Fan Bai

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Fan Bai ("FB") 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?

FB : After graduating from an art college, I have accumulated more than a decade of creative planning and visual design experience in the large-scale commercial events industry, working cooperatively and pleasantly with international brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, GQ, and HUAWEI. In order to better combine the commercial value of brands with the value of artistic content, I founded my own brand WANGJIANXI, aiming to create a spirit homeland filled with novelty, fantasy, playfulness, and uniqueness.

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

FB : I was born into an artist family. During my growth, different art forms left distinct impressions in me, existing like showcases. I hope to encapsulate the inner worlds of different characters into my showcase.

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

FB : My father is an artist, and perhaps influenced by him, I have an innate passion for creation. My art journey is more of a soul-driven marathon, driven by inner enlightenment, than a decade-long dialogue of style. Naturally, things fell into place.

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

FB : Collectibles.

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

FB : Focus and persistence.

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

FB : Works of the great designers have imperceptibly become a pillar supporting people’s spiritual world.

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

FB : The attitude towards design, its social implications, and the spiritual significance it carries.

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

FB : Good design can reflect the values and aesthetics of different cultures, and promote the recognition and respect of cultural diversity.

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

FB : If I have enough time, I hope to design an ideal endangered animal shelter. Through rational space planning, choosing appropriate materials, carefully controlling the environment, and meaningful visual design, provide a safe and comfortable living environment for animals in need of shelter and protection, promoting their recovery and protection.

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

FB : When I was very young, I wanted to design a zoo where animals and humans could coexist harmoniously in an integrated environment, interacting with each other rather than a relationship of captivity..

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

FB : Design is not only a flash of ideas, but a process requiring long-time accumulation of skills.

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

FB : I once saw an exhausted Ultraman Toy sitting on the ground to rest while smoking after he strips off half a monster’s clothes. The plot depicted by the toy attracted me immediately. In films, the Ultraman and the monster represent justice and evil, respectively. However, the toy deviates from our mindset about Ultraman movies, and brings us to a fresh plot that may be closer to reality. I like such designs that reflect the true side of our hearts.

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

FB : The work Beltman is a turning point in my design thinking. I strive to create a certain aesthetics through this work, seeing stories in simplicity, and order in complexity.

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

FB : Pay more attention to industry information from other fields and create cross-disciplinary, diversified, and comprehensive creative collections.

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

FB : A sailor.

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

FB : For me, design can be a tool for storytelling. I like to collect fragments of other people's lives and translate these valuable experiences, memories, and moments into visually expressive works through the language of art.

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

FB : My father, his spirit and experiences inspired me to form my own theory.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

FB : I pay attention to people's emotions and experiences, focus on their real needs, and respect their diversity and individual differences. By paying attention to the emotional and emotional aspects of human beings, I hope to create an experience that deeply connects with people in my collectibles.

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

FB : Constantly being presented with different problems that require solutions, making each day a new adventure.

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

FB : Customize the form and content of the presentation according to the specific audience. Use language and terms that the audience can understand and appreciate. Emphasize the most relevant and influential aspects of their design.

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

FB : I’m conducting some interesting and meaningful design explorations on the theme of children and the city. I will be happy to collaborate with professionals from multiple fields, such as non-profit organizations, education experts, and child psychologists, to ensure that the design project can meet the needs of children and create positive impacts.

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

FB : I hope my design can have a positive impact on society.

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

FB : Everyone's expectations are different, they may hope that I can create something new, while focusing on social responsibility and sustainability. In response, I strive to exceed these expectations, continuously improving skills and knowledge to meet the needs of clients and society.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

FB : I actively cooperate with non-profit organizations to hold some public welfare art exhibitions. I believe designers have a responsibility to use their creativity and skills to have a positive impact on society and the environment. This includes prioritizing sustainable and ethical practices, and using design as a powerful tool for social change.

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

FB : I am currently preparing for two exhibitions in Beijing this year.

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

FB : I find sustainable design projects, which directly focus on environmental protection and social sustainable development, fulfilling. In these projects, I have always pursued a central goal: to extend the time dimension of design and endow it with life. For instance, I was in charge of designing the Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX technology art exhibition. In this project, I combined organic life with technology outlines to promote the concept of sustainability and present sustainable ways of living for the future. Through such design practices, I want to transcend mere functionality, integrating design into the ecosystem, put into creativity and intelligence, and influencing and improving our environment and society with a long-term perspective.

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

FB : As artificial intelligence replaces the most basic creative processes and even some creative thinking, the continuous development of science and technology will push the core capabilities of designers to the limit. Design will transform, upgrade and become more spiritual, shifting towards a soul-oriented direction.

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

FB : I am looking forward to the day when humans and AI are deeply integrated and combine to coexist.

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

FB : It depends on the purpose of the design. If it is a business expression, communicating with the client will take some time. If it's an artistic expression, perhaps the work may form in my mind in an instant.

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

FB : I set the start and end points of the creation, and continuously explore and experiment in the process.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

FB : Embracing curiosity and being touched by the wonders of life.

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

FB : I believe design needs to adapt to current needs, withstand the test of time, have enduring vitality, and still maintain its attractiveness and practicality as time goes by.

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

FB : In my design, the role of technology is to balance the innovation of the design and the commercial feasibility.

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

FB : In design, color, material, and environment can convey emotional values and influence perception and cognition. Color and material trigger specific emotions through emotional responses, while the atmosphere of the environment creates a specific experience. Different choices of color, material, and environment can shape user emotions, guide attention, and enhance design cognition and understanding.

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

FB : I hope people will ask any questions about my designs, especially those related to themselves. Design is not only an art but also a way to communicate with people.

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

FB : I think about the background of the creation, its creator’s journey to success, and what opportunities they met.

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

FB : It depends. The design and art pieces of my independent brand are mainly completed by me. The commercial collaboration projects with other brands are usually completed by a team.

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

FB : I like comic books of any form, such as those with strange packaging, interactive pages, exaggerated designs, or novel plots, in other words, anything unordinary.

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

FB : Continuously exploring myself internally, interacting with society externally, experiencing collisions, receiving feedback, perfecting the design, and thus enhancing my thinking ability and problem-solving ability.

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

FB : It is of great significance for me to win this prize with international influence. It enables me to display my works and my thoughts on design worldwide, and connects my work with the world.

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

FB : My favorite color is blue, and I love fish and chips. I like autumn. I have enjoyed traveling around the world since I was a child. Among the more than thirty cities I have visited, Amsterdam, Oslo, and Tokyo have had a deep impact on me. I love the diverse culture and developed design industry of Amsterdam, the natural culture of Oslo, and the avant-garde street culture of Tokyo.

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

FB : In high school, I designed a music festival poster for the organizer. It was the first time I made money from design.

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

FB : At the beginning of a day, I review today's to-do tasks with my assistant, prioritizing urgent and important matters, and arrange other projects for different times of the day. Rather than strictly adhering to a daily schedule, I prefer to flexibly manage my work rhythm. For instance, if there are creative tasks, I will undertake them in the morning when my energy is abundant. If there are data analysis and relatively complex tasks that require patience and organization, I will do them in the afternoon, as I feel more focused and clear-headed at that time. I read various industry news and engage in social interaction during lunchtime and evening.

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

FB : When I was a child, my teachers thought I was hopeless.

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

FB : With the development of technology, if human consciousness can be sustainable, then we will still exist in a thousand years.