We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Jian Sun ("JS").
Curriculum vitae 2008.6 Undergraduate from The School of Industrial Design in LuXun Academy of Fine Arts, major in Industrial Design 2011.6 Postgraduate from The School of Industrial Design in LuXun Academy of Fine Arts, major in Industrial Design Form 2011.9 to now, employed as a lecturer in LuXun Academy of Fine Arts, China. Main works Water Factory has won the Reddot Award 2014. Dynamic Traffic Cone has won the Bronze A’ design Award in Vehicle,Mobility and Transportation Design Category in 2015-2016 period. A-circle has won the A’ design Award in Safety Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment Design Category in 2015-2016 period. Waterwheel Filter has won the Reddot Award 2016. Waterwheel Filter has won the iF Design Award in Discipline Professional Concept in 2016-2017 period.
Jian Sun Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Jian Sun.
Designer Interview of Jian Sun:
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?
JS : We are a design team in Luxun Academic of Fine Arts which is consist of two tutors and some students, major in Public Facility. Design is a untouchable part of our life, and when I was a child I focus on painting and drawing to become a designer.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
JS : We are the Design Team from Industrial Design Academy of Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, made up with experienced professors and apprentices with innovation and vitality, combine the design and practice, and concentrate to the innovated design and research of public facilities product, with the purpose for meeting the requirement of people’s normal life in public places and easier behavior , to improve the quality of normal life and work efficiency, even to guarantee people’s security.
DI: What is "design" for you?
JS : Design is a big part of our life, and we find the problems which people faced with on our daily life.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JS : We like all of the process of design, such as brain storm, sketching , field research and so forth.But the group discuss is my favorite, everybody share their ideas.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
JS : My favorite design is the product in MUJI which is a band in japan. The product in MUJI is so simple and environment friendly.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
JS : Glue gun.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
JS : Solar power have beneficial for the environment.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
JS : At night and I think the time is the heaven of designers.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
JS : Good design is aesthetic.I think a good design is elaborated.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
JS : It's a kind of release, specially I solve a problem.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
JS : As a designer, I feel the most statistical thing is the product realized.
DI: What makes a design successful?
JS : Focus the the real problem on our life and makes a product understandable.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
JS : Whether it convenient for people.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
JS : When we do a product, we have to think of the social problems and environment issues.Such as module design is a good way to minimize the cost of product.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JS : Design field is getting better. The future of design is more convenient and more graceful.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
JS : At LAFA gallery. It's in the works.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
JS : I get design inspiration from my daily life and browsed through the library.
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?
JS : My design style is international style. My life made me explore more this style. My design is always focus on the functional. I draw many sketch for my new design.
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?
JS : I live in China. Yes, I effect me a lot, such as the handcrafts, the red color and the special animal which is named panda and a kind of material bamboo.These things are able to use on our design. And I have much to be proud of it.
DI: How do you work with companies?
JS : Do some discussion with companies.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
JS : Every designer needs developed space and the respect to their design.So we want the company care more about the two points below. I think a good designer should have the feelings to lives，thus more people can accept their ideas and production.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
JS : One day I has a great idea about bus shelter. I considered it could be more convenient and more multifunctional. So I draw many sketch. Then I told my thought to the teachers. Teachers think it has so many difference from the traditional type. Finally we found many data about it and make the virtual model.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
JS : iMac design from Apple. Coffee machine from Braun.Some small design from IKEA and MUJI such as bed, table and so forth.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
JS : I do something about design every day, inspiration from film and the daily life.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
JS : To be honest, my suggestion is paying more attention to the details around us.Inspiration often comes from live and our aim is to make life easy.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
JS : From my perspective ，the positive one is you can make the design in your mind realized ，which makes you have sense of achievement. Relatively，when your idea isn't accepted by people ，you may lose confident and suspect yourself.That's so terrible.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JS : Originality comes from the details of live.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
JS : Find problems and try your best to solve them.If a designer doesn't have this ability ，they lose the spirit of design.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
JS : Some design softwares which is named Rhino, Key-shot, photoshop.And I think marks is so convenient to draw some ideas.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
JS : Making a reasonable schedule is an important ability to a designer.I often deal with some trivial matters in the afternoon and leave work time in the night ，because some wonderful ideas often come out in a quite atmosphere.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
JS : More than 12 month.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
JS : I am always asking myself that Which is the different point between the new design and old one.I think it's the way why we design.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
JS : I engaged in an managing project and I succeeded in delivering relevant design works to different areas in IKEA.I was always willing to share my new ideas and exchange my thoughts with my teammates in every aspect of the project, e.g. inner space design, visual expression, etc. These practical experiences have made me aware of the difference between coursework and practical research.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
JS : Some design company and someone need to help.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
JS : I like the field research most. In this process I can keep touch with various people and make friends with them.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
JS : Be a designer forever. And make some product for people.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
JS : Yes,I have a excellent team .My every design can't leave their help
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
JS : I think the brain storm have a lot of fun.
DI: How can people contact you?
JS : 1825313265@qq.com