Interview with Jimmy Yung

Jimmy Yung ("JY") interviewed on Sunday, 26 October.

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

JY : I have been working in the design field for over a decade, primarily focusing on residential and experimental living spaces in Taiwan. My background in architecture allowed me to approach interior design through spatial logic and contextual reading. Over the years, I have led Happystudio to develop a body of work that blends emotional sensitivity with structural clarity, seeking to make design an instrument of empathy and precision.

How did you become a designer?

JY : It started with a fascination for how people inhabit and adapt to their surroundings. Architecture gave me the framework, but observing human behavior gave me the meaning. I didn’t plan to become a designer at first; I simply wanted to understand how space could influence emotion and vice versa. That curiosity gradually grew into a lifelong discipline.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

JY : Our approach focuses on proportion, material honesty, and atmosphere. We work through model-making, daylight testing, and full-scale mock-ups to understand how materials behave in real space. Projects like Hide and Climb Residence explore how daily movement and light can shape emotion, while Terra Cascade reflects a topographical dialogue between structure and nature. The process is precise but never rigid.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

JY : Design brings both calmness and tension. There’s excitement in finding the right proportion, but also humility in realizing how fragile balance can be. When a space begins to breathe on its own, there’s a quiet joy—a moment when intention transforms into experience.

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

JY : My architectural education trained me to think in systems, but growing up in Taiwan’s layered urban context taught me adaptability. The constant negotiation between density, culture, and nature shaped my sensibility. Field experience also refined my respect for construction, craft, and the anonymous labor behind design.

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

JY : The next stage for Happystudio is to expand from interior architecture to research-based design—projects that connect material ecology, craftsmanship, and sensory experience. My dream project would be a small cultural building or retreat that allows space, landscape, and time to coexist in quiet rhythm.

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

JY : Be patient and stay curious. Visit construction sites more than exhibitions. Observe how materials age, how people move, and how light changes. Don’t rush to define a personal style; let your works accumulate meaning before form.

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

JY : Collaboration is the future of design. We should learn to share authorship, to let expertise overlap instead of compete. Also, never lose sensitivity in pursuit of efficiency; refinement requires slowness.

What is your day to day look like?

JY : Each day begins with light—either observing it on-site or studying it through drawings. Afternoons are for team reviews and client dialogue. Evenings are often for writing or reflecting on spatial rhythm. Routine is important; it creates mental clarity.

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

JY : We pay attention to trends as reflections of society, not as rules to follow. Understanding the reasons behind them helps us create more relevant work. But design should remain rooted in human behavior and context, which never go out of trend.

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

JY : A good design feels inevitable. It doesn’t call for attention but invites understanding. When a space allows stillness, rhythm, and emotion to coexist naturally, it’s complete.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

JY : When every change only adds complexity but not clarity, it’s time to stop. A design is ready when its logic and emotion align effortlessly.

What is your biggest design work?

JY : Hide and Climb Residence best represents our exploration of play, intimacy, and spatial hierarchy. It transforms vertical living into an interactive experience. Meanwhile, Terra Cascade embodies the connection between nature and geometry, reflecting how structure can mirror landscape movement.

Who is your favourite designer?

JY : I deeply respect Peter Zumthor for his control of atmosphere and sensitivity to silence. His architecture reminds me that meaning is built through patience, not form.

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

JY : I live in Taipei, a city where chaos and calm coexist. My lifestyle is simple—walking, reading, cooking. These quiet routines help me understand the essence of daily design.

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

JY : Happystudio works collaboratively with clear communication and respect for process. We believe design should not only solve problems but also create emotional value. Every project is a dialogue, not a statement.

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

JY : We occasionally collaborate with local schools and community projects to improve spatial literacy and accessibility. Design education and public sharing are small but consistent efforts we believe in.

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

JY : The A’ Design Award provided not just recognition but reflection. Seeing diverse works from around the world reaffirmed that design is a shared language across cultures. Being selected as Designer of the Day is an honor that reminds me to stay humble and curious.

Jimmy Yung Profile