We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Ren Xiaoyu ("RX").
Since establishing 1-Cube design in 2014, Ren Xiaoyu has embarked on a road of developing his own style in design. As an architect and interior designer, he dedicated to researching and exploring the behaviours of people in the context of the new era, and the relationship between experience and space. The types of practice projects are diverse and mostly revolve around people's functional or spiritual needs in space. With innovative design strategies and great aesthetic value, his excellent works have won worldwide recognition and many renowned international design awards.
Ren Xiaoyu Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Ren Xiaoyu.
Ren Xiaoyu Design - Yucoo Restaurant
Ren Xiaoyu Design - Yuyuyu Restaurant
Designer Interview of Ren Xiaoyu:
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?
RX : I comes from China and has been exposed to rich culture since his childhood. My interest in art has made me a designer. I think I will be a designer all my life and do what I am interested in
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
RX : 1-Cube design founded in 2015, we dedicated to researching and exploring the behaviours of people in the context of the new era, and the relationship between experience and space.
DI: What is "design" for you?
RX : Design is practical art, the art category for human life service under the guidance of aesthetic theory.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
RX : I like to design unexpected works.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
RX : Simple and surprising.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
RX : A smart hotel, it is very interesting.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
RX : I like natural materials.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
RX : Late at night, when I can be alone and quiet. or when I'm traveling.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
RX : I pay more attention to the social significance of design.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
RX : Design excites me.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
RX : when my designs are realized, I felt very proud.
DI: What makes a design successful?
RX : Customer trust is the most important.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
RX : The beauty of design and its significance to society
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
RX : Protect the environment, reduce the waste of resources, and oppose the use of too many materials.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
RX : I think the design field will pay more and more attention to the lives of ordinary people rather than the luxury of people. The future of design is concerned with the environment.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
RX : My last exhibition was in Frankfurt, Germany, and I hope to have another one next year.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
RX : The design inspiration of my works comes from the observation of life and the culture that accompanied me since childhood. I often travel to stimulate my creativity, because it allows me to learn about different cultures.
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?
RX : My design style is simple and rich in culture. Traveling got me interested in exploring this style. The main features of my style are the saving of materials and the attention to fashion. My design method is to observe life.
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?
RX : I live in China，the cultural heritage of my country affects your designs. Living in my country has allowed me to see more different cultures.
DI: How do you work with companies?
RX : Over time both partners can cooperate better, so long as each person keeps a positive attitude and an honest line of communication.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
RX : Enterprises should value designers' communication ability and design talent.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
RX : We pay great attention to communication with the customer. We have the conviction that we must understand the demand of customer to design the wonderful work.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
RX : YUCOO Restaurant, YUYUYU Restaurant, Chinese characters Chiar for Fairmont Singapore，The swiss house, Cafe.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
RX : In the morning, I like to run along the river, and then browse the design website in the company. In the afternoon, I like to have a cup of coffee and do the design work that interests me most.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
RX : I think young designers should travel to different countries and learn about different cultures.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
RX : I love design; it makes my life more interesting and meaningful.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
RX : Pay more attention to fashion.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
RX : Knowledge of processing technology.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
RX : PhotoShop, 3Dmax, AutoCAD, SketchUp, etc.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
RX : Take time to analyze the main problem.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
RX : How to maintain a good relationship with customers.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
RX : When I received my first hotel design.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
RX : A lot of customers.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
RX : I like exciting designs best.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
RX : I hope to design more works. I will focus more on the development of the company
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
RX : I work as a team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
RX : I'm designing a fish tank shop, which is very challenging.
DI: How can people contact you?
RX : People contact me on the web or by phone
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
RX : No, your problem is very comprehensive.