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Interview with Zhifeng Xu |
Home > Designer Interviews > Zhifeng Xu |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Zhifeng Xu (ZX) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Zhifeng Xu 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?
ZX: Architecture was my undergraduate major, but I was exposed to contemporary art earlier than architecture, because I'd chosen one course titled "20th century art history in Europe" at the 1st year, and my major courses actually start at the 2nd year.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
ZX: I established my design studio in 2013, by very occasion for issue official invoices, because freelancing was and is not encouraged in China, once it set up, it also changed my mode immediately.
FS: What is "design" for you?
ZX: An efficient solution with your signature on.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
ZX: All kinds, or different kinds, and small scales.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
ZX: SSS Litter Bin and every new designed project: )
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
ZX: A gallery extension.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
ZX: Metal>concrete>wood.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
ZX: Never. Yes.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
ZX: Concept and details.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
ZX: Supper rational.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
ZX: Excited beneath my skin.
FS: What makes a design successful?
ZX: Good communication and trusts with limited budget.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
ZX: Good photography?
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
ZX: Cost efficiency and function sustainability.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
ZX: AI and parametric design? and small anti-design design?
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
ZX: Never thought about it.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
ZX: City streets I live, exhibitions I went through, and all kind of medias around me.
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?
ZX: Maybe I can better answer myself next year, I don't see a style yet, and I am not very hurry for it, let it be naturally visible.
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?
ZX: Shanghai is my base for 15 years, it's been constantly great during the years, you seen never not enough destructions and constructions, it has the history of international fusion. The pro is you always feel there's possibilities, and the con is this process might take actually longer than it should be.
FS: How do you work with companies?
ZX: Project based.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
ZX: It very hard to create the trusts, and different designer has very different characters/styles, so match is also very important.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
ZX: Mental construction with computer simulation adjustment.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
ZX: My lighter, Macbook Pro, my bag, my own designed light.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
ZX: Coffee break the day, following a cigarette, that's my day.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
ZX: I am young designer, stay young is my advices.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
ZX: You looks rich but you never the rich.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
ZX: If there's no a platinum rule exists is the golden rule.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
ZX: Language, perception, vision.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
ZX: Sketchup+AI
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
ZX: Good question, sense of obligation and enjoy what you are doing, or choose what you enjoy to do.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
ZX: A week or 2.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
ZX: How my ideas constructed or started, maybe.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
ZX: Working as representative and came across many manufacturers around Shanghai is very beneficial.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
ZX: Secrets.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
ZX: With clear needs and contexts.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
ZX: No concrete plans, work with what comes to me for the moment.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
ZX: Mostly myself.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
ZX: No the moment.
FS: How can people contact you?
ZX: Email, phonecall, wechat and other social medias.
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
ZX: No.
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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