Xiyao Wang

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Xiyao Wang ("XW") 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?

XW : My journey in design began with an early fascination with the built environment in my hometown, which constantly revealed layers of culture, memory, and transformation. I formally studied architecture at Tsinghua University, both at undergraduate and graduate levels, where I was rigorously trained in modernist principles, Chinese spatial traditions, and the socio-political dimensions of design. Later, I pursued my second master’s degree at Harvard GSD, which opened a new window for me to approach design through a critical, interdisciplinary lens. At Harvard, I engaged with urban theory, digital fabrication, media façade design, and speculative futures. Throughout my education, I sought to merge conceptual depth with practical innovation, and this duality continues to shape my work today. My practice is grounded in architecture but moves fluidly across art, infrastructure, memory, and public engagement.

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

XW : I became a designer because I’m drawn to the tension between permanence and impermanence — between what we build and what we feel. Design, for me, is a way to both materialize and challenge the systems that shape our everyday lives. It’s never just about creating something functional or beautiful, but about giving form to unseen relationships — social, historical, emotional. What motivates me is the possibility of influencing how people experience the world. Whether it's through the intimacy of a staircase or the scale of a public plaza, I’m always thinking about how architecture can provoke reflection, foster belonging, and rewire spatial norms. Design is my way of contributing to culture without using words — it’s how I ask questions and suggest alternate ways of living.

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

XW : It was very much a choice, though that choice was shaped by many indirect forces. I wasn’t “forced” in the literal sense, but my environment played a huge role. Growing up in a rapidly urbanizing Chinese city, I witnessed both the grandeur and the brutality of transformation. Neighborhoods disappeared overnight; traditions became commodities. These shifts made me realize how spatial decisions — often made behind closed doors — affect millions. I wanted to be part of that conversation, not as a passive observer, but as someone who could reshape the narrative. So I chose to design, not out of obligation, but from a deep sense of responsibility and curiosity. Design gave me agency, and I’ve never looked back.

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

XW : My work spans from large-scale urban and architectural projects to sculptural installations and conceptual art. I’ve designed office towers, mixed-use complexes, interior environments, and speculative public structures like the Hydro-Bridge. I also produce art installations like Fusili, which investigate memory, dreams, and subconscious geometries. Lately, I’ve been drawn to hybrid typologies — designs that can’t be boxed into one category, like a bridge that’s also a public square, or a sculpture that doubles as a memorial. I wish to design more civic spaces that merge infrastructure, storytelling, and ecological intelligence. I’m especially interested in creating more work that invites participation — not just in use, but in meaning-making.

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

XW : First, don’t aim to become a “legend” — aim to stay honest, curious, and resilient. The idea of becoming legendary can distract from the more critical work of developing your own voice and values. Young designers should expose themselves to as many disciplines, cultures, and real-life contexts as possible. Learn to draw from literature, philosophy, cinema, and even dreams. Build stamina for rejection and ambiguity, because design isn’t a linear path. Don’t just chase awards; chase questions. Most importantly, cultivate the ability to care — about people, about details, about the invisible consequences of your decisions. Design isn't just about what you make; it's about what you leave behind and how it changes others.

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

XW : A good designer can solve problems with clarity, style, and technical proficiency. They know how to meet a brief and deliver something functional, elegant, and coherent. A great designer, however, goes beyond that — they don’t just solve problems; they reframe them. Great designers have the ability to question the assumptions behind a problem and propose new narratives. Their work resonates emotionally, culturally, and even spiritually, without needing to shout. There’s often a timeless quality in the way great designers embed ideas into material form. They leave space for interpretation while maintaining conceptual rigor. Ultimately, a great designer operates with conviction but remains radically open to change — they treat design not as a means to an end, but as a medium for critical thinking and cultural dialogue.

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

XW : Really good design creates an experience that’s both memorable and meaningful. It transcends trends, avoids gimmicks, and holds up under scrutiny — intellectually, emotionally, and physically. I evaluate good design by asking a few questions: Does it engage its users in unexpected ways? Does it reflect a deep understanding of context — historical, social, ecological? Is it aware of its own temporality? Good design should be responsive and layered; it should reveal more the longer you engage with it. Some designs whisper rather than shout, but they stay with you. A truly successful design also carries an internal logic — where structure, material, and intention align — yet still allows for human improvisation and freedom.

