We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Ning ZHANG ("NZ").
Dr.NingZhang PartnerforInternationalProjects|DesignDirectorforGreaterChinaDr.NingZhanghasalwaysfocusedoncreativeurbandesignaswellasdesignsforimportantbuildingsinkeyareas.HehasledinterdisciplinaryprofessionalteamstoparticipateinthedesignofnumerousimportantprojectsinChinaandEurope.Theworkscreatedundertheprincipleofputtingemphasisoncreatingimpressivespatialscenesatdifferentdimensionsandbringinguniquevitalitytocitiesandbuildingshavewonaseriesofmajordesignawardsathomeandabroad,includingtheSilverPrizeoftheArchitecturalDesignAwardoftheArchitecturalSocietyofChina,IconicAwards:InnovativeArchite.
Ning ZHANG Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Ning ZHANG.
Ning ZHANG Design - City Archipelago Biophilic Creative Blocks
Designer Interview of Ning 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?
NZ : It’s always been my aim to become a good designer. The study and work experience in China and Germany has helped me greatly.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
NZ : It is a very interesting studio, though not very big. We undertake large-scale city planning as well as quality small-scale architectural design.
DI: What is "design" for you?
NZ : Design is both a job and a source of joy for me.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
NZ : No matter for large-scale urban design, small-scale architectural design or industrial design, the type of project itself doesn't matter. It is whether it's interesting and brings better experience that really matters.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
NZ : I can be moved by lots of excellent design. Each design has their own feature, so it's very hard to compare them and choose the best.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
NZ : I would find the endowment that granted unique qualities to projects.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
NZ : Anything that can properly solve designing problems is my favorite.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
NZ : The solution to a problem in a moving way is creativity.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
NZ : The critical challenge of a project and the logic of its solution.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
NZ : Whenever I solve a difficult problem, I feel especially pleased.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
NZ : I feel happy and hope that the project designed will be completed soon.
DI: What makes a design successful?
NZ : Finding the key points and project endowment, and a logical design method under the imagination for the future of a project are the key to success.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
NZ : Whether there is a clear goal, a logical design method, and whether it is moving decides a design as good or bad.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
NZ : The fairness of the society and the sustainable development mode of environment are always the contents to be concerned about in the design process, and may also provide designers with many inspirations. But now we should notice that the primary task for a designer is still the design itself.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
NZ : The development of technology will make design more free, and participation by more people and the blurring of the boundary of the design field may be expected.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
NZ : There are no plans for an exhibition at the moment.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
NZ : The core of design creation should be experience, I mean a designer shall experience something or imagine to experience something, and then convey it to others by means of design.
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?
NZ : Identifying the particular challenges of each project and giving logic to the solution is the most critical core of design approach.
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?
NZ : I live and work in Shanghai. Traditional culture needn’t be stressed in particular in design, for it will always affect you, and subtly bring some surprising influence to design. Nowadays, China and Shanghai are more vibrant than before, so architects can always find opportunities to create good works as long as they insist on it.
DI: How do you work with companies?
NZ : I am in charge of both design and management in the company. Our management is always centered on how to ensure the quality of design.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
NZ : The basis of successful cooperation between a company and a designer is that both parties have common value goals. Only collaboration of designers at different levels and of different types makes a team successful. Therefore, the criterion of choice should be based on a common value, rather than a simple ability judgment.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
NZ : The key of design process is whether the special or critical problems of a project can be found at the first time, and the subsequent design process focuses on how to solve it.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
NZ : In my house, it's probably that: Metaphys Lucano, SIGG Alu Box, Mono Filio teapot, Surface Book2 and Nomos watches are my favorites.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
NZ : I arrive at my office two or three hours in advance every day and I use the solitary time to solve some critical design problems. When work time begins, my job is more about coordinating the design work of every related party and controlling the design process. Having lunch with colleagues at noon is also a pleasant time.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
NZ : Find problems from your own perspective.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
NZ : Requirements on ability for designers will let you get a way to change your life, but sometimes it can make you picky too.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
NZ : Solving the most critical problems in the most logical way.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
NZ : In addition to finding and solving problems, the key is to convince your employer to accept your solution.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
NZ : Manual sketches are always given priority, after which I will deepen and validate them with relevant 3D and plane software.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
NZ : I need to provide myself a quiet work time by arriving at my office ahead of time, which is very important for concentration on design and quality of design.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
NZ : Typically 2-4 months, or maybe longer if a project allows more time for design. As everybody knows, designers always feel that there is not enough time for design.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
NZ : What’s special for this project?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
NZ : I have been engaged in research job in University of Stuttgart, Germany during the period from 2003 to 2011, and design practice has dominated my time since then.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
NZ : China's architectural market is quite special, and there are relatively fewer projects entrusted by individual owners. Our clients mainly fall into two categories: local government and enterprise customers.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
NZ : I enjoy the most small-scale architectural projects, the quality of which may be controlled. That’s because such projects are of high quality controllability and the effect of completion can be seen quickly, which is a pleasant experience to me.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
NZ : I think doing every project well is the best plan.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
NZ : We are a team collaborating closely.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
NZ : Our reconstruction planning for Hefei Airport Core Area and for the former Jinan Steel Plant are very exciting. In addition, our two small architectural works in a small town in South China will be completed next year, which will be very interesting.
DI: How can people contact you?
NZ : Welcome to contact me at my email address: zhang_ning_@msn.com
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
NZ : You have asked very comprehensive questions, so I have no other things to cover for the time being.