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Interview with Chi-Hao Chiang |
Home > Designer Interviews > Chi-Hao Chiang |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Chi-Hao Chiang (CC) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Chi-Hao Chiang 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?
CC: Actually, I didn't have a design background from the very beginning. I assumed myself to be a mechanical engineer. However, during the process of exploring my interests, I realized where my passion is of mechanical engineering is overlapped with industrial design. That is to observe problems and find a better solution with making iteration prototypes.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
CC: So far, I haven't worked as a personal studio yet, but perhaps I will start my own business in the future after gaining and growing with more experience.
FS: What is "design" for you?
CC: I think design is to make objects become thoughtful for users. Objects can be tangible, digital, or even service.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
CC: I like to design both furniture and consumer electronics.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
CC: It's Spun by Heatherwick studio. As the first design-inspiring object for me, it makes me understand there is a strong connection between design, form, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing process. They can all achieve each other by collaborating tightly.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
CC: It was a trash can. I proposed the concept to a factory to assist them to develop their own brand and achieve industrial upgrading.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
CC: I like concrete a lot. I don't have a favorite platform yet. The technology I like the most is 3D printing. It makes ideas come true so easily.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
CC: While having a aimlessly walk or taking a shower.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
CC: I found myself focusing on feasibility the most, perhaps because of the foundation of mechanical engineering.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
CC: It's curiosity and hunger, similar to playing a puzzle.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
CC: It's a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction.
FS: What makes a design successful?
CC: Currently, I think it's finding the balance between manufacture, aesthetics, and user-friendliness.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
CC: The relationship between form and function, and if the appearance or user experience can represent the concept.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
CC: I think it's being the bridge between society and the environment, helping them communicate and understand each other better.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
CC: In my opinion, it has evolved from physical and visual fields to digital and virtual now, and it will merge into various industries in the future.
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
CC: My project was exhibited as one of the objects in Sound&Vision in New York in 2019. I don't have a plan for the next one yet.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
CC: It usually comes from something irrelevant to the topic itself. I feel my creativity through connecting the experience of playing around with different objects to design
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?
CC: Probably I would say pragmatism and minimalism. I believe it derived from my background in mechanical engineering, and the form would serve the function. I'll start to design from research, and prove the solution for problems.
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?
CC: I'm now living in New York, USA. Yes, I think the culture affects a lot. The pros are to bring up a different life experience or thinking perspective, and the cons are a lack of thorough understanding of local conventions.
FS: How do you work with companies?
CC: I would always like to understand the requirements and limits first.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
CC: To see if a designer has good control over how feasible their design can be, and communication is always the most important point to select and collaborate with a designer.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
CC: I would list out the requirements and limits first, then research to find problems and potential solutions. Based on the information I gathered to iterate prototypes and use prototypes to verify different solutions. In the end, converge to a few working solutions.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
CC: ANONYMOUS_NECKLACE_SILVER by Drilling Lab HMM Slide by HMM Akari 1A by Noguchi Wavy Lamp by Wooj Design Braun Wall Clock Black by Braun
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
CC: Wake up around 7 am, and go to work after working out at the gym. Leave the office between 5 and 6 pm, usually go grocery shopping for dinner, and lunch for the next day. Usually, go to bed after 11 pm.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
CC: I don't think I'm experienced enough to answer. I also consider myself one of the young designers as this is my first year after graduating.
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
CC: The positive is that doing projects can push me outside of my boundary of doing research and understanding new things in various fields. The negative might be this research process can take a lot of time, even while taking a rest.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
CC: Still finding it.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
CC: Might be the willingness and sensitivity to observe and understand new things.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
CC: I use Fusion360 the most, along with Keyshot. I like calipers the most.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
CC: Force myself to really focus while working and also force myself to take a break while it's off work.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
CC: It varies, but usually it might be 3 to 6 months.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
CC: How can it be better?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
CC: To work with senior designers and understand their perspectives.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
CC: Some in the sports industry like NBA.
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
CC: I like prototyping because it can prove the concept and help improve it to iterate.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
CC: Improve myself to be able to handle projects as a manager or director.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
CC: I start to develop by myself, but improve designs in the process of discussing with others as a team.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
CC: Might not be able to disclose it.
FS: How can people contact you?
CC: LinkedIn can be the easiest way.
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
CC: So far, no. Thank you.
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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