Yongwook Seong

I am a self-taught designer, currently completing M.Arch degree at UBC.

I may not be a good speaker, but I found that I could be a good communicator visually at a young age. I enjoyed sharing my drawings with friends during school. The joy of sharing my design with others has been deeply carved in my childhood memory.

First, originality comes first for my design process. I am always driven to explore new ideas and thoughts. Second, timelessness is another aspect of design that I consider invaluable. Good design shall resonate with different generations beyond its own time period. Third, it may sound a cliche, design shall be provocative and disrupt status quo and create a new realm of time and space.

I am always most excited about a conceptual phase of design, initial concept exploration. This phase is the most mysterious moment to me like creating a microcosm within oneself.

Since I have been a self-taught designer, I tend not to confine myself to the boundary set by the prevailing design industry. Lack of a better word, I would say that I am close to be a multi-disciplinary designer. I often try to position myself in different roles, for example, what if I design a sofa like a copywriter or a jewelry designer.

I am interested in a small-scale hybrid studio or a boutique shop where a designer can be engaged in different levels and fields. I have always been inspired by small boutique shops driven by big ideas. I wish to establish a studio in the future where I can practice small-scale architecture, industrial design, brand/advertising design or any hybrid kinds.

I always bring my mini sketchbook with me. Whenever I have an idea or thought, I try to draw or write it down on my sketchbook. Be ready to be inspired by every bit of your life.

I think that a designer shall be a good actor/actress. We, designers, should imagine ourselves like clients or any parties involved, and understand their needs and desires. "Becoming a client" could provide an interesting perspective for designers. Designers shall train themselves to live and behave like a client for a certain time period.

I start my day by brainstorming ideas with fresh mind. Also, it might sound a bit strange, but I sometimes try to isolate myself from my social peers. Being alone in a meditational state would induce a milieu where you could focus purely on your inner self and become an original thinker. Connectivity is important in the current digital age, but I personally think that "temporary/voluntary disconnectivity" can be equally important for designers who are aspired to stay original and inventive.

Again, timelessness is an important aspect for my design philosophy. Trends can be often temporal and ephemeral. But it may be more important for designers to understand zeitgeist and to be able to see a bigger picture.

A "good" design can be a subjective term, but to me, at least, a "good" design shall immediately provoke emotions or reactions as soon as one sees it.

These days, I also pay attention to an interactive aspect of design. In other words, a design may be complete with end-users. I sometimes try to leave some room for users to participate the design process and reinvent its uses.

I think that iPhone Escalator (2011) may be one of them. It is an advertising concept that I created to break into the advertising industry. I transformed an escalator into the digital ocean rippled by the deep algorithmic force, and tried to signify the advent of augmented reality advertising. And this digital ocean can be physically manipulated by hand gestures with advanced technology in the future.

Nam June Paik (1932-2006) is the most inspiring artist for me. He extensively explored possibilities of media art earlier, and is a father figure for today's interactive art and design. His vision and thoughts on the digital age and humanity often inspire my design process.

I consider myself quite inquisitve. I often tend to question things we take for granted and experiment new things.

I would prefer to work alone or with a small group of people. I think that intimate communication in a human scale is becoming more valuable in the digital age. People who have a balance between analog and digital can be highly sought.

I think that designers are well-positioned to be a social leader these days when visual/interactive platforms and communications are highly valued. We as designers shall continuously educate ourselves to be able to see a bigger picture and create works that can be extended as pro bono on a daily basis.

A' Design Award has provided me with tremendous support and opportunities to grow as a full-fledged designer. First, publicity and credibility for designers are absolutely important for designers. I think A' Design Award is, by far, the best award competition that makes a continual effort for these. Second, A' Design Award helps designers to create a global designer community. A' Design Award is not a mere competition, but an active platform where designers and design-lovers can share their works and communicate each other. Third, I appreciate that A' Design Award equally values conceptual and experimental works by young designers. This really helps young and aspiring designers to gain exposure and grow. Thank you, A' Design Award.