Roy Hu

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Roy Hu ("RH") 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?

RH : I am an undergraduate student in the Department of Architecture at Xiamen University and stayed on to teach after graduation.

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

RH : I firmly believe that design is a powerful form of expression. It allows me to transform my thoughts, emotions and opinions into visual forms, share them with the world, and influence people's behaviors and attitudes through design, bringing positive impacts to society. This is the source of my joy and sense of accomplishment as a designer.

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

RH : Follow my personal will.

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

RH : I hope to design more innovative and forward-looking design projects. Future design will no longer be limited to a single field, but will focus more on cross-border integration and collaborative innovation. I hope to collaborate with designers, scientists, artists, etc. from other fields to explore new boundaries of design.

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

RH : These young designers have many qualities and abilities. Through maintaining curiosity, cross-border cooperation, focusing on user experience, continuous practice and reflection, and paying attention to social responsibility and sustainable development, they are fully likely to stand out in the future design world and become trend-setting design legends.

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

RH : The difference between good designers and great designers is mainly reflected in design concepts and vision, problem-solving methods, attention to details, understanding and care for users, and continuous learning and innovation capabilities. Great designers demonstrate higher levels and more outstanding abilities in these aspects. Their design works not only have extremely high aesthetic value and practical value, but also have humanistic care that can have a profound impact on society.

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

RH : Truly good designs are those that can profoundly impact users, improve quality of life, solve practical problems, and achieve a high degree of harmony and unity in aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability.

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

RH : Good design has far-reaching and extensive value. It is not only about aesthetics and functionality, but also has a profound impact on user experience, brand value, market competitiveness and even the development of social culture.

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

RH : I believe that design should be inclusive and caring. If I have time, I will try to design some community public spaces, such as parks, squares, libraries, etc., to create a more livable and harmonious living environment. These designs will focus on the harmonious coexistence of people and nature, while meeting the diverse needs of community residents. By optimizing the design of community public spaces, we promote the formation of community cohesion and a sense of belonging.

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

RH : A lot. That’s why I’m so excited and excited about every new project.

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

RH : I believe that the secret to success in design lies in continuous learning and innovation, in-depth understanding of user needs, attention to detail and quality, cross-border cooperation and collaborative innovation, and patience and perseverance. These elements are interrelated and mutually reinforcing, and together they form the cornerstone of design success.

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

RH : The design world is full of outstanding masters and legends, whose works, ideas and careers have brought me endless inspiration and enlightenment. Recently, the Teshima Art Museum designed by Ryue Nishizawa has brought me great shock.

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

RH : Take Ryue Nishizawa's Teshima Art Museum as an example. It subverts the traditional perception of art museums. It uses pure architectural techniques to open up the experiencer's many perceptions of people, people and space, and people and nature, providing a perspective and platform for re-examining nature, art and life.

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

RH : Design is an ongoing, never-ending journey of discovery, and I’m still working on it.

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

RH : Stay curious, continue to practice and reflect.

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

RH : Maybe a chef or a musician.

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

RH : Design is a powerful form of expression and influences people's behavior and attitudes. Good design can have a positive impact on society.

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

RH : Customers and Users.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

RH : Although I am not a master designer, I believe that great designers must have strong resilience and sensitivity, as well as a caring heart for society.

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

RH : Although I am not a master designer, creative bottleneck is a major challenge for designers on their growth path. They need to constantly seek new sources of stimulation and inspiration, and maintain a thirst for new knowledge and an open mind.

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

RH : Make reasonable use of social media display while emphasizing the importance of offline experience.

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

RH : A Yue Opera cultural center is expected to boost the local cultural and tourism industries after its completion.

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

RH : Create more meaningful works for society.

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

RH : I don't know. I'm not them.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

RH : It requires excellent professional ability and a strong sense of social responsibility and mission.

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

RH : Some social public projects, hoping to contribute to the development of the region through these projects.

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

RH : So far, I haven't found anything I'm most satisfied with. I'm always on the road.

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

RH : The maturity of AI technology will greatly change the functional structure and output mode of the design industry. Design should embrace the future more.

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

RH : Technological development, environmental issues, climate change, and sustainable development will be a direction worth considering.

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

RH : Not necessarily. It can take a few months or even several years.

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

RH : Understand the local environment of the project.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

RH : Without taking small steps, one cannot travel a thousand miles.

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

RH : Design leads the trend.

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

RH : Assistance, complete technical level can help the design be realized in a more ideal state.

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

RH : Sketchpads, pencils and erasers. Assistants help me transfer my ideas to the computer to deepen them.

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

RH : In the field of design, color, material and environment all play a vital role. They interact with each other and jointly influence the final effect of the design work.

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

RH : What changes has design brought to the region and people?

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

RH : Not appearing yet.

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

RH : Users. Design works are ultimately to serve users and audiences. Therefore, interaction and communication with them have a direct impact on my design. By collecting user feedback and observing their usage habits and needs, I can constantly adjust and optimize the design plan to make it closer to reality and meet their needs. The real needs and feedback of users are an important driving force for my design progress.

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

RH : <Siddhartha><Tadao Ando><Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance>

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

RH : Keep observing, keep experiencing, and keep practicing.

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

RH : Steve Jobs.

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

RH : Thank you for your recognition and encouragement. As long as you keep your feet on the ground, money and fame will come naturally.

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

RH : Grey. Kyoto. Seafood. Autumn. All good things. Issey Miyake.

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

RH : As a designer, I have experienced countless interesting things because design work itself is full of creativity and surprises.

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

RH : When the project is implemented, brings positive impact to society and provides good user experience.

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

RH : I didn't know at the time that things are unpredictable.

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

RH : Embrace the future and bless your descendants.

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

RH : Welcome everyone to pay attention to our next work.