Shengtao Ma

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Shengtao Ma ("SM") 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?

SM : I am a science student. I came into contact with painting and art during college and began to like the feeling of creation. Later, I chose the product design major by chance. I received a certain theoretical foundation of product design and conducted some training on modeling and rendering software, which gave me a three-dimensional expression for my designs, which laid a solid foundation for my future designs. a solid foundation.

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

SM : When I was a child, I loved drawing on paper and expressing my inner thoughts on paper. I was fascinated by the sense of freedom. At that time, I didn’t know the concept of design, and I just created whatever I wanted. Gradually, I moved from paper creation to three-dimensional creation on the computer, expressing the thoughts in my heart and mind in a three-dimensional way. It is this feeling of freedom that allows me to constantly think and create that makes me gradually fall in love with it. design.

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

SM : I chose to become a designer voluntarily. I have absolute passion and love for design. This emotion will encourage me to continue on the road of design.

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

SM : My current design field is biased towards the design of large vehicles and equipment. I have recently begun to try the design of lamps and audio products, hoping to make breakthroughs in more design fields.

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

SM : Before young designers rush to design, I think they should read more and think more, and be brave enough to overturn their own ideas. Only continuous improvement can produce good works.

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

SM : Excellent designers can improve and innovate based on existing design styles, technologies and concepts. They are good at learning and borrowing, combining popular design elements with customers' personalized needs. For example, in interior design, excellent designers will rationally use the color matching of the space according to the current popular color trends, and at the same time take into account the customer's preferences, such as adding some distinctive decorative details to give the space a certain degree of novelty. . Great designers have groundbreaking and innovative thinking and can subvert traditional design concepts. For example, the "less is more" design concept proposed by Mies van der Rohe completely changed people's views on decoration in architecture and home design at that time. This concept led the trend of modernist design, making designers begin to re-examine the nature and function of design.

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

SM : Good design should comply with basic aesthetic principles, such as balance, proportion, symmetry, rhythm, etc. Beyond basic aesthetic principles, good design can evoke emotional resonance. A well-designed product can make people feel warm, comfortable, relaxed or energized.

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

SM : Good design can bring visual enjoyment to people and enhance the beauty of the living environment. Whether it is exquisite home decoration, fashionable clothing or artistic electronic products, they can make people feel the presence of beauty during use. In the market, good design can make a product stand out. For companies, a product with a unique design can attract more consumers' attention, thereby increasing product sales.

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

SM : I will design some conceptual products, which is my exploration and imagination of people's lifestyle in the future. Among the many conceptual designs, I will choose the works that are closest to current hot topics as the focus of further design.

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

SM : I am currently trying to design lamps. I hope I can design unique works that touch people's hearts and make everyone's eyes light up when they see my creativity.

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

SM : I think function is as important as form. I will make the best form while meeting the functional requirements. At the same time, I will make the function more perfect and humane without sacrificing form.

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

SM : Philippe Starck

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

SM : The unique shape of the alien juicer he designed makes it not only a practical kitchen appliance, but also an artistic decoration.

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

SM : A product I designed while I was in college, its name is "W-3E Mask Expressive Emotion". This is the first design work I completed independently, and I was fortunate to win the futuristic award of the Italian A Design Award. Having this great achievement for my first independent work gave me great confidence and encouraged me to keep working hard to create better work.

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

SM : Improve artistic accomplishment and learn traditional art forms such as painting and sculpture. Drawing skills can help designers better express their creativity, such as improving their ability to grasp the shape of objects, light and shadow through sketch training. Understanding sculpture allows designers to understand the shaping of three-dimensional space. Sculptures like Michelangelo's show the dynamics and power of the human body in space, which inspires space design, product design and other fields. Learn psychology, sociology, cultural studies and other humanities and social science knowledge. Psychological knowledge helps to understand users' cognitive and behavioral patterns, and pays attention to the development of natural sciences, such as materials science, physics, etc. Advances in materials science provide designers with more material choices, and understanding the properties of new materials can leverage the materials' advantages in product design.

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

SM : I will become an illustrator and create computer illustrations.

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

SM : When I was in college, I thought design was about innovating functions or appearances based on original products. But after I entered this industry for many years, my ideas slowly began to change. Good design cannot be blindly rigid. For original products, innovation in thinking is more important. Gorgeous functions and appearances sometimes do not satisfy users. It is often the small details that are difficult to find that can move the user's heart more. It is only by digging out these touching details that It's a design I want to pursue.

