Zhenyang Yan

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Zhenyang Yan ("ZY") 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?

ZY : I have a bachelor's degree in Product Design at Wuhan University of Technology and a master's degree in Design Innovation and Service Design at The Glasgow School of Art, UK.

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

ZY : During my childhood, I used to go to my father's factory and watch various products being transformed from parts to complete products that can be actually used by users in their daily lives - this process made me interested in the process of designing and creating objects, and was one of the initial motivations for me to become a designer.

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

ZY : I thought I would be a designer when I was very young.

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

ZY : Honestly not having a specific category is more my preference, and as a designer I'm naturally interested in being exposed to all sorts of new things. Recently I am interested in pet product design.

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

ZY : Maintain a passion for life and get used to observing, reflecting and questioning all routines.

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

ZY : Good designers design products that fulfill people's needs, and great designers design products that create needs people aren't realize and make those needs into new norms.

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

ZY : In my opinion, good design don't have and shouldn't have certain criterias. When the issue the design is trying to communicate is really understood and recognized by its audience, It is a good design in some way.

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

ZY : Good design has the potential to shape people's lives, balancing commercial, technological and human factors in the creation of products and guiding society towards a friendlier, more sustainable future.

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

ZY : I want to design interesting products that bring more emotional value to people. It doesn't necessarily need to have a very strong function.

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

ZY : I hope to have the opportunity to design some public art installations that can become widely acclaimed works in the city and contribute to the cultural atmosphere of society.

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

ZY : Observe life in detail, and translate the inspiration found into ideas in a timely manner. Don’t wait until you have a so-called perfect solution in mind before taking action.

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

ZY : Thomas Heatherwick, Samuel Ross, Benjamin Hubert.

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

ZY : I recently love the Slump Furniture Series designed by Paul Cocksedge. He makes use of the physical characteristics of natural objects and translates them into every day products, a novel perspective - exploring the extent to which humans can intervene in shaping the products through natural objects.

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

ZY : The work I'm most proud of at the moment is Catvas. It plays a new role in the space of human-pet symbiosis, exploring the topic of how people and animals can co-create their common living space.

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

ZY : Keep three principles in mind at all times while working: empathize, question, and then keep iterating.

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

ZY : Possibly an engineer.

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

ZY : Design means the process of stepping out of the comfort zone and constantly searching for the best answer as well as new questions. Although the so-called best answer will be constantly changing and adjusting with the development of time, technology, and humanities, what is important is the process, isn't it?

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

ZY : Family members, school professors, as well as mentors and peers I encountered in my life and work all have been helping me and shaping me as the designer I am today.

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

ZY : I shouldn't be considered a design master yet haha, but I think the biggest obstacle is settling into a comfort zone and then rejecting new ideas.

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

ZY : Don't be afraid to be the 'fool' who isn't understood, and be brave enough to publish your work on various design platforms to reach the greatest possible AUDIENCES, even if those works aren't perfect or in process for a while.

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

ZY : I am planning to design a series of consumer products and furnitures called 'The Live Things' that can bring a new perspective to the industry in terms of both form and function definition.

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

ZY : My ultimate goal is that being able to INSPIRE the whole design industry and seeing it go in a certain direction because of my influence.

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

ZY : The ability to break down stereotypes and shape new norms.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

ZY : Designers should be responsible for the ideas expressed in their work as well as the way their work is being created, because after every piece of work is created, it has the potential to affect others in some way as a stimulus. Therefore, designers should stand on a more universal perspective and try to create designs that can make the whole society better.

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

ZY : Because the market for pet products has grown so much recently, more and more young people are getting pets. Against this backdrop, exploring new human-pet relationships is a topic that interests me these days.

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

ZY : Few days ago I designed a new form of Bluetooth headset. I explored new ways of product interaction in that project, and it was a very enjoyable and satisfying process to have the project produced and used by many people.

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

ZY : I hope that through the development of AI tools, more and more people who were not able to participate in design process due to the lack of various hardcore skills (e.g. hand-drawing, modeling, etc.) will have the opportunity to express their IDEAS and present them to others. Because in the design process, I always believe that the idea itself is the most valuable asset.

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

ZY : The design activity should be moving in the direction of democratization, where all people can participate.

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

ZY : Usually 6 months to a year.

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

ZY : Think about the most essential need and logic of this project and try to question it.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

ZY : Don't be afraid of being foolish, Always try to question the norms.

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

ZY : I think it is a mutual process.

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

ZY : Technology is always the method of achieving a goal, not the goal itself.

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

ZY : Hand sketch, 3D modeling software like Rhino and Grasshopper, Rendering software like Keyshot and of course 3D printer.

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

ZY : They are important parts of a design, and sometimes thinking about colors and materials alone can in turn inspire me to think about the whole product design.

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

ZY : I want people to be interested in how I come up with these IDEAs and how I make decisions in the process - I would love to spend the whole day to explain to them.

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

ZY : How do they come up with these concepts and what thinking do they go through during the design process?

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

ZY : A partner who is willing to seek common ground while reserving differences. I think being able to co-design with others is a very important skill.

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

ZY : Benjamin Hubert once published a book named after his studio called LAYER. Many of the experiences and ideas in this book really INSPIRED me.

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

ZY : I think it's Steve Jobs.

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

ZY : I've always believed that awards are a natural part of the process, not an end. Whether or not designers become famous is not because of awards, but because their work really affects a lot of people. In a sense, that's indeed difficult.

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

ZY : Blue, Iceland, Watermellon, Autumn, B&O and its products.

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

ZY : Definitely obvious. I know what kind of people I wanna be in a very young age.