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

XW : Good design has both visible and invisible value. On the surface, it improves daily life — making spaces more usable, intuitive, and dignified. But on a deeper level, it shapes our behaviors, our mental states, our collective rituals. When we walk into a thoughtfully designed space, we often feel more present, more connected, more human. That’s no accident. Design can heal, empower, provoke, or reconcile. It influences how communities form, how memories are kept, how identities are expressed. Investing in good design is not about luxury; it's about foresight. It’s about creating environments that are adaptable, inclusive, and resilient. When we overlook design, we pay the price through inefficiency, alienation, and waste — both material and cultural. So good design isn’t a bonus; it’s foundational.

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

XW : I would design a memorial park dedicated to disappearing cultural rituals — a space that preserves intangible heritage not as museum objects, but as living experiences. It would be designed for the elderly, the youth, and intergenerational communities, especially in urban environments where ancestral wisdom often gets lost in the speed of modern life. The space wouldn’t be static — it would evolve with seasons and stories, integrating performance, ritual, food, and everyday intimacy. I imagine a place where the architecture doesn’t just house activities but acts as a mediator between silence and storytelling. If I had more time, I’d devote energy to designing such civic environments that operate outside commercial logic, focused entirely on memory, empathy, and renewal.

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

XW : One dream project that’s been on my mind is a network of micro-architecture pavilions scattered across neglected urban voids — residual spaces under highways, in-between buildings, or beside rivers. Each would serve a unique civic function: some would be gathering spots, others mobile classrooms, or spaces for silent reflection. They’d be modest in size but monumental in intent — a dispersed infrastructure of care. These pavilions would not impose but invite, subtly transforming leftover urban space into pockets of meaning. The dream is not just to build them, but to collaborate with local communities, artists, and historians to shape them together — turning forgotten fragments of the city into a collective artwork stitched across geography. It’s a long-term vision about reclaiming the in-between.

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

XW : If I had to name one secret ingredient, it would be attunement. Not just listening, but really tuning in — to people, to place, to time. Design isn’t just about originality or beauty; it’s about resonance. I try to stay sensitive to the subtle cues that often go unnoticed: how a space feels at dusk versus at dawn, how people move when they think no one is watching, how materials age over decades. I also try to remain curious, never fully satisfied, always circling back and re-examining assumptions. Another key part of my “recipe” is synthesis — I draw from literature, cinema, dreams, conversations, and urban flâneuring just as much as from architectural precedent. The aim is not to find answers, but to create conditions for meaningful experience. That humility before complexity, combined with a deep appetite for life — that’s what keeps the work evolving.

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

XW : I’ve always admired Louis Kahn — not just his work, but his thinking. His sense of silence in architecture, the way he gives dignity to light and brick, speaks to me on a very deep level. There’s a timelessness in his buildings that feels sacred without being dogmatic. I’m also drawn to the work of Daniel Simon, whose conceptual vehicles transcend utility and embody a speculative beauty — his designs occupy that thrilling space between science fiction and mechanical realism.

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

XW : One of my favorite architectural works is the Salk Institute by Louis Kahn. That central plaza, flanked by two symmetrical lab buildings, culminating in a narrow water channel that disappears into the Pacific — it’s more than a design; it’s a spatial poem. There’s this incredible tension between monumentality and intimacy, permanence and impermanence. Another favorite is the Dymaxion Car by Buckminster Fuller — not because it was commercially successful, but because it was radically imaginative. It questioned everything from form to aerodynamics to urban infrastructure. I’m drawn to designs that are rigorous yet emotionally affecting — where logic meets lyricism. I also admire Carlo Scarpa’s Brion Cemetery: the detailing, the material tactility, the reverence for death and water — it’s a masterpiece of layered symbolism and restraint.

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

XW : One of my most significant designs is Urban Symbiosis — a project that seeks to integrate architectural infrastructure with ecological rhythm in a dense urban context. What makes it special to me is how it weaves together multiple systems — circulation, energy, human rituals — into a fluid landscape of cohabitation. The design features dual towers connected through green terraces and a public spine, but what I’m most proud of is the choreography of experiences it enables: walking barefoot across planted roofs, pausing under filtered sunlight, witnessing the city breathe through vents shaped like sculpture. It’s a design that doesn’t just look good on paper or in renders — it lives. People linger there. Birds nest. Rainwater flows visibly across its surface. It’s not static architecture; it’s an evolving system. That, to me, is when design succeeds — when it becomes part of life, not a backdrop to it.

