Li Chen Peng

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Li Chen Peng ("LCP") 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?

LCP : I majored in photography art when I was in college. After graduation, I became a professional photographer and then returned to the family business to participate in sculpture and art. Because my family has been engaged in sculpture for 45 years in Taiwan, it has indeed had many important influences on my creation in the field of design and art.

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

LCP : Design is a challenge to my imagination and creativity. In the design work, I learned how to pursue the realization of ideas. After I became a lighting and installation art designer, many pictures in my mind can be presented in real life, and exchange ideas with viewers, for me, this is a very meaningful thing.

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

LCP : No one can stop the world from being full of imagination, and when you choose to become a professional designer, you can turn your imagination into a force that will change the world. I ’m glad I chose to be a designer 20 years ago, and it also changed my life a lot.

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

LCP : I hope to pursue the way of designing narrative ideas, expressing emotions for human society in the works, especially in the application design of integrated media of light and modeling, which is the work I want to try further.

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

LCP : I must say modestly that I am not a truly legendary designer, but I believe that every designer who truly becomes a legend in the design world is full of discussion and dialogue of ideas in their works, and they all have very outstanding skills so that the appearance of the work can be achieved. I hope that young designers can also learn to improve professional skills and maintain a passion for design work until they realize their dreams.

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

LCP : I think the most difference part is "achieving" and "surpassing". Maybe achieving can complete the work, but I believe that surpassing can enhance the meaning of the design itself, this will be a worthy achievement for every designer.

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

LCP : Good design should be able to move people's hearts, and the end users should define the final achievements and values of the design and generate mutual responses. If it can be done, for me, I would say that this is definitely a good design work.

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

LCP : A good design can transcend the isolation of language, race and culture and become a common method of communication, this is very valuable! Investing in good design is equivalent to investing in an imagination without borders, seeing those wonderful things in the process of practice happen that will make people have a positive way of life.

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

LCP : I hope to devote myself to the design work of promoting Chinese traditional art, and hope that more people with the same background as me can get more benefits through my design.

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

LCP : Works in the water or works in the sky.

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

LCP : Self-thinking through design will become a successful design. Keeping a passion for everything in life will make successful design endless.

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

LCP : Japanese architect Tadao Ando. In his work, he created inspiration for the soul, just like what we see is not only the design itself, but also the power of design. He made me believe that good design can change the future of the world.

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

LCP : I recommend Taiwanese lighting designer Chih Liang Liu's "Coral Heart" lighting installation art work. This work presents moving visual effects in static display and dynamic lighting. It also has environmental protection concepts. I like it very much.

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

LCP : My best design work is the main lantern of the Taiwan Lantern Festival. It was not only one of the most representative works in the venue, but also conveys the meaning of the Chinese people ’s blessing for the new year, and brings the faith to moving people ’s hearts.

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

LCP : Endless learning. Before I became a designer, I kept learning to complete beautiful sculptures. Even after I became a lighting designer, I still didn't stop learning new knowledge, which made me have the courage to try many novel designs.

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

LCP : I will continue to work on sculpture to satisfy my infinite possibilities for imagination.

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

LCP : Design is a force that can change the history of human life. When a work can change the way people think about life, design has its meaning.

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

LCP : My family and my work partners, they are also the people who support me most in design work.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

LCP : Belief in life and passion for design.

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

LCP : I must continually overturn the past me to create the future me.

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

LCP : Try to make the design work public, so that people can more easily see the design ideas.

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

LCP : I hope I can continue to challenge installation works that combine water dance and lighting, and tell the story of the land through the works.

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

LCP : Be the spokesperson of time.

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

LCP : They need me to create imagination that is difficult to express in words, and fulfill their desire for dreams.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

LCP : Design can bring people closer, which is very much needed now.

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

LCP : I am participating in a design related to oceans and islands, it will be able to see the culture of ocean islands with lights.

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

LCP : The main lantern design of the Taiwan Lantern Festival, which has brought me closer to people and left people with wonderful memories after watching.

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

LCP : More cooperation. Especially the design of different characteristics, if it can create a win-win effect, I will be happy to see what happens.

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

LCP : I think the design field will generate more exotic cooperation and create greater business opportunities.

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

LCP : Not sure, but usually completes soon after the goal is clear.

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

LCP : Information gathering and understanding of the value of the work itself.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

LCP : Stay passionate forever.

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

LCP : I think that design can change trends, and trends can create the development of design.

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

LCP : Technology is the method that supports design implementation and can also reduce the risk of failure.

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

LCP : Corel DRAW and Microsoft computer.

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

LCP : Color changes people's subjective consciousness of objects, materials produce tactile thinking, ambient can stimulate the feedback of ideas.

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

LCP : Original concept and production method, I will be happy to share.

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

LCP : This means that new concepts have been created.

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

LCP : Mike Hsieh is a design partner I have worked with for many years, he supports my ideals and enthusiasm for design. During the design work, I am very convinced of his assistance and inspiration.

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

LCP : My students in the school, as well as the young designers of our team, during the interaction with them, I was very often to learn how to update the concept of my design.

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

LCP : The Chinese Analects, western art history, historical novels, something like that, it taught me the importance of treating life well and cherishing life time.

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

LCP : Continuous thinking and repeated practice.

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

LCP : Sculptor and painter Dagas August.

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

LCP : Being able to win awards and recognition for a designer is a great honor, but to be famous is not an necessarily options.

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

LCP : My favorite color is black, my favorite place is the ocean, I like organic food, I like spring, I like family time, and my favorite design brand is Rolex.

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

LCP : I once encountered a snake that scared me when I was painting in the mountains, but because of the fear of it, I was more focused on the performance of the painting. Finally, I completed a satisfactory work that I might not create in this life.

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

LCP : Working with partners makes me happy to do design work, and they also needs me to lead them forward to tried some more possibilities, which makes me always full of motivation.

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

LCP : When I was a kid, I liked drawing very much. My parents told me that I was always curious about things around me in my childhood. I think a good designer should have such personality traits.

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

LCP : In the future, there will be more designs to change human life. After a thousand years, there may be no humans on the earth, but the design works will become important evidence for archaeology.

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

LCP : Yes, I will love to share information about myself to more people, no matter where they are.