Interviews med Johnny Jiasheng Chen

A Taiwan-born, Los Angeles-based industrial / product designer. I trained as an industrial and graphic designer, earning a BFA in Product Design from Ming Chuan University (2017), gaining Master’s-level research experience in Industrial Design from Taiwan Tech (2018), and completing a Master of Design degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2022).

My goal is to dedicate my creations to society, nature, the environment, and human interactions, providing an innovative and alternative perspective on our current stage. The designs/ arts can remind us that there are always different alternatives, solutions, and perspectives when navigating the constantly changing world. For me, designers are “Dreammakers” who reflect on the past, comprehend the present, and envision the future, those who balance dreams and reality. Be able to create things that are beautiful, innovative, and benefit humanity. It is like a superpower that motivates me.

I believe that only when you genuinely enjoy something can you excel at it. Being a designer is one of the best choices I made, and I am really good at it.

Speculative design and conceptual design are my favorites. The works that no one had previously imagined or created. Currently, in lighting design, I focus on creating designs that incorporate technology.

Understand and learn what kind of design skills you excel at, focus on them, expand your expertise, be active, and put them into practice.

The willingness to do extra work outside of your career, do you care about the design community? Are you willing to put yourself out there, showcasing new designs or new ideas?

Creativity, Usability, Aesthetic Quality, Innovation, Execution, etc.

A good design is a good system. It benefits everything, from appearance and user experience to materials, sustainability, and business model, among others. Good design is what everyone wants.

Innovative design or speculative design, for companies or concept design competitions.

A design that reflects a social issue, which can turn into a whole interactive exhibition.

Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan

Charles and Ray Eames’ Eames Molded Plywood Chairs, it was an excellent example of how new technology meets aesthetics. It is how design should work.

“Plan B” it is a design system across digital and physical products that can track different environmental elements to help people understand their surroundings. It is a project that addresses environmental issues in an innovative and alternative approach.

Research, reach out, and be active.

I will be a biologist.

It is a tool and method that improves things in all aspects. Design is in everything for me.

My family inspired me when I was young and supported me in exploring my career internationally.

Seeking the essence of design

Figuring out the goals to move forward, balancing between the practical and artistic aspects of oneself, and understanding how the design industry operates.

With thorough research, a well-crafted presentation, stunning images, detailed prototypes, and good language skills.

Forenext Design Studio will remain focused on objects with unique insights, providing a refreshing alternative to existing items or brand-new products.

Develop a design philosophy and create meaningful designs that benefit humanity and promote sustainability.

From my point of view, keep generating new designs and make more noise.

Design is an element that can be applied to every aspect of life, from the materials used for daily objects to the services we receive from digital devices, and even the architectural structures. It is everywhere; it just depends on how people integrate it.

Conducting innovation research while figuring out an idea can be effective.

Project “Wooden Glass” was a project with a large amount of research and experimentation, and the outcome was great. It won awards, and people recognized the piece.

Looking forward to the AI industry bringing back a new wave of physical product design boom.

It is awaiting the development of the AI industry and looks forward to a new era.

The duration of the project depends on its depth and required development stage, ranging from one to six months.

Every designed object is a convex ideological mirror, amplifying the minds and practices of its creators.

It works both ways. However, this is an era of individuality, and trends and designs may not be easy to predict.

Technology is a fundamental element in all my designs.

Industrial design software, such as Rhino, SolidWorks, and Creo, as well as 2D design tools, are essential, along with sketching and digital ideation.

With my experience as a graphic designer, commercial product designer, and lighting designer, these elements, along with many others, are fundamental. They are necessary considerations for every design.

I want them to ask why it is so unique and discuss its meaning and purpose.

Why the form factors? Why the materials? What’s the technology? What’s the purpose?

I have a great team of people, each with a different background. I am 100% a teamworker. I believe that working with a team can take you to a higher level.

My professor is at my grad school and university.

“Design for A Better World” by Don Norman. It provides various points on how we should rethink the existing system.

I have taught myself various skills in multiple design fields and engaged in numerous design-related projects, both at work and outside of work. Design is not only about acquiring a wide range of skills, but also about applying them in the real world.

I would like to discuss humanity and human nature with great philosophers from history.

Yes, it is hard. However, the reason I received achievements is solely based on the process, goals, and effort I put into creating a design that I think is suitable for humans. It is not the other way around; I suppose getting famous does not guarantee you can make good designs. The more you want something, the harder it becomes.

