We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yi-Hsun Hsu ("YH").

Yi-Hsun Hsu recently earned her BFA in Industrial Design from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. During her time there she developed an effective design thinking process focusing on user-friendly ways and observing people in their daily life. She strives to make products that are emotionally expressive as well as functional, building a connection between people and the things they use. She believes that design is having love and empathy to the surroundings and provides effective and fresh solutions with happiness.

Yi-Hsun Hsu Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yi-Hsun Hsu.

Designer Interview of Yi-Hsun Hsu:

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?

YH : I recently earned my BFA in Industrial Design from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. I always enjoy making craft and designing easy-made toys for myself when I was a kid. Usually, I would handmade gifts for friends and my parents. There is always an invisible power that pull me into design's path. I really enjoying floating in the field of design where my passion belongs.

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

YH : CCA / California College of the Arts is not only a design school, but a wonderful place full of creative designers, educators, advocates and social-changers. "Make ART that matters" is Motto for everyone in CCA to keep in mind. The college prepares students for lifelong creative work by cultivating innovation, community engagement, and social and environmental responsibility.

DI: What is "design" for you?

YH : I believe that design is having love and empathy to the surroundings and provides effective and fresh solutions with happiness. It is like having someone surprisingly opens a gift that is customized designed by me.

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

YH : I love making things that bring happiness to people or make a better world. It could be a gift, a toy, or even a first aid kit that save people from disaster.

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

YH : Daan Roosegaarde's Smog Free Project provides people a better environment with clean air. It erases air pollution in city with large scale air purifying tower, and turns useless smog into rings. I think it is a clever solution that he thought about turning smog into useful items. Not only does he benefits the environment, but also people's health.

DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

YH : Stone and wood/ Pinterest / Camera.

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

YH : Giving products identities and characteristic.

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

YH : Emotion and interaction that a design could brings to people.

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

YH : Anxious, exciting, passionate and joyful.

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

YH : Grateful and exiting.

DI: What makes a design successful?

YH : When it brings a better world and better life habits.

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

YH : Its concept/ Is it really solve the problems?

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

YH : Creates sustainable products that have longer lifetime.

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

YH : Design is compatible with our lives. Future: Design is compatible with human beings.

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

YH : My last exhibition was in Lime Lab in San Francisco U.S.A.

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

YH : My inspiration often comes from my daily lives and people's life style around me. I love to watch movies and travels, which provides me inspiration to brainstorm ideas.

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?

YH : Delightful and lively.

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?

YH : I live in Taiwan. pros: People work here often work efficiently. Cons: They care more about marketing than its concepts sometimes.

DI: How do you work with companies?

YH : 1, Exchanging ideas with each other and mix them well together. 2, Understand profoundly about what the companies want and what's their target users and place.

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

YH : Define problems, Research, Interviews, Target Users, Brainstorming, Ideation Sketches, Function v.s. Aesthetic, Final Sketches, CAD models, Materials, Rendering, Model Making, Video Editing

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

YH : Dyson fans, Apple Mac, Fujifilm instax, Boom Speaker, Lightair air purifier

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

YH : Positive: get to be with design everyday from morning to night. Negative: less time to spend on other things.

DI: What skills are most important for a designer?

YH : Brainstorming, Sketching, cad models

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

YH : Solidworks, Rhino, Keyshot, Indesign, Photoshop

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

YH : Spending 80% time on defining problems and 20% time on coming up solutions. Don't ever brainstorming at late night, its time for sleep only.

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

YH : 3 months to one year.

DI: What was your most important job experience?

YH : Furniture Designer at One Community Global

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

YH : Own a gift shop that brings people with surprise and joy.

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

YH : I recently work on a pipe furniture design, the goal is to create DIY instructions for those of who want to make their own furniture.

DI: How can people contact you?

YH : Email: yhsu2@cca.edu