he was vice president of the organization.

“When I got into the interior design program, I knew next to nothing about what it was. But I met people through IDEAS, and they quickly helped me out,” Greenough said.

The School of Design senior values the idea of leading by example. He joined organizations and programs to learn from upperclass students. Now, he leads younger students and supports them in their exploration of the college and the opportunities it offers.

He is also a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and the International Interior Design Association. The organizations help both students and professionals access interior design resources.

Not only has Greenough’s curiosity and ambition encouraged him to engage in and lead opportunities on campus, but it has also led him to explore overseas inspiration and experience.

Greenough traveled overseas to Florence, Italy, through the summer Interior Design Study Abroad program. During his 30-day learning experience, Greenough visited La Biennale di Venezia, the international cultural exhibition in Venice that focuses on contemporary art, architecture, and theatre.

From Florence to Venice and cities in between, Greenough absorbed as much of the natural environment and human-made creations that he could. Many of the buildings were places he had studied in his previous art history classes.

The future interior designer hopes to incorporate what he learned through the Virginia Tech study abroad program into his future projects. The highlight of the trip was visiting Venice and reflecting on the interpretations and implications of the masterpieces on display.

“I learned that design and art can come in a variety of ways,” Greenough said. “We saw a lot of collage work. It reinforced the idea that not everything I design has to be perfect. I can create things that I enjoy and that I’m happy with.”

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