Interview with Rio Jiunyu Chen

Rio Jiunyu Chen ("RJC") interviewed on Monday, 12 May.

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

RJC : I have been making homeware objects for four years now, and work as a professional furniture lighting designer in Brooklyn, New York. Moving from Taiwan to the United States, I went to School of the Art Institute of Chicago for Master’s degrees in Designed Objects.

How did you become a designer?

RJC : Ever since I was a little boy, like many kids, I have been a huge automobile enthusiast. That early love led me to start drawing cars, which eventually evolved into building cardboard models for electronic devices. After years of schooling and exploring my interests in design, I found my way to home object design. Much like the Marvel universe, I am working to build a universe of my own through my design practice.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

RJC : A key part of my design philosophy is the incorporation of an architectural perspective into my objects. At the heart of this universe is one guiding question that drives my work: How can I communicate my message across different mediums, collections, and even shifting themes? And this process starts from sketching, drafting, and lots of paper models.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

RJC : Designing fills me with curiosity, excitement, and a deep sense of purpose. The most thrilling part is the early exploration—when ideas first spark and possibilities feel endless. I love translating abstract thoughts into tangible forms. That transformation, from concept to object, gives me joy and a quiet, lasting sense of fulfillment.

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

RJC : A strong sense of social responsibility is always at the core of my design approach. As designers, we create objects and services that shape how people interact with the world. While our processes involve deep research and testing, the end users often don’t have that same context. If we fail to clearly communicate the conditions or implications of our design, we risk putting them in harm’s way. Good design should always prioritize clarity, safety, and ethical responsibility toward its users.

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

RJC : I have debuted my design at Stockholm Furniture Fair for the first time. Stepping out of American design world and see what’s happening out there is refreshing and energetic for me. And I would like to keep doing it more in the future. Expanding not only my vision but also get inspired by all the wonderful designs in different corner of the world.

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

RJC : Know your worth, and be keen with the standards. You never know when the opportunity arises. All we can do is to make sure that we have just enough of good ideas going on to keep the conversation going. Put in the hard work, and believe in yourself. I am lucky enough to have met wonderful designers in the industry to guide me at different period of times of my life, and I am forever grateful for them.

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

RJC : Stay curious, stay critical, and stay kind. Question your own process constantly, but don’t let perfectionism stall progress. Let your materials teach you, and don’t design in isolation—context is everything. Avoid trends without substance. Instead, build a practice rooted in care, clarity, and long-term thinking.

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

RJC : Sometimes you have to stick to one thing until you have made it. But this is a fast changing society, knowing the tools that helps you make your design faster, easier, and better could really benefit your practice. I am taking this approach in a more technical term. Like using AI to assist the completion and further perfection of our design. But not necessarily the core of our design.

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

RJC : As nuanced as design is, it is almost impossible to easily judge a design. However, I am strictly against creating design waste into our environment. Whether it is material waste, or just by design a redundant function, a lot of objects were being produced without enough consideration these days.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

RJC : This is a very tricky question. And as I would probably said that we should always be ready. Because you need know when the opportunity arises. Take every steps with caution and care. And take every leaps with faith and calculations.

What is your biggest design work?

RJC : My biggest design work to date is the Blocks Lamp collection. It began as a personal exploration of memory, form, and cultural identity, inspired by my moves between Taiwan, Chicago, and New York. I wanted to create objects that carry emotional weight while remaining functional and architectural in essence. The lamps, constructed from scrap wood and mulberry paper, reflect cityscapes I’ve lived in—each piece like a glowing journal entry. It’s my most meaningful work because it represents years of growth in both design philosophy and technique. The challenges—material limitations, scale, and craft—only deepened my connection to it. Currently, I’m expanding the Blocks universe with a limited NYC edition, which I’m excited to debut as a tribute to the city.

Who is your favourite designer?

RJC : Growing up, I have been a big fan of Zaha Hadid’s works. The way she deconstructed a building, and the explosive visuals of her drawings are always a blast to look at. They challenged the way we perceive an architecture, and architectural sketches, too. And what is the standard of a good design? I think standards are meant to be challenged!

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

RJC : Moving from Taiwan to Chicago and now in Brooklyn, I was trained to live a pretty minimalist lifestyle. With a pop of colors here and there, small objects that I can easily carry with me are usually my main focus when it comes to home furnishing. And this affects a part of my design practice too. I feel comfortable making smaller scale objects because that is how I tend to gravitate towards. But from time to time, I do want to venture into a larger scale object world.

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

RJC : I was quite surprised by their preliminary scoring results feedback, it gave me a third-person perspective of how other people view my work. That really is a valuable benefit you get from attending the A’ Design Award.

Rio Jiunyu Chen Profile