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Interview with Ofga |
Home > Designer Interviews > Ofga |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Ofga (O) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Ofga by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
O: I remember drawing up epic space battles long before I acquired the skills to narrate in writing. Drawing was always the most natural way for me to communicate, and I guess I wanted to be a ‘designer’ as soon as I realized that was a viable profession.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
O: OFGA was founded as an outlet for my partner and I to engage in the quest for something good. I’ve come from a background of large-scale commercial projects, and looking back at my professional career before OFGA, the experience that I was most proud of are moments when I truly felt that design connected people and gave people new ways of experiencing life. Design is our vehicle.
FS: What is "design" for you?
O: To me, when I think of Design I always first think of the verb. To “design” is a process. A process of articulation, of problem-solving, of understanding, and ultimately of giving that new understanding a form. A good process is dynamic, able to be responsive to the context of its creation.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
O: Rather than a favorite type of projects, what I think is more critical to the success of the project, and therefore by extension, my enjoyment of the work, is to have a considered design process. In my experience, this has to be protected by a realistic understanding of the ambition, duration, and cost of the work.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
O: My first design was a glass awning for the Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. It was during my first internship with Kohn Pederson and Fox. The hospital was undergoing a major renovation, and for energy considerations, wanted patrons to use the revolving doors to either side of the main entrance. I proposed a scheme that featured a T-shape structure. The awning would be on axis and therefore complementary to the existing tri-parti facade, whilst encouraging patrons to walk on either side of the column, and hence heading naturally towards the revolving doors.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
O: I love working with cement or more specifically cement base materials such as terrazzo, self-leveling floors, GRP, GRC. Archicad is a great documentation platform that integrates well with some of the other software that we use for design investigation, such as sketch for modular design and rhino for complex surfaces.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
O: In general, early mornings, usually during or shortly after exercise.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
O: I focus on the effect, and often this means editing down a design until there is nothing we can remove. We then built it up again and the process repeats.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
O: It’s usually fear at the beginning, but as soon as I start working, and a process emerges, a calmness takes over.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
O: There is always the excitement but also a healthy dose of trepidation. When you come face to face with your creation, it is at that moment that you really put down your pencil, and your child is released into the world.
FS: What makes a design successful?
O: To me, I think a design is successful if it engages its user in a meaningful manner, perhaps even outside of its original creator’s intent.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
O: My first question is whether or not the design communicates an opinion about the subject. Then I consider the execution of the opinion, and whether or not the opinion sparks something new for the subject matter. For example, let's consider the design of fine china for creme brûlée. The opinion could be an ideal ratio of custard to crust, and its execution in the depth to perimeter ratio of the cups design. The most interesting projects often postulate a different approach to the subject and thereby gives the subject a new lease of life.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
O: Designers are often a small piece of a much larger machine at work. It is very easy to get lost in the process, especially in public works. We must not forget design’s ability to inspire and to give balance to the voices and environmental considerations that do not get enough representation.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
O: The technological advance is certainly impacting the way design is conceived and consumed. I think over time it will widen the gap between genuinely considered design from mass-market designs that can be generated more effectively by smarter and smarter algorithms.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
O: Fringe club Hong Kong 2005. It was a photography exhibition showing photographs that captured emotions from Rome when Pope John Paul II passed. I was on a six-month exchange program at the time, learning Italian and photography when this momentous event swept over the city. I would like to hold another exhibition after I have completed our first set of residential interventions in Hong Kong that deals with the prevailing attitude towards residential design.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
O: My design inspiration often comes from studying the subject matter, often in the context of its own trajectory. This becomes a reference point for new creation. Clients and constraints are two other important and often an under-credited source of momentum.
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
O: I don’t actively subscribe or prescribe to a style when designing, but I have been told that my work gives people a sense of calmness.
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
O: I live in Hong Kong, and compared to Shanghai or New York where I’ve spent much of my adult life, Hong Kong, by comparison, is like a crucible. The land is so precious here it exerts a tremendous pressure for everyone to approach dwelling as assets. Consequently, the dominant design strategy is to compartmentalize micro apartments to produce higher room counts and thus higher yield. This pressure, or rather the desire to resists this tendency has sharpened our sensitivity towards space, and given us a localized purpose.
FS: How do you work with companies?
O: Be honest and forthcoming.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
O: Communicate as clearly as possible your intent and constraints early on. Understand that the client and the designer have different roles to contribute and avoid micromanaging the process. Pay attention to see if the designer is able to address your concerns in the work and subsequent developments of the work.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
O: A desk and lamp from the 50s, Northern European.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
O: Don’t forget to live a full life. Your design will be better for it. Practice empathy. Learn to listen.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
O: Try to simplify things
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
O: learn and unlearn, stay open-minded.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
O: Pencil and trace paper, architectural graphic standard, scale.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
O: It's difficult and the results don't always grow with the time spent. I find that it helps to break down a large task into smaller bits and to invest your time in training good people so that they can carry on the work while another rests.
FS: How can people contact you?
O: info@ofag.co
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
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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