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

XW : To become a better designer, you must first become a better observer. Start by noticing the unnoticed — how people wait at bus stops, how shadows migrate across a room, how your own emotions shift in different spatial contexts. Travel is helpful, yes, but so is sitting in silence in your neighborhood. I also think writing helps immensely — forcing yourself to articulate ideas clarifies what you’re really trying to say with form. Personally, I kept visual journals and wrote short essays even as a student, because I found that design isn’t just drawn — it’s thought. I also expose myself to other disciplines: theater, ethnography, speculative fiction, even quantum theory. These ideas percolate and find their way into projects. Lastly, and most importantly, I listen. To collaborators, to clients, to the environment. Good design is never just about your vision — it’s about tuning into a wider field of forces and giving them form.

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

XW : If I hadn't pursued design, I believe I would have become either a filmmaker or a writer. Storytelling has always fascinated me — the way a narrative can carry people through time, space, and emotion. Architecture is, in many ways, an embodied form of storytelling: you’re guiding someone through a space instead of through pages or frames. Filmmaking, especially, offers a similar spatial language — montage, rhythm, atmosphere. Growing up, I was drawn to directors like Andrei Tarkovsky and Wong Kar-wai, who use space and time as poetic devices. So even if I had chosen another path, I think I’d still be creating experiences — just in a different medium. The desire to create moments that linger in the mind and stir something within people has always been at the heart of what I do.

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

XW : Design, to me, is the intentional shaping of relationships — between people, between matter, between time and emotion. It’s not merely about objects or structures; it’s about orchestrating experience. Good design reveals possibilities; great design awakens meaning. In architecture, design is not only the creation of form but also the crafting of atmospheres that shape how people live, connect, grieve, celebrate, and dream. Design is both analytical and poetic: it solves problems while also posing questions. Ultimately, design is about responsibility — the power to impact how others live demands a deep ethic of care. When I design, I’m not just producing a product; I’m influencing futures.

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

XW : No one achieves anything alone. I've been fortunate to have a constellation of supporters throughout different phases of my life. My family gave me the courage to pursue architecture even when it meant walking a more uncertain, nonlinear path. At Tsinghua and Harvard, I had mentors who challenged my thinking while also recognizing the unique lens I brought — professors who taught me that rigor and imagination are not opposites but partners. Professionally, I’ve had the honor of working with teams that trusted my intuition and allowed me to lead with a sense of exploration. And then there are peers — collaborators who keep me sharp, who offer critique not out of competition but out of mutual respect. Every step forward has been made with others at my side or behind the scenes, cheering me on.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

XW : What’s helped most is resilience through iteration. I’ve never been afraid of failing on paper. In fact, I fail constantly — in models, in sketches, in prototypes — so that the built work can succeed. I also maintain an emotional openness to the world; I try to stay permeable, which can be difficult in a field that often rewards rigidity or signature style. But I believe design is evolutionary. Reading deeply — literature, philosophy, even science — has also given me a wider lens through which to see the world. And I learn from people: from masons on construction sites, from students, from everyday inhabitants. The combination of curiosity, emotional intelligence, and relentless craft has been essential.

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

XW : There have been many — some visible, others internal. Like many young designers, I had to earn trust in an industry where large commissions are often dictated by seniority or politics. Sometimes, being too conceptual or poetic was seen as impractical in a fast-paced, profit-driven world. Early in my career, I also struggled with the pressure to define a signature “style” — a temptation I resisted. I wanted my work to be idea-driven, not aesthetics-driven. That meant some projects took longer to get accepted or realized. There were also moments of exhaustion — juggling deadlines, perfectionism, and the emotional labor of leadership. But through these challenges, I learned that perseverance, vision, and staying true to one’s ethos eventually carve their own path.

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

XW : Designers should present their work as storytellers, not just as professionals showcasing results. A project isn’t just drawings and renders; it’s a journey. Every presentation should reveal the intent, the emotion, the constraints, the epiphanies. I believe in showing process — the sketches, the failed versions, the rough models — because that vulnerability invites trust and understanding. Visual clarity is crucial, but so is narrative structure. And never underestimate the power of silence or of a well-posed question during a presentation. A designer should guide the audience to feel the design, not just comprehend it.

