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Interview with Marty Chou |
Home > Designer Interviews > Marty Chou |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Marty Chou (MC) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Marty Chou 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?
MC: I received my bachelor of architecture in University of Toronto, Canada, and Master of Science in advanced architectural design from Columbia University, New York, USA. My interest of architecture and space grew during my study, and it had since become my passion.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
MC: My studio is dedicated to pursue the art of clarity and the beauty of simplicity in architecture.
FS: What is "design" for you?
MC: To abstract function into art.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
MC: Residential space.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
MC: KT apartment. It is my 2017 residential interior project. It has an unconventional space arrangement for a young couple in a limited 60 square-meter space. There are not many materials and it is mostly a white space with wooden floor, but you can feel the freedom of space and flowing of light, which give you a sense of being in a bigger space. It is a small project, but it is the optimum solution given its limited given condition and available resources.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
MC: A outdoor swimming pool of a hotel resort.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
MC: I love wood and stone, natural material.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
MC: When I get enough sleeping hour.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
MC: To simplify the complicated, and the harmony of space and light
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
MC: Mostly calm, but sometimes anxious.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
MC: Satisfied.
FS: What makes a design successful?
MC: When you can see a clear concept without the designer explaining.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
MC: Clear concept.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
MC: Make more with less, and do none if necessary.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
MC: I think the design field has evolve to a point where there is no more diversity but only similarity due to the inevitable globalization. Designers and clients might need to focus more on the basic, in order to find new path.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
MC: My inspiration mostly come from the people I design for. Their distinct personality plays an important part of my inspiration.
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?
MC: Simplicity. I’m fascinated with doing more with less, not in an extreme minimal way, but in a more relax way. Space with simple line create a profoundly serene experience.
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?
MC: I live in Taipei, Taiwan. It is a modern city with its own chaos. I strive to be counter of that because of that.
FS: How do you work with companies?
MC: Extensive communication.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
MC: Study the designer's work before selecting.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
MC: I try not to be led by the clients, instead, come up with an abstract spatial solution that solve the clients’ practical needs.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
MC: Eams LCM, Uniqlo Clothing, mac book pro, iphone, and my daughter's lego.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
MC: brainstorming 24 hrs.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
MC: The responsibility of shaping today’s world is in your hands
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
MC: We are 24 hrs living in our dream, and it is exhausted.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
MC: Simplify and Clarify.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
MC: The eye of seeing.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
MC: Pen and sketchbook.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
MC: Always being chased by time. So we got to learn to stop and move on.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
MC: As long as it takes, Sometimes 3 months, 6 months, or longer.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
MC: Can you get me a designer discount?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
MC: My practice with Ho+Hou studio architects.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
MC: All private clients.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
MC: Design task with open minded clients are the work I enjoy most. Because they aren’t afraid to try new thing, which give me freedom when I create.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
MC: I wish to diversity my project type, and keep designing.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
MC: I develop my design myself.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
MC: An unique residential project for a young couple with very distinct mind-set. I have full support from them to create another unconventional residential space, it is unlike anything we have seen and I am very looking forward to it.
FS: How can people contact you?
MC: website: www.martychou.com email: m.chou@martychou.com
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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