Interview with Qian Zhen

Qian Zhen ("QZ") interviewed on Sunday, 6 July.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

QZ : I am a university graduate, and this is my graduation work from 2021. I have been working in this industry for four years, and I have always been very passionate about art.

How did you become a designer?

QZ : I started learning art from a young age, including Chinese traditional painting. The beautiful brushstrokes sparked my interest in the sense of order and beauty in modern architectural design.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

QZ : Practicality, aesthetics, and hand-drawn sketches to express my intuition, while digital tools help me realize my ideas better. Computer-aided rendering allows me to see how details impact the overall effect. When a new project starts, I prefer to begin with hand-drawn drafts.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

QZ : Excitement and thrill—seeing the initial form take shape is what brings me the most joy. I love flipping through books, and I have many ideas. When I settle on one and gradually transform it into the vision I love in m

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

QZ : My hand-drawing skills—influenced by Eastern painting in my early years and Western techniques during my education. These have greatly helped me grasp beauty, and I’ve effectively combined them in my design studies.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

QZ : A significant influence on my design was my preparation for graduate studies in China, which gave me a deeper understanding of design principles. My future plan is to leverage my drawing strengths. Currently, my designs are being referenced in a national library project, which I consider a great honor.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

QZ : To understand what design is and how it comes into being.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

QZ : During the design process, I often get lost in the details and forget that the overall effect and the feelings it evokes are the most important.

What is your day to day look like?

QZ : I live each day very happily. On boring workdays, I often do things unrelated to my job.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

QZ : Design trends allow me to see the latest ideas and creativity from designers. Trends and individuality go hand in hand. If I want to keep up with design trends, I first focus on understanding the most significant changes in that trend.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

QZ : Good design should be something most people need or represent a creative breakthrough, with a human-centered approach.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

QZ : When a design is 80% complete,

What is your biggest design work?

QZ : My biggest design project is my award-winning work, which I invested a lot of time in. I started preparing for it during coursework before graduation. My initial goal was to turn a philosophical story I understood into a spatial or architectural design, and I ultimately achieved it. Currently, I’m working on some cultural projects for social media.

Who is your favourite designer?

QZ : Gaudí is an amazing designer. He must have had a vibrant, colorful world in his mind, and his designs are highly representative.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

QZ : My lifestyle now is more peaceful. I used to love the city and music a lot. Culture influences my design and determines who will use it. Good design must be highly beneficial to society.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

QZ : My work culture is sometimes relaxed but demands high standards, so working with me requires enthusiasm like being in a battle. It’s more goal-oriented, but often I care more about the process of achieving the goal. That’s why completing these interviews isn’t easy for me.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

QZ : I haven’t made any charitable contributions yet, but I’m very interested in social design. If I get the chance in the future, I will make some efforts.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

QZ : Actually, this was a project from four years ago, my graduation design. I’ve never given it a proper showcase until now. Participating in the A Design Award is very meaningful to me; it recognizes my design abilities from my student days.

Qian Zhen Profile