Interview with David Chang Design Associates Intl

David Chang Design Associates Intl ("DCDAI") interviewed on Monday, 19 March.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

DCDAI : I was born in Taipei, Taiwan and studied Inteior Architecture in the U.S. and Canada obtaining degrees in Fine Art at El Camino College in Los Angeles, a honor degree at Kwantlen Polytech University in Vancouver Canada and studied Interior Architecture at the California State University in Long Beach, California. I have been a Registered Interior Designer in North America with NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) certified since1999. I started working with Traditional Interior Architectural practices on various projects from large bespoked private residential developments to hospitality and restaurant projects. In that period I discovered my passion for private residential projects and have made this my focus since early 1995. I was very fortunate to advance my career by working on many luxury homes in Vancouver, Canada which enhanced my reputation as one of the top residential interior architects in this city and then beyond. In 2003, I went to Guangzhou, China to design 2 display villas for a residential developer which lead to setting up a design firm in Guangzhou in 2004. In 2007, I expand my design practice to Beijing, China, and expanded our projects to include large scale residential, display apartments, villas and clubhouses.

How did you become a designer?

DCDAI : I have over 20 years of experience in hospitality and residential interior design and management in North America and Asia Pacific. I was educated both in the United States and Canada. Majored and received bachelor degree of interior design at both California state university long beach and Kwantlen polytechnic university in Vancouver British Columbia, and studied "Green Building and Community Sustainability Professional Certificate" at Harvard University. Deeply influenced by eastern and western culture, I emphasize on attention to culture and history as source of inspiration thereby creating vitality and rich artistic essence for each project.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

DCDAI : I believe that you could liken the role of an Interior Designer to that of a movie director. With our Clients as the producers, we take their personal vision, be it classical, modern, contemporary, art deco or neoclassic, and synthesize this with all the other actors, from artisans, suppliers and trades, to create a bespoke design that narrates their personal story. Designers should be like water, easily flowing and versatile enough to fit within any container. Bespoke designs cannot be mass produced if they are to be informed by the Clients’ individual tastes, needs and influences. This continuous dexterity of inspirations is the flame that keeps the passion for design burning.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

DCDAI : sense of accomplishment and focus.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

DCDAI : All design for me is inspired by the 5 senses and effectuated with 3 tools. Our living environments provide a cornucopia of stimulations that influence my designs. Smell, our first and strongest memory, can be aroused by a simple flower or a particular fruit. Vision is imprinted with the sand patterns on the dunes of the Sahara Desert, the dense forests of South America to oil settling in a rain puddle. The touch of a rock or metal sculpture can foster inpressions. Sounds such as hearing a particular classical musical score or a pop hit, can pique a feeling that can inspire a concept. And finally, taste, this influencer of cusines, can strike a cultural reference that can radiate through a design. The effectuating tools of design for me are Colour, Texture and Form, used in harmony to stimulate all our 5 senses.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

DCDAI : My ultimate dream is to design a 100 meters plus Super Yacht.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

DCDAI : Do not ever complains about the overtime and you have to love the design and living in different time zone from normal career. Mostly importantly you got to love what you do or else it will not last long for taste sweetness of endeavor. You need to have certain degree of insanity to pursuit perfection in every design.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

DCDAI : I believe that you could liken the role of an Interior Designer to that of a movie director. With our Clients as the producers, we take their personal vision, be it classical, modern, contemporary, art deco or neoclassic, and synthesize this with all the other actors, from artisans, suppliers and trades, to create a bespoke design that narrates their personal story. Designers should be like water, easily flowing and versatile enough to fit within any container. Bespoke designs cannot be mass produced if they are to be informed by the Clients’ individual tastes, needs and influences. This continuous dexterity of inspirations is the flame that keeps the passion for design burning.

What is your day to day look like?

DCDAI : Good Breakfast with family members, Espresso, work hard, work smart and play hard.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

DCDAI : Travel, and attend design exhibition like Mansion Object in Paris and Salone Mobile in Milano to obtain the newest trends.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

DCDAI : form and material not only to be meticulously made but must serve the function well.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

DCDAI : Design will never be ready since all design idea is always running like stream. You need to tell yourself its time to let go of your idea and meet the deadline.

What is your biggest design work?

DCDAI : Neo Classical Chinoiserie style show villa and new Chinoiserie style show villa in Beijing.

Who is your favourite designer?

DCDAI : Frank Gehry, Frank L. Wright, Alexander McQueen

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

DCDAI : Taipei, Los Angeles, London, Vancouver, Beijing,

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

DCDAI : Deeply influenced by eastern and western culture, I emphasize on attention to culture and history as source of inspiration thereby creating vitality and rich artistic essence for each project. Moreover, my insistence of functionality creates soul in design, emphasize on the comfort of Interior space.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

DCDAI : I always admire those designers who has the time and the extra financial power to involve themselves with humanitarian projects. Thus, each year I sponsor a none profitable company who specializing in making documentary films about the Chinese culture and society.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

DCDAI : Feeling that each individual project is recognized, respected and judged independently within itself for its merit in design for function and aesthetic.

David Chang Design Associates Intl Profile