With nearly two decades of experience in sustainable design and construction, and as the firm’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Trey is passionate about projects that make life better for people and our planet. He is LEED AP Certified as well as a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC). In addition to his architectural expertise, he is a certified permaculture designer and teacher.
Trey joined the Forge Craft team in 2016, drawn to the firm’s dedication to sustainable design, building science and the shared conviction that great design can solve big problems, improving lives in a tangible way.
Trey currently serves on the Austin Passive House Alliance Board, the National Passive House Alliance Council and Policy Committee, the Humid Climate Conference Steering Committee and the ULI Austin Resilience & Sustainability Committee. Trey is a Master of Architecture graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, holds a Master’s degree in Ecological Design from San Francisco Institute of Architecture and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Otago.
Prior to his architecture and design work, Trey worked as a writer, bartender, job coach, teacher, carpenter, natural builder, community organizer and orchardist. He enjoys gardening, swimming at Deep Eddy, hiking and spending quality time with his family in the passive house he designed with his wife.
Meet Scott Ginder, Founding Principal and Chief Executive Officer at Forge Craft Architecture + Design. Leveraging wide-ranging expertise in design, building technology and performance, Scott founded Forge Craft with Rommel Sulit to create spaces where people can be happier, healthier, safer, and more connected to one another and to nature. Scott brings a wealth of experience with projects of varying types and scales, leading a team defined by the determination to relentlessly push for design that inspires a new way of thinking about the built environment.
Originally from Pennsylvania, Scott earned his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Pittsburg and his Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Before founding Forge Craft, Scott spent 14 years in the office of Dick Clark, designing commercial projects, multifamily developments, custom homes, affordable housing, restaurants and retail spaces.
As CEO at Forge Craft, Scott takes special interest in supporting a work culture and environment that values health, creativity and excellence.
Scott’s approach reflects an equal focus on the art and science of our craft. An athlete at heart, Scott has always found fulfillment in unlocking full potential — a persistence he developed through decades of competitive cycling. He is constantly pushing for design and performance solutions that contribute to whole building health, encouraging our team to explore new territory in pursuit of advancing our craft.
Scott’s passion for design and appreciation of the natural world was largely influenced by his experience growing up in upstate New York, where he learned to live off the land, making maple syrup, harvesting honey, raising chickens, hunting, and foraging. In his continued mission to live in harmony with nature, Scott enjoys cultivating his home garden, which is powered by the family’s compost and rainwater collection system.
In addition to his firm leadership, Scott is actively involved in Austin’s creative community, previously serving as a board member for the Austin Playhouse, an organization for which he has designed a new theatre. His wife, Andrea, is an esteemed actor in the Austin theatre community, and his children, Olivia and Julian, continue to be an inspiration for his work and motivation to enhance the quality of life for all people – now and in the future — through design. In his free time, Scott can be found spending time with his family, sharing his love for nature and the arts.
Livia obtained her B.Arch from Auburn University and her M.S. Arch Option in Public Interest Design as a part of Auburn’s Rural Studio graduate research program. During her time at Rural Studio, she designed, built, and analyzed dwellings which utilize thermal mass and buoyancy ventilation as a climate-resilient, passive-cooling strategy. Livia moved to Austin to find work that aligns with her passion for creating a more equitable and climate-conscious built environment. When she’s not at work, you can typically find Livia sewing, baking, or singing in Austin’s Tapestry Women’s Choir. Otherwise, she spends lots of time in her garden with her partner, two cats and beloved pup.
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