Hsiang Kai Yang

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Hsiang Kai Yang ("HKY") 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?

HKY : In my high school, I studied Visual Design from a technical school until I changed to Urban and Landscape Design in college and then to Architecture and Interior in graduate school, and I always advocated hand-painted technology in my schooling days.

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

HKY : I excel at the integration of beauty and function, and beautiful things always attract my attention and design has long been integrated into my life. Becoming a designer is inevitable rather than accidental for me.

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

HKY : I chose to be a designer.

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

HKY : Residence is the closest to everyone's life, and I quite like residence design. But with the rapid changes in the global environment, I think people need more design friendly to nature and environment, and residential design is no exception, which is what I wish to do.

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

HKY : See more, listen more and learn more. Learn to talk to my heart and sincerely believe in what I believe in.

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

HKY : A good design lies in being able to listen to the needs of users and propose solutions that are better than the needs. Excellent designers can foresee users' needs and lead users how to use them.

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

HKY : Every design has its limitations and conditions, and it is difficult for us to unify standards to say what a good design is. But for each designer, it is worthy of the trust of his or her own profession and trustee and allows users to solve their needs naturally when they have them.

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

HKY : A good design can naturally make people and things around you better, and the environment becomes better as long as everyone pays attention to the connotation of design.

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

HKY : I will design a house that can make people coexist harmoniously with nature and follow the changes of nature without damaging the environment if I have enough time.

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

HKY : I don't think I have succeeded, but I make every effort to follow the changes in the world and study hard.

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

HKY : I love Carlo Scarpa's design for details, and long for Tadao Ando's thinking height for oriental [Zen].

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

HKY : I don't think I have an exceptional design yet.

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

HKY : I don't know about the others, but I always learn to talk to myself fully all the time.

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

HKY : I will set clear and phased goals and examine my shortcomings to learn fully.

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

HKY : Design is not art, but it also includes the connotation of art, which I refer to practical operation. To put it bluntly, design is a process of solving problems, but it covers beauty and function.

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

HKY : The support of my family is my biggest motive force.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

HKY : I am still learning how to be an extraordinary designer.

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

HKY : Make more people see myself through the stage of world competitions.

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

HKY : Create friendly and beautiful things.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

HKY : Strive to create beautiful things with friendly goals regardless of the object.

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

HKY : There are no satisfactory works at present.

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

HKY : The design division of labor can be more delicate, and show more respect to engineers and technicians.

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

HKY : Design of the natural environment.

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

HKY : Not necessarily, it needs to be assessed on the merits of each case.

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

HKY : First take the need as the framework to sort out the integrity.

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

HKY : This is the same as chicks are hatched from eggs and hens lay eggs.

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

HKY : Provide a bridge between professionals and non-professionals.

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

HKY : Hand drawing, AutoCad 3Dmax

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

HKY : Whom is it suitable for to use and what is the design concept.

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

HKY : I am still looking for it, and I believe that people with common ideas can create better works.

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

HKY : Share with friends in the design industry and read autobiographies or collections of works of great deceased architects or designers.

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

HKY : The Poetic of Space , Tadao Ando's Autobiography.

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

HKY : On the technical level, it is better to look at things from a global perspective by honing hand-drawn technology at the beginning and then entering computer graphics. On the thinking level, it is necessary to take the whole as the basis for thinking, instead of entering into detailed design at the beginning.

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

HKY : I hope to talk to Carlo Scarpa, Louis Kahn, Frank Lloyd Wright.

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

HKY : This is a medium for people to know me.

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

HKY : It's great to have a cup of coffee and listen to music in the morning.

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

HKY : I don't know if I can become a great designer!

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

HKY : The population will decrease, and people will start to long for a simple and self-sufficient life.

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

HKY : Please give support and encouragement profusely and praise loudly!