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Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Naai-Jung Shih (NS) for A' Design Awards and Competition. You can access the full profile of Naai-Jung Shih by clicking here. Access more information about the award winning design Vapor Breeze here. |
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Interview with Naai-Jung Shih at Friday 3rd of May 2019 FS: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design? NS: The concept of this design was originated from the rolling and rising configuration of vapor out of a cup of tea. The steaming mist is so elegant and imaginative that it has created a rising dynamics of essence. The lights and shadows seem flowing around the body and switching constantly. The elegance of essence needs to be captured and frozen into a form that we can enjoy every day. FS: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve? NS: The enshrouding mist is now substantiated by a rolling surface. The entire set can be put on desktop or any flat surface for pleasant visual and touching experience. The entire body reveals a mysterious conversation between vapor and lights. The symbolized vapor strips circle entire body with a streaming effect. The holes let people see the depth of the vapor in a mist. The pointed base is designed purposely to make the set look like floating in the air. The pot and cup share the same vocabulary of geometry and visual language. Cup shares the same dynamic theme in a more open-up manner. FS: What are your future plans for this award winning design? NS: Promote it, sale it, or keep developing it in different scales, materials, or under different themes. FS: How long did it take you to design this particular concept? NS: This project started as early as 2016 in Taipei. Various types of configuration were explored in several on-and-off preliminary tests without s particular function in mind. The specific set was finalized as how the parts were shaped and assembled in 2018. The duration of last presentation was about two months of intensive works. FS: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration? NS: This design is not commissioned and acts as a pursuit of an inspiration. FS: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself? NS: This design was not produced or used by another company. To sell or lease related production rights are welcome, although I prefer to produce this work myself. FS: What made you design this particular type of work? NS: A dynamic interpretation of geometries and spaces is always the focus of my design. This is a pursuit of an inspiration and re-interpretation of a form that has been in my mind for a while. FS: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work? NS: No other designs and designers that helped the influence the design of my work. FS: Who is the target customer for his design? NS: The potential target customers include interior designers and architects to be added as part of design or decoration, or for private collectors for personal collections. FS: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts? NS: here might be design with similar concepts, but it’s the manner of interpretation in terms of configuration that makes difference. FS: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean? NS: The concept of this design was originated from the rolling and rising configuration of vapor out of a cup of tea. The steaming mist is so elegant and imaginative that it has created a rising dynamics of essence. FS: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project? NS: This configuration was made by applying a thicken function to a thin layer of hyperbolical surface instead of sculpting from a cube primitive. The curve was modified by a mathematic equation. This shift of design paradigm offers me a great freedom and opens up a whole new set of vocabulary during the creation process. FS: What is the most unique aspect of your design? NS: The enshrouding mist is now substantiated by a rolling surface. The entire body reveals a mysterious conversation between vapor and lights. FS: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills? NS: Nobody collaborates with me for this design. The 3D printed parts were made by paid output service. The finish was made by paid coating service. FS: What is the role of technology in this particular design? NS: This shift of design paradigm offers me a great freedom and opens up a whole new set of vocabulary during the creation process. The complicated shape can only be made by 3D printer followed by a delicate painting process in white. It makes me believe there is a strong connection between the order of mathematics and daily life aesthetics. FS: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design? NS: Researches were made to the composition of materials with sufficient heat resistance to temperature. The shape with continuous effect was also studied to ensure a smooth dynamic order occurred between vapor, water, tea, and essence. FS: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept? NS: The most challenging part of all was to create a vapor vocabulary that lets the edges and surfaces of the cube being self-evolving. The selection of color was also a challenge that has to make the opaque body look light-weighted like the mist in the air with a sense of transparency. The answer is a white color that can use light and shadow to enhance the product image during tasting. The passages through the teapot and cup body create 3D channels inside as a pattern interlaced with tea. The composition makes the looks inside interesting too. FS: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition? NS: It is a self-promoting or self-evolving process to become part of an international design competition. FS: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work? NS: A design work was improved through stages of development in a recursive loop of examination under different scales. That’s why some design works were made more than one year. FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions? NS: There is always issue to be addressed. Let’s keep it open for next year or next
A' Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers. |
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Good design deserves great recognition. |
A' Design Award & Competition. |