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Interview with Hung Yu Chen |
Home > Designer Interviews > Hung Yu Chen |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Hung Yu Chen (HYC) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Hung Yu Chen 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?
HYC: The gene of loving beauty has been hidden inside me since I was a child.Because my background was Medical science,being a doctor is a job that concerns people and human life also fills with the interaction between people and life circle which is being born,getting old,sick and die.So does the Design.To me,design is about people,life and environment.All things are related to art.Therefore,designing itself is to bring the element of design into life and make people have connections with beauty then let it practice in your life.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
HYC: Our design studio has been established around 18 years since 2001.Me and my business partner who is also my wife met each other at school.She was initially majored in fashion design but then she turned her passion into architecture.We all agree to keep the size of the studio not too big and create a space where people could have interaction with each other because we like to have our working partners to own the similar thoughts toward people and life.
FS: What is "design" for you?
HYC: Designing is all about people.To make people interact with the space,having expectations to life,that is design.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
HYC: Designing a work has to do with the material.No matter it is wood,stone,fabric or metal,to me,bringing out all the materials their basic quality is the very essence of design.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
HYC: As long as the work shows the essence of its material is the design I like.For example,different fabrics applied in different designs have different effects.In the process of interior design,let the wood shows its warm quality and the metal shows its own luster.It is all about the essence.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
HYC: It was a new wedding house design for my childhood sweetheart who is my first love.She is a dentist also a confidante of mine,so I wish her the best with bless.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
HYC: Every material has its own personality.When it comes to using material in my design,I prefer to respect what it is.For example,let wood shows its natural style of warm temperature;glass has its own traits too.Design is to combine different materials without losing their own personality.And become things that close to people and easy to use.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
HYC: Early in the morning.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
HYC: I value the practicality of design,works are designed to be used by people.Therefore,I hope that every work it completed not as a design piece by Hung-Yu Chen but as a design work that Hung-Yu Chen made especially for ‘this client’.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
HYC: Imagine myself using it and how would it feel like when I’m using it.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
HYC: It’s just like giving birth of a baby.Filling with joy but also accompanied by pain and struggle.
FS: What makes a design successful?
HYC: When designing a work,it is closely related to people and environment.Using your eyes to see the beauty of the design and using your body to feel the texture of the design,some great designs are able to build bridges between people and nature.And let those designs come back to the basic which is the environment itself.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
HYC: I will judge it by how pure or genuine the work is.Is the design telling people the core concept of it and making people value its points clearly?
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
HYC: No matter is the architecture or interior design,they all deeply connect with mother nature.One of the thoughts is to integrate design work into environment and let the building itself link up with this place.While the other thought is to respect the unique of every design.Either way has the same idea of making people feel the goodness of the design and enjoy it.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
HYC: How pure or genuine the design work is and the message it carried tells clearly or not are what design about.People are still the most important part that I consider in the future.And bring back the idea about valuing human nature.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
HYC: None.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
HYC: Traveling.You can learn the difference and unique features of different countries through the observation of their people and ethnic groups while traveling.By this way, you can see how the interaction works between people and nature.Then turn the interaction into your own princeless sensibility.
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?
HYC: Pure simplicity,minimalism style. I prefer to keep it uncomplicated in form or design.Users could feel comfortable when using it is my main purpose.Design for people and show the original quality of things is my initial intention of design.
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?
HYC: Taiwan.A country that inherited ancient Chinese culture while being a meeting point of innovations and traditions.It’s a small island, yet there are complicated and culturally diverse population that new and old staff merge together.We don’t have a wide territory, but that makes us very easy to reach the sea shore or climb the mountain within short distance. We have natural country views and also have modern city sites. These are the diversity of Taiwan.
FS: How do you work with companies?
HYC: To me, our team members are just like a part of me.They are indispensable.We are on the same page about belief and thoughts but when it comes to design, everyone has different ideas.We communicate with each other and exchange our opinions.That’s how we bring out the creative sparks.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
HYC: You need to have a core concept when you design things.Also, you need curiosity and the ability to observe.My suggestion is ‘do not stop traveling around the world.’Observe everything and then turn these experience into your own sensibility of art.Create things of your own instead of patching other people’s stuff together.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
HYC: Most of my interior designs are residential design.Therefore, we need to know what clients like and find out what they need.It is the same way when making the design of office and commercial space design.Starting from understanding needs then extend the ideas to design itself.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
HYC: 1.Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa's SANAA Chair 2.Charles and Ray Eames's Eames Lounge Chair 3.Piero Fornasetti's scented candle 4.Philippe Starck's Flos 5.My daughter's work
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
HYC: Working is life;life is working.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
HYC: Stay focus on how pure or genuine the design work is and ask yourself frequently what do you really want?To observe, to understand and always be curious about anything around you.Turn these traveling experience into your own sensibility, feel it from your heart and create your own design instead of copying other people’s stuff and patching together.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
HYC: As a designer, I can use my profession and my sensibility to accomplish what clients desire.Not only because I could create the design I like but also my clients are satisfy with it, this is the source of accomplishment comes from.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
HYC: Designers should make designs for ”people.”That’s why clients come to you for.They count on your profession as a designer.So you need to see things from the clients’ angle and work together with your clients to create good design.Every client has its own personality, therefore instead of showing who you are, you should design what fits them.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
HYC: Besides the basic necessary skills and sense of beauty, practical engineering experience is also very important.Everytime you practice a project is a process of gaining experience.Learning basic skills of construction like how to waterproof things, how to use materials wisely, they all need time and experience.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
HYC: AUTOCAD and my hands. I get my inspirations from traveling and movies.You can see different kinds of view and perspective from movies because they condense lots of life stories into two hour films.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
HYC: I divide my task into designing schedule and engineering schedule. Trying to make both schedules link up including making the plan drawing, elevation drawing, working drawing, choosing materials and starting construction.So we have a master schedule to control our time and process.Through every project we gain lots of experience, it really helps us learn how to manage our time.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
HYC: It depends on the scale of the case.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
HYC: Most of my clients come to me because they like my works.So the most frequently asked questions are “How to create a great design?”or“ What do you think about interspace?” etc.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
HYC: Most of my interior designs are residential design, and some are commercial space design.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
HYC: The office of “The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G)” in Linkou, Taiwan.Showroom of “Wuan Chuang Soy Sauce.”And personal residential design.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
HYC: Residential design.Residential design is actually designing a home for family members to live, that means it involves a lot of emotions and feelings of people.This house is a place filled with love attachment and old memories.And it will also be a space where they make another valuable memory.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
HYC: Keep designing nice works.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
HYC: Usually develop designs mainly by myself and when it goes to construction part, we work as a team.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
HYC: It is a design of a hospital at Qingdao.
FS: How can people contact you?
HYC: yui.design@msa.hinet.net;design_chy@yahoo.com.tw +886-915-732-797
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
HYC: None.
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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