We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yongphan Sundara-vicharana ("YS").
Yongphan sundara-vicharana. Graduated in Industrial design, Architecture, KMITL. An industrial designer who lives and works in Thailand that always designs something uncommon. Design for making something better in production, concept, functional and feeling for the customer. Also, create more value of material or recycle material and waste to become a product valuable. As a designer, our works are solving problems by using creative ideas to create something never seen before. Always trying to push the limitations of materials, facilities, and artisan.
Yongphan Sundara-vicharana Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yongphan Sundara-vicharana.
Yongphan Sundara-vicharana Design - Phan Collection
Yongphan Sundara-vicharana Design - Embroidery Upholstery Seating
Designer Interview of Yongphan Sundara-vicharana:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
YS : 2013-2017, Industrial design, Bachelor of Architecture, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Thailand. I think the main reason to become a designer is I love creating something better such as some problem in product or just aesthetic in detail. I love to explore the potential that we have so we bring to develop and create something better.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
YS : I work for many companies and I have own design studio too. So I am Co-founder of Fabuless Design Studio that we focus about how to create an extraordinary design, fabuless is from fabulous and less is better.
DI: What is "design" for you?
YS : Design is no language no nationality, It is just create something better.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
YS : Almost furniture design and decorative items.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
YS : I love product from IKEA. I want to see our product on many house like IKEA brand.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
YS : I almost explore their potential and used it to design for company.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
YS : I think many material have own identity, So I like many material.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
YS : Relax time
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
YS : Production design
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
YS : feel surprise and exciting when I started to design.
DI: What makes a design successful?
YS : I think when many people buy it.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
YS : I always ask WHY? and if I know the answer I think it not bad.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
YS : I usually focus in upcycle process too that made better society and environment.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
YS : I think in the future we will never design just a product. But we can design lifestyle of customer.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
YS : Bangkok design week 2020, Thailand
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
YS : I think design inspiration is come from around us. When we go out to relaxing you will found something around you that not good. So we can design it to be better.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
YS : Simplicity in form but complex in detail is almost my work.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
YS : I live in Bangkok, Thailand. I think design doesn't have a language so it doesn't affect my design.
DI: How do you work with companies?
YS : Work from home now. Update works 1-2 days per week.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
YS : Choose from creativity. Every designer has own creativity so what idea or style is suite for you.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
YS : First is from creative thinking in what we want to do and how we made it better. sketch in freehand and computure is the next. Mock-up is to see some problem not the final.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
YS : Iphone , Ipad , Harman kardon speaker , logitech gadget and good chair.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
YS : Never be the same in every day but always creative.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
YS : Design for better world!!!
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
YS : Positive: We can create new things all the time but in negatives: If it didn't work or good we need to improve ourselves.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
YS : Understand what is our customer want, so we serve.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
YS : Now I think production skills because good design is not about beautiful or good functional but it can be made too.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
YS : I use app concepts to sketch something I think. and 3d print mock-up to see it real.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
YS : I working every day because I didn't think it is a job.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
YS : 1 - 3 months up to the objective.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
YS : Can you design ........?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
YS : Knowledge is anything that we used in the design.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
YS : SSTEEL decorative ssteel furniture, YKS wooden furniture, Lasunya uphostery furniture. Now we working together.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
YS : Now I enjoy every work that I do. I enjoy designing in many companies. It challenges for me
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
YS : I still an Industrial designer.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
YS : Now I almost develop design by myself. But I think work as team is better.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
YS : Now I design something that serves people when COVID-19 is gone. I think this will change some behavior of customer so it should have some product to serve the way that people changes.
DI: How can people contact you?
YS : ongyongphan@gmail.com or facebook : Ong yongphan