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

XW : One of my upcoming projects is a high-altitude observation deck and souvenir shop for the Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen. It’s a small project in footprint but ambitious in spirit — integrating sensory experience, urban memory, and consumer culture into a poetic encounter above the clouds. I’m also continuing work on experimental installations, such as my Fusili sculpture series, which explore subconscious landscapes. Looking forward, I’m interested in cross-disciplinary works that blend architecture with film, AI, and social infrastructure. You can expect more projects that engage both public space and personal memory, challenging how we relate to cities, to nature, and to ourselves

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

XW : My ultimate goal is to create designs that change the way people see the world — not through spectacle, but through depth. I want my work to catalyze a sense of presence, to make people feel more alive in space. Whether through a building, a public plaza, or an ephemeral pavilion, I aim to touch something fundamental — a memory, a rhythm, a longing. I’m not interested in architecture that’s just photogenic; I want to create places that age with grace, that are remembered in dreams. Long term, I’d love to establish an institute or foundation that supports design research around death, memory, and urban afterlives — areas I believe design has yet to fully explore.

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

XW : People expect consistency, leadership, and innovation — but I think the most important expectation is clarity of vision. As an established designer, I’m often asked to guide teams, mentor emerging talent, and take responsibility not just for aesthetics but for ethics. Clients look to me for solutions that are both beautiful and feasible. Colleagues expect generosity in collaboration. Audiences expect work that speaks beyond the moment. I try to meet these expectations with integrity, but also surprise — because part of being a designer is expanding the expectations themselves.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

XW : Design has the power to shape behavior, perception, and emotion. It influences how we interact with each other, how we feel in public, how we remember. A well-designed plaza can foster civic pride. A sensitive housing block can dignify daily life. A poetic stair can inspire reflection. Design is not just about making things “nice” — it’s about crafting the conditions for equity, inclusion, and sustainability. Good design listens. It questions hierarchies. It reflects care. In a time of environmental crisis and social fragmentation, designers must act as stewards — creating forms that heal, that connect, that uplift. I believe design, at its best, is a quiet form of activism — transforming the world not with slogans, but with space.

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

XW : I'm designing a small house/spaceship, it’s a personal project with no client and it’s fun.

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

XW : Urban Symbiosis was particularly fulfilling. It reconciled ecological needs with civic space, which I believe is critical now.

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

XW : I’d love to see more slowness. Less spectacle. More care. More unfinished, evolving forms.

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

XW : I think we’re moving into a post-object era—where experience, interaction, and impermanence matter more than form.

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

XW : It varies. Some take weeks, some take years. The emotional timing matters more than the calendar.

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

XW : I always begin by visiting the site without expectations. I want to be surprised, even disturbed, by its reality.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

XW : “Reveal what is hidden, but never explain too much.”

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

XW : Design sets the framework. Culture, memory, and politics set the trends.

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

XW : Technology is an extension of intuition. I use it not to wow, but to question what’s possible.

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

XW : Rhino, Grasshopper, Enscape for iteration; pen and tracing paper for truth.

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

XW : Color and materials are emotional triggers. They do the storytelling when form falls silent.

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

XW : I wish people would ask, “What were you afraid of when designing this?”

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

XW : I wonder about its origin—what need, what feeling, what void led to its creation?

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

XW : My ideal partner is someone from a completely different discipline. Yes, I believe deeply in co-design. Friction breeds invention.

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

XW : Conversations with urban historians and psychogeographers have had the deepest influence on me—not just architects.

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

XW : Invisible Cities by Calvino, The Eyes of the Skin by Pallasmaa, and The Poetics of Space by Bachelard shaped how I think about place.

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

XW : I refined my skills by doing and redoing. Also by documenting my process obsessively—photography, writing, sketching.

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

XW : I’d love to speak with Italo Calvino about cities that don’t exist, but feel like they do.

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

XW : Awards are fleeting. Recognition is nice, but I’m more interested in resonance—does the work stay alive?

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

XW : Favorite color: fog grey. Place: Beijing in Autumn. Food: comfort food. Season: summer. Thing: my Leica. Brand: I prefer unbranded.

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

XW : Once, a client asked if a stair I designed was “too sad.” I took it as a compliment. We kept it.

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

XW : A good day is when something unresolved finally clicks. It’s a quiet rush, not loud, but lasting.

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

XW : As a child, I was obsessed with mazes and legos. I think that says enough.

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

XW : A thousand years from now, perhaps we’ll design with memory itself. Architecture won’t be built—it’ll be experienced mentally.

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

XW : I hope people see my work as fragments of a longer story—unfinished, open to interpretation, and rooted in feeling.