We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yong Cao ("YC").
Designer, Art toys collector, Co-founder of 3-SIR design，Art Director of TRETTITRE. Cao is committed to the deep integration of brand design and product design. His "TRETTITRE" brand has received high praise in the industry and market, gained recognition in the commercial field, and has also won honors in multiple international competitions.
Yong Cao Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yong Cao.
Yong Cao Design - Tresound Mini Desktop Bluetooth Speaker
Designer Interview of Yong Cao:
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?
YC : I am a designer working across various fields including branding, product, packaging, typography, graphic, and spatial design. My childhood experience with painting fostered a deep interest and passion for aesthetics, and design has become an integral part of my life. Yes, I have always wanted to be a designer—it is a true blessing when one's passion aligns with their profession.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
YC : Wild Grass Design is my personal design studio, and I have also joined TRETTITRE as the Design Director.
DI: What is "design" for you?
YC : Design is about proposing methods and solving problems. It seeks a balance between functional application and aesthetic expression, embodying the integration of rationality and sensibility.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
YC : I appreciate cleverly designed works—it's truly fascinating to glimpse the designer's thought process behind a piece.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
YC : I have an appreciation for almost all categories of design—branding, product, space, animation, and more.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
YC : First, understand the growth story of this company.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
YC : My favorite materials are wood, stone, and metal.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
YC : I tend to reflect deeply when I'm alone, and new ideas often emerge unexpectedly during the creative process.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
YC : The purpose of design, along with functionality and practicality, are the aspects I focus on most.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
YC : When I begin a design, my mind is calm and thoughts flow gently. As the work nears completion, I feel excitement, though sometimes anxiety creeps in as well.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
YC : When my design comes to life, it brings a sense of ease and enjoyment—I find myself revisiting and appreciating it repeatedly.
DI: What makes a design successful?
YC : Good ideas, sound methods, and excellent execution.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
YC : Ingenuity, rationality, stability, and aesthetic quality are the criteria I use to evaluate design.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
YC : To provide society with aesthetically pleasing and functional products, and to promote the healthy cycle of the ecological environment.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
YC : The field of design has evolved alongside humanity's transition from mere survival to living with purpose. The future of design is, in essence, the future of humanity.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
YC : The last exhibition was in 2024, in Shenzhen. The next one is likely to be in 2026, in Hong Kong.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
YC : The inspiration for my work comes from my perception of life. Interests and needs spark creativity, and my ideas are born from daily accumulation.
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?
YC : My design style is minimalist and practical. "Striking right at the heart of the matter" is my preferred approach, which is why I use the simplest design language to interpret 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?
YC : I live in Shenzhen, a UNESCO City of Design, where I have access to cutting-edge technological trends and the latest fashion information.
DI: How do you work with companies?
YC : Collaborations take various forms, depending on the nature of the project.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
YC : It is advisable for companies to evaluate designers based on their design style and industry recognition to find the right fit for collaboration.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
YC : Before starting a design, I first seek to understand user needs, industry trends, and market dynamics. Identifying solutions to problems is at the core of my design process.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
YC : Tesla model Y, Airpods, dyson Pencilvac, Sonos Speaker, SONY TV
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
YC : On August 22, 2016, my lovely daughter was born. Her arrival has inspired me to place greater emphasis on care and humanity in my designs.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
YC : Stay true to your ideas, tirelessly explore various fields, and immerse yourself in the experience of design. Take it slow—sometimes, that’s the fastest way forward.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
YC : The positive aspect lies in maintaining an optimistic attitude toward life—designers should, by nature, cherish living. On the flip side, they may encounter various challenges, but these are precisely what designers ought to face and resolve.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
YC : Listen — Observe — Think — Observe — Listen. Repeating this cycle is my guiding principle.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
YC : Observation and reflection are essential skills for a designer.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
YC : Pen and paper are my primary design tools—everything starts with a draft. Once the design direction is clear, I transition to the computer, using Adobe Illustrator to refine the sketches and develop the details.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
YC : I usually begin the actual design work only after thorough deliberation, which means a significant portion of my time is dedicated to the preliminary thinking process.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
YC : A design solution might come together quickly—sometimes in a day or two, other times in a week or two. However, achieving mass production involves a much longer cycle, influenced by numerous complex factors.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
YC : Where does your inspiration come from?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
YC : Every project I have undertaken has been a valuable professional experience, with each one contributing to my growth.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
YC : My initial clients came through personal connections, and later, through referrals from those clients.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
YC : I particularly enjoy working on culturally oriented design projects, as they involve fewer commercial constraints and allow creativity to flow more freely.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
YC : I don't have a concrete future plan—I'll continue doing design work, and I'm truly content with that.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
YC : Some projects are developed independently, while others involve teamwork—it all depends on the nature and requirements of the project.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
YC : I'm currently designing a set of retro music players, featuring a combination of vinyl, CD, and cassette players—a trio of devices bundled together.
DI: How can people contact you?
YC : You can reach me via email at grasscao@foxmail.com.