Fuka Interior Decoration Sdn Bhd

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Fuka Interior Decoration Sdn Bhd ("FIDSB") 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?

FIDSB : I have always loved arts and design ever since I was a kid but my passion for designing did not spark until graduating from high school. I’ve enrolled myself in an art academy after high school and from there, I grew into loving spaces to where I am now. I know I wanted to be more involved in designing when I know that I am able to repurpose discarded items by giving them a new light.

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

FIDSB : Other great designers motivates me to design. Whenever I see great designs, it makes me feel like I needed to be in par with them to create something for the world to enjoy too hence me being a designer.

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

FIDSB : It has always been a passion of mine to be involve in something that is related to art ever since I was a child. It grew to be something more when I was more involve in construction when I was working under my father who owns a construction company. There, it developed my liking towards design.

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

FIDSB : My design would be those designs that would allow me to reuse and repurpose any unwanted or discarded items. I’m definitely the definition of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” because nothing excites me more than being able to find a new home for the discarded item and repurposed them into something meaningful to others with added bonus of being environmental friendly and I would hope to be able to do this more which would also help the environment.

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

FIDSB : They should get out of their comfort zone, travel and experience what is design. Ever little thing that they see is a design. Understand why it is done that way and how does it serve humans better. In other words, explore and experience.

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

FIDSB : Details. A good designer would design a functional chair, a great designer will design a functional chair with the most thoughtful design that would enhance the design making it something that you can not live without ever again.

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

FIDSB : A good design is something that would bring comfort, easy to understand and make one's life easy. Something that would blend into one's life easily and functions perfectly well.

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

FIDSB : One man's trash can be the other man's treasure is how I would place my value on the design depending on how I perceive the item based on it's purpose and functionality and everyone should invest on a good design if it brings them great comfort and joy in it because this is something that would elevate one's life.

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

FIDSB : I would design my own dream house if I had the time because there's so much that I would wish to incorporate in a residential that I am unable to design for my clients due to budget constrain or different taste in style.

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

FIDSB : My office as we are currently flooded with projects which I do hope that we will always be but jokes aside, I would hope that we are able to complete this as soon as possible as the team is growing and we would like to propel to a brighter future with a more comfortable setting for all. A conducive space is a productive space.

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

FIDSB : Be aggressive and bold. Do not hold back what you think is right or maybe right.

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

FIDSB : Yusaku Kaneshiro

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

FIDSB : My favorite would be Yusaku Kaneshiro from Zokie-Syudan, a Japanese based company. The designs are just unique in their own way which makes it stands out from the crowd.

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

FIDSB : A restaurant in my hometown "Tao". This is the first restaurant that I felt brought me the most satisfaction and it helped to locked in the design direction of my company.

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

FIDSB : In my opinion, if the person is capable, do travel. This would help to broaden one's mind. Experience something is very different than just watching it from TV. To be able to use all senses to touch, feel, see, hear and taste is what I would prefer to do.

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

FIDSB : I think I would be an antique collector.

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

FIDSB : Design to me is being innovative in a space. Being able to create something that would be able to better ones life and to get the best living experience and lifestyle of the environment.

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

FIDSB : My parents and my current team. My parents for believing and supporting me throughout the whole thing until who I am right now and my team who brought me to where I am now.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

FIDSB : Experience, be it on site kind of experience or travel. All these are essential to a designer to built one's confidence and knowledge.

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

FIDSB : A lot of hardship. You'll stumble and fall a few times but you will learn from your design mistakes what to do and what not to do. Most important is that you learn from the mistake and be more mindful.

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

FIDSB : Design should be presented in any way that would help a designer express themselves. There's no 'the right way' or 'the wrong way' of presenting because everyone expresses design differently. Hence why design is subjective but the ultimate goal shall be allowing the viewers to understand what is presented without you saying a word. That would be a successful presentation.

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

FIDSB : My projects has always been F&B based and we are currently working on a project in Taiwan. What everyone should expect is that we would not only be based in Malaysia but we will be expending outside of Malaysia which we would then hope that we would be recognized world wide.

