Interview with Wai Ho Cheung

Wai Ho Cheung ("WHC") interviewed on Saturday, 17 March.

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

WHC : Following the 9-months internship at By-Georgsen S.L., Spain, I have worked at Shenzhen Mannay Cosmetics Co., Ltd. in China for 2 years. I was responsible for all design-related aspects of interior design and product design, including packaging design. Then I have interned at Karim Rashid China in 2017. Currently I am a freelance designer undertaking product, packaging, graphic, interior design and furniture design.

How did you become a designer?

WHC : I originally majored in Physics at The University of Manchester, UK. After a year, I realised that I preferred to make my own creation which gave me more satisfaction. Then I changed the study to Industrial Product Design at Coventry University, UK. Just one year after graduation, I was selected to participate in Din-Design In 2016 during Fuorisalone, Milan, which gave me a booster to become a designer.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

WHC : Personally, I think the more advanced the civilisation becomes, the fewer accessories will be used, as accessories have now become a functional part in everyday life, such as a watch. In other words, my design concept is making decorations even functional. From practical aspect, I always try to simplify the types of material used, number of manufacture processes etc. I also have an interest in combining ancient geometry with modern techniques, such as ergonomics. Due to working as a freelancer, I usually work on paper modelling and CAD modelling after developing the ideas through sketches.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

WHC : Certainly, I will have different emotions when I design different things; usually I feel blissfulness when I get inspirations instantly.

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

WHC : After the internships at By-Georgsen S.L. and Karim Rashid China, my team-working and presentation skills have been greatly developed, which are the essential skills to designers. It is because design is a subject to improve users’ quality of life, for no doubt communication with clients and the team is very important in order to understand each other. At the meantime, I would say my scientific background is very crucial for my career. When I studied Physics, left-brained logical mind was key factor; when I do design, the ability on graphics and aestheticity are essential, which are functions of right-brain. Thus, I can always find the balance between reality and imagination and make the designs come true. Meanwhile, I usually apply the concept of physics on my designs.

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

WHC : I was born and raised in Hong Kong; also I spent quite a lot of time in U.K. Before I decided to be a designer, I studied Physics in fact. When I changed the subject I studied, I knew it was the thing for me because I had a strong feeling on design. In the near future, I would like to find a full-time job in Europe relating to product design, especially furniture design. Once I have become a designer recognised by international award and exhibitions, I knew my dream had come true. Since then, every project profitable is all my dream project. For sure, it will be even better if my furniture designs can be produced 100% according to the original design. In addition, I have few storylines that I want to turn them into the films. If I can cooperate with Mr. Christopher Nolan or The Wachowskis to develop the stories, my dream will come true.

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

WHC : Conceptually, I don’t agree with ‘thinking outside the box’. When you think outside the box means you still realise there is a boundary. Although designers always have constrains to do design, such as ergonomics, thinking should be limitless. So the first step is to take away the label, ‘designer’ and to explore your own philosophy about life, then you will know what the best design(s) should be.

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

WHC : When I have conversations with other designers, many of them tell me that the discussion with clients is more or less the most difficult part. Thus, the communication skills are very important. Besides, designers always have different clients in various fields. I suggest designers can do volunteering. You will able to train up your communication skills and you will know sometimes human are easy to be pleased with an even not-so-fancy object, once it is useful to them.In Chinese, we have a motto, ‘a calf would not be scared by tigers(初生之犢不畏虎)’. This means that a new-born animal will not fear challenges and will explore the world with curiosity and without assumptions. I believe keeping the passion and humbleness is also a key attribute in a great designer.

What is your day to day look like?

WHC : I will write a to-do list when I wake up or the day before to ensure I will follow up everything I should. Depends on the stage of the current projects, I will keep reading magazines and surfing the internet if they are at the beginning; I will keep thinking and sketching if they are on the right track. I can say I have improved as a human recently: I can fully concentrate on the projects at work, so it will not be boring at all; if I ever meet a boring business day, I would like to take a short nap, due to the brain always keep thinking as a designer.

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

WHC : When you ask all the masters in art and design about it, I think they would say ‘I am the start of the trends’. Thus, I think only 3 situations design trends do matter: 1. when you are designing products for a very short period 2. when you are not confident of you style 3. when you are a journalist. If I need to work with the design trend, I would read fashion magazines and have conversation with other designers.

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

WHC : Nothing is absolutely good or bad, unless you give out some constraints. For example, you will not say that a shelter is a good design before you know a disaster is coming. Therefore, I would say a good design is the right answer for the right question at the right moment.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

WHC : Depends on the time, even good design can become the worst. For example, if you bring the B&W TV to this generation, it is definitely an unwanted product. So design is always able to evolve to fit the users’ need at the specific timing and situation. When I work on my own projects, I will improve it until I think it is perfect and I always bear in mind that the design could be evolved whilst I have new inspiration; when I work on projects for clients, luckily I am still passionate on my profession; I will try to satisfy the clients as much I can.

What is your biggest design work?

WHC : Up to now, the project I am proud of the most is the Arctic coffee table, which awarded Bronze A’ Design Award 2016-17, although it is one of the quickest projects I have finished. Arctic is the design fulfilling the most of my design concepts. It is the product combing functional decorations, simple manufacture processes, single type of material used, visual illusions and the knowledge of ancient culture and geometry. The form is inspired by tidal wave hence the inspiration is conducted to mathematical sinusoidal wave with the keyword, wave. In the meantime, the functionality is inspired by park bench slats; the structure of the slats with gaps in between is considered to be highly functional. In Chinese Five Elements, the corresponding direction and colour to Water element is north and black. Thus, it is named as the largest ocean in the north, Arctic.

Who is your favourite designer?

WHC : My favourite designers are Zaha Hadid, who was very good at playing with curves and liquid shapes and H. R. Giger, who created Alien with the simplest and purest elements but already enough to make everyone scared, yet he inspired the thinking in life-form. If I was given a chance, I would like to talk with the architect who designed The Giza pyramid complex, who was also created a big impact to me.

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

WHC : I live in Hong Kong and I spent quite a lot of time in U.K. In U.K., I had the freedom and time to think but making prototypes were expensive; Hong Kong is an international city with various people and cultures and it is close to China, which makes prototyping much more efficient; however, here is many distractions as other megacities do. Besides, my culture, particularly I Ching(易經) affects me very much, not only on the designs, but the concept and philosophy of life.

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

WHC : I am a sole designer currently. My life-time goal is to remind people about happiness, so I do not mind to work with people with different characteristics, as I will consider it as a practice. However, if I look for a business partner, integrity would be a key factor.

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

WHC : As a designer, I once donated my participation reward of an exhibition to an NGO. As a normal human, sometimes I do volunteering to take care of the minority in society. Moreover, I am always using my own way to try to remind people about happiness.

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

WHC : It is a good way to promote myself and my designs to the world and a good way to connect with other awarded designers.

Wai Ho Cheung Profile