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Class in the Spotlight
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Crow focuses on human factors in interior design
 Photo by Dennis Burnett Interior design professor Tray Crow said he enjoys the creative, collaborative environment at SCAD. By Monique Bos Published: Friday, March 23, 2007 One of the aspects of interior design that Savannah College of Art and Design professor Tray Crow (M.F.A., 2000) enjoys is the way it can positively impact people. “I’m really interested in spaces that affect our lives,” he said. “I’m focused on human-centered design and awareness, the impact on our well-being … I think all spaces can be good for you.” He has applied these values to his work in a diverse area of interior design arenas — residential, corporate, commercial and healthcare. “The residential market is great because it’s so personal,” he said. “Commercial interiors affect so many people.” His most recent commercial project was Clipper Trading Co. on Broughton Street in Savannah. He collaborated with SCAD colleagues Deborah Brooks and Susan Parker Roberts on the store. “It was a full renovation of the space with new branding concepts,” he explained. “Basically, it was a new store layout and design. We reused a lot of fixtures and tried to keep what was already there … We built as few walls as we could and really left an open warehouse feel. It’s a historic building so we kept as much character as possible.” Crow, who has taught at SCAD for seven years and served as interior design chair for five, brings both his experience and his perspectives to bear in his Studio V courses, which focus on hospitality design. “Being able to be with students throughout the learning process has been so much more rewarding to me than professional work — not to slight professional work in any way,” he said. “Teaching is a way of giving back.” He emphasizes the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration to his students and has been instrumental in developing opportunities such as charrettes involving students from the architecture, fashion, fiber, furniture design and interior design departments. “Through my career, I’ve looked for collaborative opportunities for students and faculty,” he said. “I see interior design as a hub. Graphic design, furniture design and product design all come into play; it’s one of the … places we can all come together and collaborate.” When he and furniture design professor George Perez organized a charrette, they gave students questionnaires at the conclusion. “We asked what their experiences were like and if they had preconceived notions,” Crow explained. “I like to push that and look for them to get involved in different types of ways and different areas. There was no grade attached. I think it was a very successful experience, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” During winter quarter, Crow flew up to Washington, D.C., with five students to evaluate space at the Smithsonian Institution and develop plans for a retail venue. “We got some really creative, innovative designs for the space,” he said. “The students were required to do client interviews while they were there, as well as a building analysis and evaluation of existing conditions. They worked as a team to develop interview questions for the client and then broke off on their own.” He added, “The students really loved it. It was a learning experience, and everyone was just thrilled with the work.” Hand-in-hand with Crow’s interest in how interior spaces affect people is an awareness of the importance of environmentally friendly practices and materials. “Another big focus of mine is sustainable design and designing healthy environments,” he explained. “As an artist I’ve always … looked at every human condition as a response to nature. I grew up in the recycling era, so at an early age I was very aware of the impact we have on the earth.” He is especially interested in applying sustainability principles to hospitality design, he said. “It’s one of the most wasteful industries out there,” he explained. “I’m interested in looking at ways you can reduce waste in areas like washing all the sheets and towels.” He added, “It’s a principle I push on my students when I teach the hospitality studio: How can you create these beautiful environments people want to stay in, but at the same time not leave a footprint?” Like many of his colleagues in the SCAD School of Building Arts, Crow is accredited by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design council. He also is active on the Interior Design Educators Council’s sustainable design task force. “Crystal [Weaver, dean of the School of Building Arts,] supports LEED so wholeheartedly,” he said. “We’re very lucky in that way. The college is a member of the United States Green Building Council, and we attend monthly meetings of the Savannah chapter. It’s a great learning opportunity for not only students, but professionals and faculty members alike.” The focus on sustainable design is only one of the many aspects of SCAD that he likes. “It’s a great place. The focus is on teaching, and I like that,” he said. “I think the students we get here come in committed to the arts … They’re excited, interested in learning [and] so much further ahead.” When he isn’t in the classroom, Crow has brought his interior design skills to bear in real estate; he has renovated three houses, ranging from 1,200-2,200 square feet, in Savannah. He said he also enjoys “doing stuff outdoors with my dog.” And he works for Stand Out Youth, a group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. “Our mission is to provide support, resources and programming to those of the LGBTQ youth community,” he explained. “I volunteer as a facilitator for the group and help with programming.” Ultimately, he said, “I consider myself a lifelong student. I like being in an environment in which I’m constantly learning.”  |
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