David Chang Design Associates Intl

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer David Chang Design Associates Intl ("DCDAI") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

DCDAI : I was born in Taipei, Taiwan and studied Inteior Architecture in the U.S. and Canada obtaining degrees in Fine Art at El Camino College in Los Angeles, a honor degree at Kwantlen Polytech University in Vancouver Canada and studied Interior Architecture at the California State University in Long Beach, California. I have been a Registered Interior Designer in North America with NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) certified since1999. I started working with Traditional Interior Architectural practices on various projects from large bespoked private residential developments to hospitality and restaurant projects. In that period I discovered my passion for private residential projects and have made this my focus since early 1995. I was very fortunate to advance my career by working on many luxury homes in Vancouver, Canada which enhanced my reputation as one of the top residential interior architects in this city and then beyond. In 2003, I went to Guangzhou, China to design 2 display villas for a residential developer which lead to setting up a design firm in Guangzhou in 2004. In 2007, I expand my design practice to Beijing, China, and expanded our projects to include large scale residential, display apartments, villas and clubhouses.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

DCDAI : Motivation comes from my artistically talented grandfather.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

DCDAI : Of course I chose to become a designer. My parents have always want me to become a dentist since I was in high school. In fact, I was accepted by University of Southern California as biochemistry major/pre-dentistry major when I was in senior year at high school. But I declined the acceptance, then I went to California State University Long Beach to major in Interior Architecture. I was a run away Pre-Dentistry student who wanted to be a designer.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

DCDAI : I design mostly residential projects for developers, wish do design more restaurants and bar.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

DCDAI : Do not ever complains about the overtime and you have to love the design and living in different time zone from normal career. Mostly importantly you got to love what you do or else it will not last long for taste sweetness of endeavor. You need to have certain degree of insanity to pursuit perfection in every design.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

DCDAI : Good designer satisfy people's needs or requests whereas a great one not only satisfy people's needs or requests but also lead people to another horizon and exceed people's expectation.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

DCDAI : function, usability, environmental, artistic and with historical cultural detailing in the space.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

DCDAI : Good design is part of human civilization. By investing in good design, designers are encourage to create better design for mankind as well as for the environment.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

DCDAI : I would design furniture, lighting, anything is product related which can be mass produced.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

DCDAI : Super mega yacht over 100 meters.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

DCDAI : You need to have certain degree of insanity to pursuit perfection regardless of time.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

DCDAI : Alexander Mcqueen, Frank Lloyd Wright, Andrea Palladio, Arthur Gensler

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

DCDAI : Gensler. Because they don't do just one style of design. There is no individualistic signature on every design they do.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

DCDAI : A design not only satisfy the function and facilitate the traffic flow but also never forget about the artistic and historical side of the design.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

DCDAI : Go travel globally when you have time. Ideally work and live in a city no less than 3 years while you travel. Practice, patience, and passion, with these 3 will never let you down in whatever you do.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

DCDAI : I would want to be a Pianist, Cellist, Michelin-starred chef if I had the time to develop my talent well enough to do them professionally.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

DCDAI : I believe that you could liken the role of an Interior Designer to that of a movie director. With our Clients as the producers, we take their personal vision, be it classical, modern, contemporary, art deco or neoclassic, and synthesize this with all the other actors, from artisans, suppliers and trades, to create a bespoke design that narrates their personal story. Designers should be like water, easily flowing and versatile enough to fit within any container. Bespoke designs cannot be mass produced if they are to be informed by the Clients’ individual tastes, needs and influences. This continuous dexterity of inspirations is the flame that keeps the passion for design burning.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

DCDAI : The biggest supporter is my wife Rita and my brother Clyde followed by all those staff who has been with my company for over 10 years.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

DCDAI : Practice, patience, and passion

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

DCDAI : To win the trust from client who has a good and unique project.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

DCDAI : Present by story telling.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

DCDAI : perhaps Mega Yacht and personal aircraft.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

DCDAI : To make my firm to become another Gensler.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

DCDAI : Accountability.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

DCDAI : Design is part of human civilization and it serves as an alleviator in a pressured society.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

DCDAI : Two nearly 2000 square meters show villas in Chinoiserie style. One is simple and modern whereas the other is magnificent and classical.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

DCDAI : Those projects with function, usability, environmental, artistic and with historical cultural detailing in the space.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

DCDAI : would like to see more different style of design, not just most of designs are modern or super clean look style.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

DCDAI : It depends on the size and complexity of the project. Usually between 2 months to 2 years.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

DCDAI : I start with space planning first.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

DCDAI : Only with the touch of referencing in culture, art, and history, design can become a timeless soul, other than being just a space with its mere function and decoration.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

DCDAI : Trends set the designs. Designs carry the trends forward.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

DCDAI : The role to achieve the possibility of making different materials work together.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

DCDAI : Auto Cad, 3D Max, Photoshop, Sketch up, Vectorworks

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

DCDAI : Color is visual which determines 70% of the ambient in design whereas materials is tactile which determines 30% of the ambient in design.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

DCDAI : How to take design not only professionally but also seriously.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

DCDAI : Inspiration beside wanting to own one of them.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

DCDAI : I always believe in team work. An ideal design partner works and communicate constantly with me without any reluctance.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

DCDAI : Practice, patience, and passion

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

DCDAI : Alexander Mcqueen. Discuss with the application of different material to create his fashion design.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

DCDAI : If you and your team have practice, patience, and passion, you would suddenly find that being famous is not hard afterall.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

DCDAI : black and white, Vancouver, Japanese Food, Autumn, watch, Porsche.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

DCDAI : Client questioned my former employer my age and qualification when I was assigned to take on their project at the age of 25.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

DCDAI : successful completion of a project.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

DCDAI : When I was a child, I used to love art and science, but never dream to become a great designer since my parents have always wanted me to be a doctor especially a dentist.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

DCDAI : Encounter with alien spices is inevitable just matter of time.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

DCDAI : I am open to any questions. Please email me @ david.chang@dcida.com. I would make may best effort to reply.