Stanley Tay Wee King

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Stanley Tay Wee King ("STWK") 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?

STWK : I'm actually finance accounting trained individual. Had always loved the arts and design. At the beginning it was all self taught and learned through active reading and review of many great design works and designers themselves over the last 12 years. As i got more involved in lighting design consultancy work, the passion and drive to excel in creating unique spatial experience blossom. Never thought I would be a designer, but as it seems, I'm happily growing and challenging myself on the next big design that I can deliver. I've never looked back since.

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

STWK : Design is a concept that seeks to inspire an individual to be better. This concept can be both physical and non physical form. As to what I do, i believe lighting design should aim to invoke the senses of a person where he may be in. It definitely should be more than just functional.

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

STWK : I chose this career

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

STWK : Lighting design for public and commercial spaces.

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

STWK : Be multi disciplinary, be open to things you are most afraid and overcome them. Designers should try to learn engineering. It may be used like a communicative tool to aid artist in justifying the qualitative artful skill in design.

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

STWK : Doing the due diligence and being professional in performing the fiduciary duty as the lead consultant. Having a well thought out solution that goes beyond just design, being ready to address issues that may surface in adjacent verticals of a project. This can make the designer a reliable consultant and show he is aware on how the design relates to other parts of the project.

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

STWK : Futureproof the space where the design is in and the design should last long.

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

STWK : My style always has technology or engineering elements within the beautiful end results. I certainly believe that Design + Engineering + Technology is what makes a good design. My design aims to be an element that futureproof the space that I'm appointed to work in. Ultimately it should also seek to impact lives positively.

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

STWK : I hope to be the leading lighting design and solutions consultancy firm in Asia and ASEAN. I certainly wish to work on projects that I have touched before (e.g airports, railway stations, etc)

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

STWK : Airports and Railway Stations overseas

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

STWK : My background in finance affects how I go about the design. No offence to our design community, but i tend to articulate the worth of my design based on how it exceeds the value of what the client may be paying me. The ability of the design to allow customers to remember the spaces more, the possibility of people coming back to enjoy the space and spending in the area, the durability of the design that will reduce maintenance costs, etc...

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

STWK : Victoria Cohen - Had seen her amazing work, playing with lighting projections in Frankfurt, Church of Catherine. Team lab - Where they use LEDs to create original immersive interactive spatial experiences.

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

STWK : olafur eliasson - Love how he experiments with different materials and lighting to invoke the mind to dream and think at the same time.

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

STWK : Haw Par Villa Project is our biggest design work. The space is extremely hugh, there were many firsts for us in this project too. Many rules pertaining to heritage spaces resulted in us spending much time in finding the most appropriate engineering implementation solutions. The design work was technically fluid and subject to constant reevaluation whenever the original idea was not feasible when we do a site survey. For the scale of this project, the attention to details was extremely crucial to avoid abortive design and planning works. We were delighted it all turned out as what we had designed and rendered to the client. We seek to downplay the facial feature of the sculptures and make the garden a comfortable stroll like in a resort. Using different focus for each part of the park aims to create a memory stamp in the visitors, in hope they will always want to come back and relax in the park.

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

STWK : Doing the due diligence and being professional in performing the fiduciary duty as the lead consultant. Having a well thought out solution that goes beyond just design, being ready to address issues that may surface in adjacent verticals of a project. This can make the designer a reliable consultant and show he is aware on how the design relates to other parts of the project.

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

STWK : Continue to be in corporate finance, buy and sell companies

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

STWK : My style always has technology or engineering elements within the beautiful end results. I certainly believe that Design + Engineering + Technology is what makes a good design. My design aims to be an element that futureproof the space that I'm appointed to work in. Ultimately it should also seek to impact lives positively.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

STWK : Clients who gives me the opportunity and time to develop my ideas and manifest it out physically through implementation.

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

STWK : Lack of knowledge in executing the designs, not least the designs were lacking in character and style.

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

STWK : Depends on the engagement. Generally it is good to present a before and after view. Prior to the design coming in and a rendered image of after the design is implemented. Highlight the improvement to people using the space.

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

STWK : Yes, where we are lighting up a yacht club, marina promenade railings. Still works in progress. Will come to that later.

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

STWK : To build schools in villages that needs it.

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

STWK : A unique marketable end result

DL: How does design help create a better society?

STWK : Improve the mental wellbeing of people.

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

STWK : Yes, where we are lighting up a yacht club, marina promenade railings. Still works in progress. Will come to that later.

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

STWK : I love to work on public projects that can create a positive impact for the people that comes to enjoy that particular space. I love jobs that enable me to challenge and change the perceived views of the public for any given space with a refresh lighting concept.

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

STWK : More designers also having the ability to execute and deliver the design physically. These days too many guys who call themselves designers, when they are more computer software warrior (I'm referring to my lighting design field primarily)

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

STWK : The integration of technology is certainly unavoidable. A designer should see how their works can be representing the future aspirations of people.

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

STWK : 3 - 6 months

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

STWK : Visiting the site to understand the current situation and expectations of people using the space.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

STWK : To improve lives by creating a positive impact with their works for everyone.

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

STWK : Designs sets the trend

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

STWK : It gives the design the ability to come alive (i.e to move). Creating a interactive immersive experience rather than just a static functional light up scene.

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

STWK : Dialux, Vray 3DMax

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

STWK : Highly important. How the colour and materials will absorb the light, reflecting the light, all result in the ambience. A warm white lighting on a dark wood surface will make the place dimmer and darker then if it was in a white marble room. It is critical to know what colour and materials are used in a space. The lighting can accentuate the interior fit out to create the right mood, or just makes the whole place seemingly feels off.

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

STWK : I hope they can ask me to give them something special that they have never seen before.

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

STWK : How was this created?

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

STWK : Yes i believe in co-design. Ideal design partner should possess experience and skills in area that i lack.

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

STWK : Dailytonic

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

STWK : Reading widely, keeping a clear mind, being aware of what things may trigger the emotions in me (sadness, happy, angry, frustrated, pain, contended, etc.)

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

STWK : Bill Gates ! Would like to ask him to comment on the possibility of using lighting as a medium to capture big data of people movements from point to point in an urban space. Therefore aiding in urban city planners, energy management and emergency response solution.

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

STWK : Yellow, Nature, Noodles, Autumn

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

STWK : When we can answer all the questions people throw at us.

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

STWK : We will be living in space colonies, travelling in light years

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

STWK : My style always has technology or engineering elements within the beautiful end results. I certainly believe that Design + Engineering + Technology is what makes a good design. My design aims to be an element that futureproof the space that I'm appointed to work in. Ultimately it should also seek to impact lives positively.