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Interview with Summer Chang Hin Cheong |
Home > Designer Interviews > Summer Chang Hin Cheong |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Summer Chang Hin Cheong (SCHC) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Summer Chang Hin Cheong 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?
SCHC: After graduating from college, I did not work in interior design because of the opportunity, but chose to work in a restaurant. But there is still a dream of design in my heart. Under the opportunity, the owner of the Taiwan restaurant wanted to renovate a section of the dining areas, so I took the responsibility and got a good reputation. That's how I started my role as an amateur designer, until now I became the creative director. I think designers are magicians who can create a happy environment, so I have always wanted to be a designer.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
SCHC: We are a design studio located in Johor, Malaysia, focusing on customer life more than design style, each work is based on awards, our dream is to reform and enhance the decoration culture in Malaysia.
FS: What is "design" for you?
SCHC: I don't think there is the best design, only the most suitable design. Beautiful things are one of the elements that affect people's mood, and design is the task to bring people happiness. The space planing is the key to the comfort of the house. The second is the collocation of colors and lights. I will consider the appropriate design theme at last.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
SCHC: I like the project which combination of architectural design and interior design.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
SCHC: The storytelling interior design work is my favorite, which can bring people more thinking and enjoyment. It may also become the history of the future for people to look back on.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
SCHC: That's the interior design of a double storey house.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
SCHC: My favorite material are stones and woods.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
SCHC: It's supposed to be whenever travelling.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
SCHC: During designing, I am most focus about people's way of life in different environments and at different times.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
SCHC: The nature of the earth is the law of life, and no one can change it. Feeling nature is a kind of mood when I design.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
SCHC: When my design is realized, it is no longer whether it makes money or not, but the feeling of seeing a baby born.
FS: What makes a design successful?
SCHC: All the people involved cooperate well, plus the design with stories.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
SCHC: Life practicality is the first I will consider.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
SCHC: Due to the construction of the environment and the use of building materials, the earth has been destroyed. As a designer, we must constantly learn more environmental protection construction technology to make our environment better.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
SCHC: I think the field of design has evolved from color and decoration to the present. In the future, AI and Apps will have influence on the design work.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
SCHC: I haven't done an exhibition yet.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
SCHC: The design inspiration of my work is from Chinese history and culture. I will go travel to stimulate my creativity. My sources of inspiration is the change and evolution of the humanities.
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?
SCHC: I don't have a specific design style. My design is based on humanities and life. My design feature is to combine the environment with the customer's background story. My design method is to interview and take an in-depth look at the lives of customers.
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?
SCHC: I live in Malaysia. The cultural heritage of Malaysia has a lot of influence on my design. Many kinds of wood suitable for the local climate can be found in Malaysia to match in the design.
FS: How do you work with companies?
SCHC: I only work with designers and construction teams with similar frequency, and I like to have meetings at the dinner table.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
SCHC: I think companies must communicate more when applying for recruitment and understand the designers' thoughts on society and their personality. Companies should choose the designers those are studious and responsible.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
SCHC: During the design process, I will stay at the construction site for a few hours to feel the changes of the whole environment at different times.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
SCHC: Kitchen, lamps and lanterns, sofa, feature wall, garden
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
SCHC: I wake up at 8 o'clock in the morning. Sort out the list of customers that need to be contacted that day. Visit the construction site after a meeting with the staff. I will chat with customers in the afternoon and learn more. I start my design work around 9 p.m.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
SCHC: If you can bear hardships, don't be snub. Only by constantly learning can you make yourself better. Don't be proud of your achievements. Take advantage of your youth to think about your unique characteristics and keep learning from successful people.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
SCHC: Positive is that when our idea is recognized, we will have the motivation to move forward. Negativity is being blamed when we keep thinking about our customers.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
SCHC: Life is the main thing, style is the complement.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
SCHC: It is most important to be good at communicating their needs with customers.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
SCHC: AutoCAD, Photoshop, Pinterest, tape measure, computer, drawing board, camera
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
SCHC: My time management still needs to be learn and improve.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
SCHC: One to three days
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
SCHC: How much is your design fee, please?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
SCHC: As a manager of a Taiwan restaurant, I learned how to build everything from scratch.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
SCHC: Doctors of Regency Hospital Malaysia
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
SCHC: I most enjoy the project which combination of architectural design and interior design. Be able to explore many people and things in the process, and have a great sense of achievement at the same time.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
SCHC: My future plan is to become a design consultant and design educator. At present, I have to make a brand of myself in the field of design in Malaysia.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
SCHC: I am develop my designs myself at present, recruit the team processing now.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
SCHC: I am designing a charity education center for hypoevolutism children to learn and study now.
FS: How can people contact you?
SCHC: Anyone who knows my contact number can call or whatsapp me.
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
SCHC: No thanks
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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