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

SM : First of all, I would like to thank my mother for her persistence in allowing me to continue on the road of design. Secondly, I would like to thank my school teachers, who taught me a wealth of professional knowledge and design thinking. My current achievements are inseparable from their support and help.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

SM : Observe the details in life. Getting inspiration from daily life, such as observing people's behavior patterns in public spaces, such as how people quickly find exit signs in subway stations, is an important reference value for the design of environmental guidance systems. Observing people's living habits under different cultural backgrounds, such as differences in kitchen design in different countries, can provide a basis for designing products with regional adaptability.

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

SM : In the early stages of design, mastering design software is a challenge. During the design process, it’s easy to get stuck in a fixed mindset. Being influenced by a certain design style or conventional design methods for a long time makes it difficult to generate new ideas. Design is a highly comprehensive field that requires interdisciplinary knowledge. Lack of knowledge in the fields of art, humanities and social sciences, and natural sciences will limit design ideas.

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

SM : By participating in internationally influential competitions, winning certain awards and promoting them online and in the media.

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

SM : My next step will be to research lighting products, which is a new challenge for me. I will take this opportunity to improve my aesthetic and design abilities.

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

SM : To promote exchanges between different cultures, it can guide social values ​​and enhance social aesthetics by creating beautiful works. Of course these are just my imagination, but I will continue to work hard towards my dreams.

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

SM : Designers are expected to demonstrate distinctive design concepts. In the highly competitive design field, whether it is product design, architectural design or graphic design, designers are expected to break the rules and come up with novel perspectives. As respected designers, they are expected to set design trends, not follow them. This means being forward-looking and able to predict future design trends.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

SM : Design can serve as a carrier of cultural inheritance. Excellent design works can transcend national boundaries and cultures and promote cultural exchanges. Design styles from different countries and regions learn from and integrate with each other, enriching the global design language.

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

SM : I am currently conducting research on lighting products. The new field is both a challenge and an opportunity for me. I enjoy the process of exploring and researching new things.

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

SM : The Explorer research vehicle I designed is my most satisfying project because it won the Italian A Design Award and many well-known national awards.

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

SM : Technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data are further integrated with design. They not only serve as auxiliary tools, but also provide valuable references in creative inspiration and design decision-making, helping designers break through the limitations of thinking and create more forward-looking design solutions. . For example, AI can be used to analyze user behavior data and market trends to provide precise guidance for design direction.

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

SM : AI will not only be an auxiliary tool, but will also play a greater role in creative generation, design decision-making, etc. For example, machine learning algorithms analyze a large amount of design data and user feedback to provide designers with creative inspiration and design direction suggestions; AI is used to generate design sketches, and designers can optimize and improve them on this basis to improve design efficiency.

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

SM : There is no fixed time, sometimes a month, sometimes half a year.

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

SM : When I have a new design project I start with an in-depth face-to-face meeting or phone call with the client which is crucial. At this stage, you need to work like a detective to discover the true needs of your customers. Through communication, the client's vague ideas are transformed into clear design goals.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

SM : Know its whiteness and guard its blackness.

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

SM : Design often creates trends through innovative ideas and forms. With keen insight and creativity, designers are able to break through the constraints of traditional concepts and launch forward-looking design works. Design can shape new cultural concepts and lifestyles, thereby leading trends.

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

SM : I was mainly responsible for the creative part of the design, and I also completed the later modeling and rendering independently.

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

SM : Rhino，Keysho，Photoshop，Grasshopper

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

SM : Different colors elicit different emotional responses. Red often represents enthusiasm, energy, and may also suggest danger; blue conveys feelings of calmness, trust, and professionalism. In interior design, if the bedroom uses soft warm colors, such as light pink, beige, etc., it can create a warm and comfortable atmosphere and make people feel relaxed; while the use of cool blue or gray colors in the office space can help Create a focused and calm working atmosphere. The texture of materials can bring users an intuitive tactile experience, which in turn affects their feelings about design works. Considering environmental factors can enhance the adaptability and functionality of design works. The environment also includes cultural and regional factors, and design works can reflect regional characteristics by exploring environmental culture.

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

SM : How do you come up with your ideas and designs?

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

SM : First, we will think about how the concept behind this design breaks through tradition. It may have innovations in functional definition, usage, or aesthetic concepts. It is speculated that the designer's source of inspiration may be obtained from a certain scene in life, technology in other fields, or natural forms.

