We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Shelley Mock ("SM").
Through a series of big life decisions, Shelley has found herself living and working in Shanghai, for well over a decade now. After completing her Master's degree in Architecture in Australia (including a 2 year stint in Mexico on student exchange) she headed for the bright lights and noodles of Shanghai, looking for a new challenge. Through her work experience there, she was eventually led towards Interior Architecture, preferring to work within the more intimate connection people have with their immediate surroundings. She has since completed numerous projects, both built and unbuilt, ranging from residential, through commercial, to the experimental.
Shelley Mock Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Shelley Mock.
Shelley Mock Design - Supa Fama Restaurant and Bar
Designer Interview of Shelley Mock:
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?
SM : At high school I really enjoyed art class - sculpture in particular, and I did well in that subject. When it came time to choose a University degree, I gravitated towards architecture, seeing it as a path to being creative but also paid. It was a very naïve understanding of the art and design world, however, once I started the degree, I realised that there was so much more to architecture than I had imagined, and I knew I would not be looking back.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
SM : I work in a collaborative environment. I have my own business and regularly partner up with other people in similar positions for projects that require it. This includes designers, draughters, renderers, suppliers and contractors. It’s great because it means I work with many different people, all skilled in their own areas.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
SM : Commercial spaces that require a connection between brand identity and visual identity. The idea that different places could share a visual identity but be a completely different design is intriguing to me. This is where emotive narrative spaces transcend the visual appearance.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
SM : My first project was none other than a public toilet block! Hey, we all start somewhere. Located in the park of a South-East Australian country town, it was built out of budget-friendly, durable and highly utilitarian concrete block and the ubiquitous Australian outback roofing material, corrugated sheet metal. But it did have a nice roof design that included high windows, allowing sunlight into the interiors throughout the day.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
SM : I’m inspired by nature. How the natural world is so intricate and balanced in its operation is awe inspiring. Being surrounded by nature rejuvenates me and encourages creativity. Sitting in front of a computer scrolling through design images can open our eyes to new possibilities, but I do think that our own creativity needs to come from within, rather than imitating others, and this is especially important in these technology-driven days.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
SM : Having begun my career in Architecture, the interplay between volume and void is an instinctual focal point for me. Even now as I am working mostly on interior spaces, this structuring of spatial manipulation influences my design work at an intrinsic level.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
SM : Designing in a good state of mind is very cathartic. I find when I’m peaceful and relaxed, I do my best work. Which in turn brings about excitement and energy, at what possibilities I might have uncovered.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
SM : It’s incredibly exhilarating, that feeling of accomplishment and pride when something comes together. But even more so is the feeling when customers come in and comment on the space, unknowingly within earshot of the designers, just a purely honest reaction. All of my work is done with the customer in mind, and knowing that they are enjoying it is uplifting as anything can be.
DI: What makes a design successful?
SM : Successful design is a perfect equilibrium between science, art and function. It of course must first and foremost meet the needs of the users, as well as be structurally sound and efficient in its operation. This in itself would be a good object, but when an artful, culturally relevant poetry has been incorporated then it is elevated to beyond merely good to great. When it elicits an emotional response, this is a successful design.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
SM : It’s a tough position to be in, because ultimately our work is for and belongs to someone else, i.e. the client. It is therefore the client’s decision on how environmentally friendly or socially conscious the building is. As a designer I do and always will promote sustainable solutions, materials and so forth, but whether or not the final outcome has those features is not in my control. So often in my experience, it ultimately comes down to budget. It’s not ideal, but it’s still the world we live in. Where I’m based, there needs to be many more Government incentives to encourage business owners to think sustainably.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
SM : Many and varied, and changeable depending on how I’m feeling at the time. Sometimes it comes from days immersed in nature, like hiking in and around The Shire (yes I visited New Zealand recently), or it may come from wandering densely populated cities around the world with vastly different histories to that of my own. I think the important thing is to be aware of your surroundings at all times, what has been done well, how could something be improved? A designer’s mind never stops analysing. Travel, if not already apparent in my answer, is necessary.
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?
SM : The question about my design style, I’ve always found to be a strange one. Depending on the type of project I’m working on, my style will adapt. I’ll design to meet the needs of the client. So, is my style even relevant? For my own personal spaces, my style features plenty of flora (I hope this biophilic trend never dies!), geometric objects made from natural materials and structurally expressive elements. These could be called the main characteristics, and it may be possible that clients with similar preferences will gravitate towards me. Still, a beautiful project I design for a client may or may not be my style.
