We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yi Chen & Muchen Zhang ("YC&MZ").

It is carried out in line with respecting nature and the environment, mainly in a way of ‘retreating’. To reduce human intervention, whilst accentuating nature, keeping a mentality of humbleness to the environment. They have eliminated the pride of the people, allowing the environment to embrace the people. They open up the space above, allowing sunlight to fall in. It revives the lifelessness inside, adding dynamic elements and creating an atmosphere of tranquillity and allowing light to come in.

Yi Chen & Muchen Zhang Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yi Chen & Muchen Zhang.

Designer Interview of Yi Chen & Muchen Zhang:

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&MZ : We major is Fine Arts. We used to want to become a good artist, but this idea changed after graduating from college, because we accessed spatial design by chance and thought it to be interesting and of great help for our easel painting and spatial space installation works of art. Then later, we designed some residential and real estate projects, which gained a lot of popularity and won some good reputation in the industry, so we therefore switched toward this direction and became a designer.

DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

YC&MZ : Expressing faith and cherishing the soul through space with undying spirituality as part of its ultimate spiritual journey, Beijing Fenghemuchen Space Design is a design company that pushes for cultural extension and artistic communication while fully respecting spiritual creativity as well as the balanced relationship between man and space.

DI: What is "design" for you?

YC&MZ : Design represents a sort of life that is full of art and imagination.

DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?

YC&MZ : Making our something dreaming come true.

DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

YC&MZ : Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi. This building draws quite some of its shapes from natural forms, and displays from its interior to exterior both imagination and holy and pure sacredness.

DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?

YC&MZ : We begin with studying its neighboring environment, its requirements and positioning, and its strengths and weaknesses. Next, we would determine the design style and the plan layout.

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

YC&MZ : When we are in nature or in oline.

DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

YC&MZ : Our design foucs more on combining humanities and nature.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

YC&MZ : Happy, excited, stressful and so on.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

YC&MZ : Very excited, and satisfied in both heart and spirit.

DI: What makes a design successful?

YC&MZ : Work diligently.

DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

YC&MZ : A good design is one that is soul-touching and soul-purifying.

DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

YC&MZ : Try our best to combine well the space and the natural environment.

DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

YC&MZ : We believe the design field is to develop towards being people-oriented, and towards integration and symbiosis between human and nature.

DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

YC&MZ : We participated in Venice Design 2018 this year. Our project, The Fire Of Holy, is exhibiting in Venice from May to November in 2018. The next exhibition is no plan now.

DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

YC&MZ : From nature, life, and culture. Keep on learning to feed our creativity. May be everything.

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&MZ : Our design stresses on combining humanities and nature. We wish to do more in the design that combines well the space and the natural environment. Work diligently, be mindful of every detail in design, and enjoy design and 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&MZ : Vancouver, Canada. Yes, it is. The cultural heritage will not only gives us sources of inspirations but also stifles the thoughts.

DI: How do you work with companies?

YC&MZ : We will choose appropriate style according to the requirements.

DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

YC&MZ : Respecting for designers' thoughts. A good designer provides his client with a satisfactory design.

DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?

YC&MZ : We will deeply understand the customers requirements, and then do an accurate positioning for project. Then we will discuss, conceive and design the project. Further complete and execute the project after communicating with the clients.

DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

YC&MZ : We like and collect three lamps from America in the 1950s and two tea tables from Indonesia.

DI: Can you describe a day in your life?

YC&MZ : Our daily life is actually very simple. We usually walk in the wild, do design and paint during the day while meet and communicate with company colleagues and Party A on the project in the evening. We also need to take care of our children.

DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

YC&MZ : Work diligently, be mindful of every detail in design, and enjoy design and work.

DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

YC&MZ : Design is interesting and makes the ambiance better and more comfortable but it also spends a lot of time in our life.

DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?

YC&MZ : Unyielding determination, humble and absorptive attitude.

DI: What skills are most important for a designer?

YC&MZ : Enjoying the beauty.

DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

YC&MZ : CAD, PhotoShop, 3DMAX, SketchUp, etc.

DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

YC&MZ : Doing what when it should be in it's time.

DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

YC&MZ : It varies from half a year to several years.

DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

YC&MZ : Why do you think so?

DI: What was your most important job experience?

YC&MZ : The Fire of Holy Spirit. Because this design was very pure to find the inner spiritual pursuit and belief of people. It was pure without any business purpose at all.

DI: Who are some of your clients?

YC&MZ : Companies and privates.

DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

YC&MZ : The design respects nature more, coexist with nature. It's our wish.

DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?

YC&MZ : I wish future designs will respect nature more, coexist with nature, get rid of human arrogance and self-importance, and become humble designs.

DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

YC&MZ : Yes, we work as a team. Muchen Zhang and I were responsible for working out plans, with others tasked to flesh out and follow through them.

DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

YC&MZ : No, thanks.

DI: How can people contact you?

YC&MZ : People can contact to us by fenghemuchen@163.com.