Silver, lakes in the mountains, Asian food, Fall, sculpture, and Apple.

There were always times when we spent a lot of time elevating unnecessary objects, making them polished, high-tech, and luxurious. But in the end, we realized it was totally not going to work, such as a high-tech toilet that can collect poop samples and analyze them.

When I encounter a project that I enjoy and focus on intensely, I often lose track of time. I set up goals and push myself to finish them.

Yes, it was. From my father, my growing environment, and my interest in art and design. I made up my mind clearly to be an industrial designer in high school.

Hope is what I think about the future. I believe our society will continue to grow and become increasingly advanced. Like those sci-fi movies but better, because humans are good at solving problems, and we will eventually create an equal and sustainable world.

Keep moving forward, try to do something innovative every day, and stay hybrid.

I am Johnny Jiasheng Chen, a Taiwan-born, Los Angeles-based industrial / product designer. I trained as an industrial and graphic designer with a BFA in Product Design from Ming Chuan University (2017), Master’s level research experience in Industrial Design from Taiwan Tech (2018), and a Master of Design degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2022). As a designer with a diverse background working in a foreign country, it fostered my unique insight. The cultural differences and my experience growing up in a rural area enrich the design influences during my career, such as tackling a problem in a specific community or understanding the relationship between different species. These experiences have given me the passion to find the essence of everything we have created.

My goal is to dedicate my creations to society, nature, the environment, human interactions, etc, providing an innovative and alternative point of view when reflecting on our present stage. The designs/ arts that can remind us that there are always different alternatives, solutions, and perspectives when navigating the constantly changing world.

Forenext is an innovative design studio focusing on creating new experiences and providing creative solutions via different design media. We conduct projects from cultural & creative design to visionary avant-garde design. Generating new perspectives and thinking of unique alternatives are our design goals.

“For me, every designed object is a convex ideological mirror, amplifying its creators’ minds and practices.” I believe every man-made object that exists in the world has its purpose, and it reflects the intention of its creator. And only by identifying the intention of a design can one truly understand the value of an object. For me, design is a form of lifestyle an individual chooses, which interweaves into every part of our lives. It is more than just an object or medium. Eventually, it becomes our way of thinking and how we view the surroundings.

Speculative design and conceptual design are my favorites. The works that no one had previously imagined or created.

I like our previous project Plan B. Plan B. is a design system concept across digital and physical products that track different environmental elements to help people understand their surroundings. The design itself reflects the current difficulties humankind is facing, while offering an alternative perspective on how we should review and respond to the climate change challenge.

An innovative folding laptop

3D printing, CNC machining, wood working…

When I gather enough data and focus on solving problems.

If it is reasonable, achievable, practical, or not

Calm, focus, consistent.

Happy, a sense of achievement, exciting

There are too many variations and factors to consider. It is case-by-case.

The approach people took, the research they conducted, and the results they created.

Being innovative and visionary. Develop better products or alternatives that address current social or environmental issues.

Design field is at a turning point, which is developing faster toward the digital aspect and application, while the physical aspect is growing more slowly in recent years.

From my perspective, the Future of design depends on the balance of digital and physical technology breakthroughs, such as new materials, manufacturing methods, and global supply chain management, as well as their integration with AI technology.

05/2024 ARCOLisboa Art Fair with Al-Tiba9. We are still planning for the year 2026

Everyday objects, art and history museums, and architecture.

My inspirations always come from the background research and the question that I want to solve.

Modern and transitional

Modern and minimal design can be timeless and celebrate the pure form, but I also appreciate decorative designs, as their intricate forms provide a sense of disclosure, much like a story.

The approach will depend on the project's content.

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Cultural heritage has a significant impact on me. Due to my different background, I am more aware of cultural differences and have had opportunities to explore them further. Design is vital for its image and semantics, and it varies in multiple cultures. Sometimes it will be limited while considering too much.

I own a design studio while working in a company.

Carefully identify what kind of designer you need. Understand what both sides can offer to each other.

Good portfolio, good reputation, willingness to learn

Research

Define

Ideate

Protoype

Fine model

Test

Production

Wallet

Phone stand

Light

Water bottle

Breakfast cooker

Sleep, breakfast, work, lunch, work, exercise, dinner, relax, sleep

Be smart, make good decisions, and don’t give up

Positives:

Being able to create innovative and pretty objects is satisfying, and it is a rare and unique skill. Should feel proud and achieve.

