NOEL TO
LEGENDARY INTERVIEW
Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer noel to ("NT") 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?
NT : BA(Hons) in interior design & Master of Arch.
DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?
NT : I'd like to left my "stamp" in the market.
DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?
NT : I choose to become a designer.
DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?
NT : Art installation.
DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?
NT : Need to work independence & responsibilities.
DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?
NT : How to present/deliver the story/message behind the project.
DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?
NT : Use comfortable & the message can develivere to user in good way.
DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?
NT : People like to improve the quality of life through the good design of the product.
DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?
NT : A relaxing space for myself.
DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?
NT : Many. e.g: art museum, school, renovation of heritage building...etc.
DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?
NT : Use the eye, ear & link with the mindset in a good combination.
DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?
NT : Jaime hayon, Thomas heatherwick
DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?
NT : Jaime hayon, Thomas heatherwick. There has a strong character in their project. Also, good message delivers to the people.
DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?
NT : The Parkland hotel, we can achieve the super low budget & keep the idea we like to present. Also, the market effect is good. Refer to client's information.
DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?
NT : Keep listen & learn from different people, even the people are younger than us a lot / other industries. Is need to keep open our mind to try the "new thing"
DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?
NT : The design is a tool/skill to present the story of delivering the message to people.
DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?
NT : Our teammates.
DL: What helped you to become a great designer?
NT : Our teammates.
DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?
NT : Keep our style success in the market.
DL: How do you think designers should present their work?
NT : A good image / even a sketch.
DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?
NT : We currently working on some hotel projects. We expect some project can be related to more art installation.
DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?
NT : Deliver the message to people successfully & left the personalities stamp on the market for a long time.
DL: How does design help create a better society?
NT : A good design can improve the living standard & create the quality of life.
DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?
NT : A hotel project, need to work with some local artist. How to merge their artwork with our design.
DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?
NT : the 7-paperholic exhibition. We can deliver the culture message to the people successfully, also present the old element in a new way, this is a really interesting project.
DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?
NT : It will be using a lot of computer technology (e.g. 3d printing / CNC machine...etc). Also, the "green" element is important as well.
DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?
NT : Computer technology & green idea.
DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?
NT : It depends on the scale of the project, normally ard 3 years for a hotel project. we major working on the hotel project.
DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?
NT : Keep to have a lot of communication with the client first, need to understand the background & design clearly.
DL: What is your life motto as a designer?
NT : Enjoy the "painful" of the creation.
DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?
NT : Not really.
DL: What is the role of technology when you design?
NT : Need to know clearly the background, make sure what we need to design/ want to design, after that, keep research a lot of information along with the idea and make development. (e.g. work on some study model in computer/sketch)
DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?
NT : AutoCAD, 3ds Max, SketchUp, Pen/pencil and sketchbook.
DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?
NT : We like to use natural color, e.g. wood material/marble. It will easy to make people feeling more comfortable.
DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?
NT : We hope that they ask about the idea before we create, how is the story behind.
DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?
NT : I will think "can I do this?" after that will like to know the story behind.
DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?
NT : My current team pretty matches with me, we already working in co-design.
DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?
NT : Some artist we worked before, he calls "Prodip Leung" he is a great artist (Illustrator) in Hongkong. which we learn a lot from him.
DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?
NT : Keep learning during work with different people. Do not just focus on keyboard & mouse, keep picking up the pen/pencil.
DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?
NT : JB Straubel
DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?
NT : Yes, it had to be famous, if without enthusiasm for thinking.
DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?
NT : Color to be black & white, like the cities in Europe (Italy), because there have a strong history of background & appearing the maintenance of this culture. Food should pizza. "Thing" I will say culture. About band......."Officine Panerai"
DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?
NT : Sometimes client's will reject the ideas, but the idea was announced by their previous decision making. But they will ask us, who make the decision, we answered this is an embarrassing question.
DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?
NT : Keep learning & practice, do not just seating on the desk.
DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?
NT : My mom always yelling and asking why I always daydreaming.....maybe this is one of thing can be obvious.
DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?
NT : After thousand years........human maybe loss the basic instinct, become A.I. person.