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?
SM : I am currently living in China, and while it is not my country of birth, it is part of my heritage. I’m Australian, and I think my mix of cultural background, coupled with having lived in both societies for a long time influences my work a lot. I imagine I subconsciously bring some ‘Australian-ness’ to my work here, and maybe vice-versa! Working in a foreign environment has some very obvious challenges, language being at the top of that list. But it also comes with its rewards, I feel I’ve grown as a person as well as a designer after having to navigate this complex society. I’ve built a common understanding between myself and the people I work with. In the end we are all working towards the same goal, and for that reason it’s the international language of design that unites us.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
SM : Being an older millennial, my design process always starts with good old-fashioned pen and paper. I find word brainstorming a really useful and enjoyable place to start, before getting into hand sketching of ideas, patterns, shapes… I suppose you could call it doodling! This exercise is a way to open the mind, to look further than the initial logical response. With these new ideas in mind, I then go on to hand sketching floor plan options. I find it best to visit the site in person. It is certainly possible to do without (although in truth I never have), but I think you get a much better feel for the space by being there, much more so than through photos and videos. You can do a SWOT based on tangible parameters, but can you do a ‘gut feeling’ SWOT? I don’t think so.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
SM : What a ‘typical day’ looks like varies throughout the phases of a project. During Concept design there will be numerous meetings with client, collaborators and site visits. We might also go and visit some places for inspiration. During Design development and Documentation however, we tend to hunker down and be glued to our computers. Once construction starts, the bulk of the project’s hours are spent on site in discussion with the contractors. This formula means I don’t spend all of my time in the office, which helps to keep myself active and motivated.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
SM : Always keep the concept in mind, write it out and stick it on the wall above your desk if you have to. Don’t loose sight of it through the process.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
SM : Take the client on the journey with you. We as designers are well versed in the steps required to end up with a fabulous design. But a client may not be aware, especially if it is their first construction project. It is important that the design process is transparent, from initial concept right through to Contract Administration. In doing this, they will understand the why as well as the how (not to mention, they will understand how much work goes into designing, and where their money is going!). I could also talk about staying true to your vision, something about being able to see the forest and trees at the same time. But I feel that client management surpasses this. It could be an amazing project, but if it fails to meet the expectations of the client, it will not go ahead.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
SM : As mentioned above I still believe in hand sketching, I therefore have felt pens of all sizes and colours, rendering pens (textas, if you will), sketch paper, rulers and set squares, other paraphernalia. When it’s time to go digital I use Sketch Up mostly. I will then pass my work on to others I’m collaborating with who will use Auto CAD or Revit, Enscape or 3ds max. I have a material sample library in my office, this includes things, objects (junk) that I’ve collected (not thrown out), that might have an interesting texture, or could be turned into something else interesting, or just in some way may prove useful in the future.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
SM : Back in the day when I worked at an Architectural firm, we would regularly do overtime, and when I say overtime I mean seriously late nights. It was part of the culture and I know this is an industry wide issue. Since branching out to work for myself, I have put a lot of energy into building my time management skills. I record all hours spent on each project and in what phase, so that I now know how much time I need to allocate for each task. I do not set unrealistic deadlines, for myself or for the other collaborators. We build our time schedule based on fifteen years practicing, and now we rarely do over time, nor do our projects run late. Understanding what you and your colleagues are capable of in a given period of time is crucial. And as we all know, good design cannot be rushed. It is a process.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
SM : How long is a piece of string?
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
SM : ‘There’s a weird corner in my living room, I don't know what to put there. Can you come over and help me fix it? There’ll be wine.’
DI: What was your most important job experience?
SM : There’s an adage about the hard times making you stronger. I can’t recall the exact expression right now, I’m a designer, not a wordsmith after all. But it’s true. It’s the failures that teach us the most. I’ve had projects that were not realised, for one reason or another. Either through mistakes of my own or mistakes of others, in both cases these are learning experiences.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
SM : Helping a company build their brand identity through interior design. I love creating something that is not only comfortable and visually pleasing, but exudes the essence of who the company is, at their core.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
SM : I’ve just finished the design phases of the fourth Supa Fama restaurant location, the follow-up to the project that won me this A Design Award! I’m very excited. It looks completely different, yet retains the brand identity, my favourite thing! Construction will begin shortly.
DI: How can people contact you?
SM : Through email, wechat, instagram