Negatives:

It is a dark time for designers. Have to work smart instead of mindlessly working hard.

Make sure to understand the background before forming any judgments.

Ipad pro. Rhino, Solidwork, Illustrator, C4D, Keyshot

Multitasking, stop and work on something else when you feel stuck.

It depends on whether the research results are clear and easy to tackle or not. It can take anywhere from one to three months to have a physical prototype.

Do you like what you design?

Compal Electronics, industrial designer

ASUS, DELL, HP, APPLE, SAMSUNG, ACER

Creative, decorative, and home-related.

I enjoy thinking about conceptual objects and creating items that no one has imagined before.

Accumulate more experience, attend more competitions, and exhibitions.

Apply for a design competition judge.

I do both settings as a team and individually.

We are developing a home-related project that can add a better accent to the home, while also being practical.

designfornext@gmail.com

The most common time management tools are either two-dimensional or digital applications. I honor that the approaches we currently use, such as paper calendars and digital planners, etc, are adequate and sufficient for modern applications. However, this also inspired me to consider alternatives to the one we do not have. Time management tools are essential for the development of human civilization. This is the key point I question for this project: What can we learn from the past? The form factors, usages, scenarios, limits, and materials. Many ancient time management tools have existed across different cultures throughout history, each representing its rich origin and profound impact. It is a tool forged by time and generations of usage. They are unique, intriguing, and represent a different way of thinking. However, many interesting elements seem to have been lost in time. Therefore, this is the reason I developed the project, which utilizes Lo-Tek philosophy to create a new calendar that celebrates the past while looking to the present.

Its form is inspired by the “Quipu” an ancient Andean South American linguistic system using knots tied in wool or ropes to record important events. Calendars should provide sufficient information that people would want to know. The adjustable pointers and details can maximize the space for information while keeping the sleek shape. The semantics of the object should be straightforward, and a clock-like appearance fits perfectly to tell its purpose.

Reflecting on the amount of time people spend on screen usage, planning an event, or scheduling a meeting is usually between typing and clicking. Based on the broad scope of this single approach, it is efficient, accessible, and effective for all people. However, this format also narrows the images of how modern people view time management and limits the possibility of developing innovative things. The solution is to increase the interaction between the user and the object, making people more engaged rather than just clicking on the screen. The clock-like time chart can give you an overall idea of your time planning, and also provide enough details to allow you to know when and what to do. It is an aesthetic and practical combination.

I want the calendar to provide adequate information without being overwhelming. The pin can serve as a reminder for a significant period or represent a consistent schedule, allowing the user to define and adjust it as needed. It can be a personal calendar that only you understand.

Providing sufficient information is one of the primary considerations when I design the object. I want to maximize the usage, being more than just a monthly or weekly planner. And the unique structure layout can perfectly achieve my goal.

The adaptable structure is the main challenge for this project. The machinic details drive the form. We consider more than five formations and develop over ten prototypes. Especially when developing the information-like chart for the dates, and being able to make it universal and adjustable. It is challenging to finalize the final form because there are numerous approaches to combine the elements. However, we all agreed that the current shape is the best option to achieve both aesthetic and functional appeal.

It is designed to be placed on a desktop. So the dimension is carefully considered for reading and adjusting the structure. Additionally, the manufacturable size for the pointer arms is limited, as it is the thinnest part of all. Overall, the dimensions are comfortable for viewing and allow the machine's structure to work.

We aim to design for modern people's usage, and a simple, pure material with a sleek appearance is preferable. The clear acrylic pointer creates a floating effect, and the clean, matte aluminum body adds a stylish and timeless feel to the design.

We are always careful to pick and develop every project. Because we believe it is essential to design based on research and create meaningful designs. Projects that prompt people to consider different alternatives. Objects that inspire creativity and innovation. Syn Universal Calendar is definitely one of our featured projects. It provides practical usage, creates a unique form factor, and generates a discourse about humanity.

Syn Universal Calendar is an option, an opportunity, a dialogue for people to see that there are more interesting potentials that simple physical objects can achieve. But also showcasing that there are more time-managing formats, instead of just boring boxes and charts, we currently use. The world is driving fast into the digital era, which is a matter of fact; however, I would like to envision that our project can inspire people to think innovatively and recognize the valuable elements in our everyday objects.