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

FIDSB : My ultimate goal is to be able to make my company a house whole name when it comes to designing and I would like to be able to guide and inspire designers to be bold when it comes to designing.

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

FIDSB : There's always an expectation from clients when they look for us to have the best residential or commercial or hospitality design but expectation is high now ever since we were awarded with some winning projects which I'm really humble towards the win and proud of my team for all the hard work.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

FIDSB : When the design is functional and serves it purpose, making life easy for consumer then it has helped in creating a better society.

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

FIDSB : Currently we are working on a project in Taiwan and we are excited about a sculpture built as it would be the main focus as one enters the restaurant.

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

FIDSB : A hospitality project in Bukit Mertajam as we were able to design and complete the built in a short period of time with minimal defect.

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

FIDSB : There's a lot of changes happening even at this moment due to the pandemic so I would hope that designing in future would be something that can be worked out even when one person is miles away from the actual site with an easier communication method.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

FIDSB : It has come a long way for designers in Malaysia to be honest as back in those days, being a designer is not something that would bring honor to the family and is mostly frowned upon. Doctors, accountants, lawyers are a more popular selection but nowadays, designers are more and more accepted in society and I would hope that design field is something that is more respectable in the future as we put as much effort as anyone else in other fields to be where we are.

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

FIDSB : Usually we would take about a month to complete the whole drawing as commercial designs are usually given less time due to the rent and work force expenses that the client would need to spend even before the renovation starts.

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

FIDSB : We start on the planning of the flow.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

FIDSB : Play Hard, Work Smart.

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

FIDSB : I believe trends set the design. I've noticed that fashion would come first and then it would be followed by the next big color for interiors.

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

FIDSB : Technology helped my team into creating visuals that helped my client to visualize the built. This is important as artistic brains works differently with logically brains. Some people see colors and they can visualize a whole canvas while others, numbers are their canvas.

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

FIDSB : I'm more traditional. I don't really practice using any software. My tools are paper, pencil and scale ruler.

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

FIDSB : Colors and ambience would bring out either the warmth or a cool interior which materials adds texture to the interior making it interesting to the eye.

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

FIDSB : I would hope that they'll ask where did I get my inspiration from because when we are designing something, there must be a reason for the use. It gives the design a value and a place for it to be there.

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

FIDSB : It awes me to see how great minds work. How did that person comes out with such a beautiful idea to create such design/product.

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

FIDSB : Someone that is able to think on their feet in any given situation, work fast and understands design. I believe in co-design as two is always better than one.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

FIDSB : Creative people with high ambition. They inspire me to 'just do it' and because of the positivity, it did encouraged me to try something that I would never in my mind think of doing.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

FIDSB : Simon Salek's motivational books. I do not have any precise book that effected me on design but I do have motivational books that brought me to who I am right now. The way I think and see things which gave me a little more maturity.

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

FIDSB : By looking and studying a how people interact and work. Understand the flow of how things work is an advantage that would allow you to arrange and plan accordingly.

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

FIDSB : Yusaku Kaneshiro. I would like to meet with him, talk to him about his designs and work with him.

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

FIDSB : It is hard because you'll always need to maintain a certain standard of design once you're famous but in a way it is good because it would make us work harder to be the best.

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

FIDSB : Black, Japan, Variety of food, Winter, Antique, patek philippe

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

FIDSB : I'm a dull guy. I don't think I've much funny stuff to share on this as a designer at least not that I could think off.

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

FIDSB : Nothing beats a good feedback and satisfaction from a client. It motivates me to work harder for my future clients so that everyone would feel the same way.

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

FIDSB : It wasn't obvious until I've started working with my dad that I would then be interested in designing.

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

FIDSB : I would hope that in future, humans would learn or maybe they will be more united than divided as the earth goes through natural purging.

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

FIDSB : Well, I'm the one man's trash is another man's treasure kind of guy. I would just want others to know that sometimes you do not need to buy new to feel good. Sometimes, old is treasure.