Interview with Yumeng Li

Yumeng Li ("YL") interviewed on Thursday, 18 July.

How did you become a designer?

YL : My journey into the field of art and design is deeply rooted in my academic and familial influences. This early exposure to art seamlessly merged with my academic pursuits in design engineering and design research, where I explored and applied mathematical aesthetics and computational tools to parametric, lightweight, and ergonomic design. This educational foundation gave me a solid understanding of art, design, and technology, enriching my ability to innovate within a cultural context.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

YL : Excited and empowered.

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

YL : Born in a musical family and having trained in folk dance by the national 3-rd intangible cultural heritage inheritor from a young age, I've grasped how music can convey profound messages and evoke a sense of the ineffable, and how dance reveals the power of dynamics, interaction, and visual intensity. These have infused my design style and continue to inspire me.

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

YL : As we expand the scope and reach of our design studio, our next steps involve developing the departments within the studio and partnering with scholars such as design school lecturers and art museum collaborators. Together, we are set to establish a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cultural innovation design. This initiative will focus on introducing and emphasizing new concepts and the significance of integrating design with culture and technology.

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

YL : Think out of the box, stay humble, and be inclusive. Sometimes, new approaches can tackle challenges and lead to interuptive innovation. So, avoid creating pseudo-problems or fabricating needs just for the sake of design. In most cases, simple personal time management is indeed insufficient when it comes to a design team or studio. Design management frameworks and project progression models could work for transforming interdisciplinary collaboration and cohesive team efforts into significant time-saving advantages, avoiding the pitfalls of poor planning and inadequate communication.

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

YL : Cross-disciplinary cooperation can evidently enhance the effectiveness of design projects and be helpful for shifting focus to gain a fresh perspective for objective evaluation and to facilitate the transition to the next stages of communication and handover. However, success requires balancing autonomy within teams. The real distinction between ego and empathy lies in focusing on genuine user insights, rather than relying on extensive, detached questionnaires.

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

YL : Some designs pioneer and establish trends, while others respond and develop existing trends, all contingent on the initial objectives of the project. For my part, I am more inclined to investigate and identify new needs, alongside novel materials and design solutions that address these requirements.

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

YL : A good design addresses real-world issues, fulfills societal demands, and advances the frontiers of innovation. It not only solves practical problems but also allows for imagination and evolution, ultimately benefiting humanity.

Who is your favourite designer?

YL : Tadao Ando and Ross Lovegrove, who exemplify the dynamic interplay between design and nature, highlighting how design can transform the natural environment and, conversely, how natural elements can influence design principles.

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

YL : Fostering mutual growth; focusing on how altruism is ultimately mutually beneficial; being passionate while keeping a long-term, objective perspective.

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

YL : Creating a lively and vibrant design community.

Yumeng Li Profile