We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative DAZINGFEELSGOOD ("DAZINGFEELSGOOD").
Based in Singapore, DAZINGFEELSGOOD (DFG) is an independent creative practice founded in 2015 by Kiat Ng and Karen Chiam to practice design. Their approach often revolves around the translation of form and function through recurring themes of logic, origin, and reduction; with a tinge of commercial balance. Trained in furniture and spatial design, Kiat applied his industrial sensibilities together with Karen, who is trained as a graphic designer, to collaborate and produce work for companies including Bolia, Singapore Press Holdings and Orchard Road Business Association. Besides DFG, Kiat lectures in the 3D Design Programme at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore whilst Karen lectures in the Design Faculty at Orita Sinclair School of Design & Music, Singapore.
DAZINGFEELSGOOD Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by DAZINGFEELSGOOD.
Designer Interview of DAZINGFEELSGOOD:
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?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Kiat Ng (b. 1984, Singapore) is a furniture designer by training. He received his formal education from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Raffles Design Institute where he graduated with Distinctions in Furniture Design major for his Diploma and Degree education. Kiat began his design career in 2009 and specialised in designing interiors for upscale residences with modular furniture systems. Since then, he collected a wide portfolio of industry experiences in aspects of design development and production, furniture fixtures and equipment (FF&E) and project management for commercial, exhibition, hospitality and residential projects. Karen Chiam (b. 1983, Singapore) is a graphic designer by training. She started her design education in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 2002, and further her studies to attain Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Graphic Communication from Loughborough University (UK) in 2011. Karen has a background in retail, where she worked on numerous campaigns and designed print/digital assets for fashion, beauty and lifestyle stores. Till date, she has gathered 13 years of work experience in aspects of design development, marketing communication and project management in furniture, graphic and spatial disciplines.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Based in Singapore, DAZINGFEELSGOOD (DFG) is an independent multidisciplinary studio, co-founded in 2015 by Kiat Ng and Karen Chiam. In our practice and approach, we constantly aim to re-define and re-evaluate subjects of design; often revolving around the translation of form and function through recurring themes of logic, origin, and reduction.
DI: What is "design" for you?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : We believe that design, as much as art, should be integrated into everyday life. A good design should be consistent and cohesive; it should not only fulfill form and functionality, but also create experiences and evoke emotions among the users.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Trained in furniture and spatial design, Kiat applied his industrial sensibilities together with Karen, who is trained as a graphic designer, to collaborate and produce works spanning across furniture, graphic and spatial disciplines.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : System. It started as a self-initiated project that grew purely out of our passion with characteristics that represents both our interest in art and design, unaffected by commercial values. Naturally the outcome came off as an art object which was picked up and exhibited in a major design event in Singapore called SingaPlural. That really boosts our morale for being validated.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : It was a collection of kitchen designs that we conceptualized for a furniture company.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Our preference in materiality/process in design tends to incline towards the origin within its given context; hence very often it is associative to the rawness and expresses brutality in literacy, something we like to call as ‘non-design’.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Late at night when the surrounding has slowly paced down.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : The visuals of the design purpose and outcome. Visualizing and verbalizing the process of how a design looks like and how it will eventually lead to is an important aspect in our ideation phase.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Usually like a roller-coaster ride with the ups and downs. We believe good design should be as real and emotion like life itself.
DI: What makes a design successful?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : We believe that design, as much as art, should be integrated into everyday life. A good design should be consistent and cohesive; it should not only fulfill form and functionality, but also create experiences and evoke emotions among the users.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Purpose in the storytelling, functionality, materiality and presentation, both the tangible and intangible values of the design.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : As the word ‘design’ meant, to improve effectively according to a plan.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : The language of design should be as seamless as possible, merging and integrating all disciplines into a common cohesive relation, focusing on the experience of the purpose.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Stay hungry for passion and learn to co-exist within success and failures.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : As designers, we find simple enjoyment from the 'awakenened' sensibilities from a design point of view. Design became a way of life, not just a learnt skill nor career.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : Being a designer drafter in my first job made me realized how the importance of seemingly mundane and meaningless tasks can bring, to train character and technical hard skills.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
DAZINGFEELSGOOD : We enjoy designing works that involves cross-disciplinary efforts because the outcomes are always unpredictable and refreshing.