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

SM : From a technical perspective, working with engineers is ideal. For example, in product design, mechanical engineers can help transform design concepts into practical mechanical structures to ensure product functionality and stability. We firmly believe that co-design can inspire more creativity. People from different backgrounds bring different ways of thinking and perspectives, and the collision of these multiple perspectives can often produce unexpected design inspiration.

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

SM : During my design studies, my academic mentors had a profound impact on my design concepts and methods. They have a strong academic background and rich teaching experience, and can guide me to understand the essence of design from a theoretical level.

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

SM : The book "Design in Design"explains the essence of design from a new perspective. Kenya Hara proposed that “design is not a skill, but the ability to feel and discern the essence of things.” This concept prompts me to not only pay attention to the superficial form during the design process, but also to dig deeper into the meaning and value behind the design object.

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

SM : Delving deeply into the fundamentals of design is the cornerstone of skill development. Design is a comprehensive subject that requires learning interdisciplinary knowledge. In the field of art, learning drawing skills can improve your ability to grasp form, line and composition. At the same time, knowledge of humanities and social sciences is also crucial. Psychological knowledge can help understand user behavior and needs. Conducting thinking expansion training can help break the stereotypes and cultivate innovation capabilities. Develop the habit of observing life and collect inspiration from daily life. Observe people's behavioral habits, social trends, and natural phenomena.

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

SM : If possible, I would like to meet, talk, and discuss with every designer.

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

SM : I believe that all the awards I have received come from my own efforts and the help of my family and friends. I believe that as long as you are down-to-earth and keep working hard, it will not be difficult to become famous.

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

SM : I like red, black, white. I like cities in southern China. Like spring. I like to draw, watch anime, and watch movies. I don’t have a favorite brand.

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

SM : That was when I was designing a new pet bed for a pet products company. The client proposed to make a pet bed that was both fashionable and multifunctional, and the target audience was young pet owners in the city. At first, my mind was full of conventional ideas. I planned to use popular simple geometric shapes in the shape, and the functions were to add common elements such as a detachable warm liner and a detachable and washable outer skin. When I first proposed it, the client thought it was too mediocre and there was nothing special to catch the hearts of young people. When I was at a loss, I went to an offline experience meeting for technology products and saw a foldable portable gaming chair that could quickly switch from an unfolded state to a flat storage state. This gave me inspiration. I wondered why the pet bed could not be portable and foldable? Young people in cities often move or travel with their pets, so portability is absolutely a necessity. So I overturned the previous plan and redesigned it. The main body of this pet bed is made of a new type of light and sturdy plastic material, with a soft cotton lining. Seeing that the products I designed bring convenience and joy to everyone, the sense of accomplishment still makes me feel endless.

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

SM : Eating the delicious food I've been craving for and hearing beautiful songs and melodies make me feel good. I use online shopping to motivate me to work.

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

SM : When I was a child, I never thought that I would become a great designer. When I was a child, I was just a curious baby who was obsessed with taking apart toys and trying to put them back together. I just enjoyed the fun of playing with objects and exploring their internal structures. I didn't associate this with any high-end design profession at all. In class, I loved art class the most. I liked to doodle on paper with colored pens and depict the wild imagination in my mind, whether it was a flying house or a car with wings, but I just thought that drawing was fun and didn't rise to the level of career planning. It was later when I entered university and systematically came into contact with design courses. I learned about the huge knowledge system behind design, the unlimited creative potential, and the power to change life. I gradually became determined to make a name for myself on this path. So, when I was a child, I just had a love for creation and hands-on, and I didn't foresee the design life I have today.

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

SM : Artificial intelligence will be highly developed, and super-intelligent robots will have the same learning, thinking and emotional perception abilities as humans, becoming partners, assistants and even friends in human life and work, integrating into all levels of society, and undertaking various tasks from housework to artistic creation and scientific research. Humans can customize genes through gene editing, eliminate diseases, customize physical characteristics and enhance physiological functions. Nanorobots repair damage and fight aging in the human body, achieving significant extension of life span or even near immortality. Humans master advanced spacecraft and propulsion systems, use dark matter and dark energy for interstellar travel, and establish colonies on multiple planets in the solar system and other galaxies. Space becomes a new field for human activities and development. Data becomes a core resource, and unlimited intelligence and perception are achieved through advanced technology. Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies are deeply integrated with data, and brain-computer interfaces allow humans to interact directly with computers using their brains.

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

SM : The issues covered above are very comprehensive and I have no other issues I would like to discuss.