Interviews with Whyixd

The main principle and inspiration behind our design, "Tender Soul of Ocean," is to carve out a space where hidden information from the sea is illuminated through light. This concept allows people to reconnect with the ocean's messages and experience a harmonious resonance with the environment.

In designing this work, our main focus has been to reconnect people with the environment. Our goal is to utilize technology to unveil the hidden aspects of the natural environment and increase people's awareness of their surroundings.

Winning this award holds profound significance for us as it represents not only a recognition of our efforts but also validation of our vision for blending technology and art. We envision taking this piece even further in the future, leveraging the recognition and dissemination power of this award to reach a wider audience and gain greater visibility. Ultimately, we aim to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation, inspiring more people and leaving a lasting impact on the intersection of technology and art.

We designed this particular concept because our team looks forward every year to creating a piece that is uniquely ours, a concept born from our own imaginations. This design was not commissioned; rather, it was a pursuit of inspiration that we decided to undertake. With a special invitation to exhibit, we are using this opportunity to publicly showcase our new creation at the exhibition.

This piece was 100% designed and produced by our team. Following the completion of this prototype, our current focus is on designing a more advanced version that is easy to dismantle and move, allowing the piece to be exhibited in more locations.

Our ongoing work has been the creation of digital landscapes using modern technological mediums. However, the medium itself is not our focus but rather a tool for realizing our imagination. In the future, we will continue to develop along this trajectory, continuously seeking different expressions in different eras to create surprises.

In creating this piece, we were influenced by many designers, with one significant inspiration being the renowned work "Rain Room" by Hannes Koch and Florian Ortkrass. Our aim is not only to provide a visual spectacle from afar but also to invite people to step inside and truly feel the impact of the conveyed information.

The target audience for this design is broad and inclusive. We envision this piece being exhibited worldwide and appealing to individuals interested in art, technology, and environmental awareness. Ultimately, as the design evolves into smaller installations capable of recreating environmental information, it could potentially appeal to anyone seeking to integrate such devices into their homes.

We came up with the name of this design through deep reflection on its purpose and significance. As the installation is positioned by the coast, we utilize real-time data from sea winds to create dynamic lighting effects, aiming to strengthen the connection between people and the environment. Therefore, we chose the name "Seascape: Tender Soul of Ocean" to express our reverence for nature and our exploration of the connection between humanity and the natural world.

The most unique aspect of our design lies in our relatively optimistic view towards technology. We believe that technological advancements stem from people's desire for greater communication, rather than just bringing about more destruction. We aspire to use technology to convey more positivity, and we believe that art can infuse technology with emotion and soul, while technology can also bring endless possibilities to art.

This design was created in collaboration with professionals from various fields within the WHYIXD team. In this project, each member contributed their expertise, offering diverse perspectives and insights. Through this collaborative effort, we were able to produce the final outcome.

In this specific design, the role of technology is to provide us with more choices and tools rather than being the focal point of the design. For example, in the selection of lighting mediums, technology enables us to explore and utilize newer liquid light strips, bringing us closer to our envisioned outcome. Similarly, technology aids us in finely judging and transforming wind data to ensure the stability of the piece in adverse weather conditions. Therefore, technology in this design plays a supportive and enhancing role rather than directly constituting its core.

This piece incorporates a large number of liquid light strips, a newer lighting medium known for its warm color temperature. However, compared to conventional LEDs, it is much more fragile. Given that the entire piece is placed by the seaside in Keelung, where the weather often involves rain and strong winds, ensuring the stability of this material in adverse conditions required significant effort in our structural design.

We decided to submit our design to an international design competition for several reasons. Firstly, we believe that this piece has the potential to resonate with a wide audience. Secondly, we hope that by participating in international competitions, we can promote our work to a larger audience and provide more people with the opportunity to see and appreciate our design.

WHYIXD, a rare cross-disciplinary art installation design team in Taiwan, was

founded by Yen Po Yeh, Zih Jing Wei and Chieh Lin Chuang in 2011. The team has

grown from the initial three members to a cross-disciplinary team of 13

people with diverse backgrounds in art, architecture, visual design,

information engineering, electromechanical, and others.

With the core concept of "Future-Nature Synergy," WHYIXD delves into the relationship between the environment and humans through meticulous observations of their surroundings. By experimenting with different materials and technologies, they transcend the limitations of flat visuals, creating new bodily experiences through their installations. Their art depicts inner poetry, conveying subtle emotions that words and images cannot capture in this digital era. Through their works, WHYIXD poses questions that awaken connections to the world around us, inspiring deeper reflection and resonance.

For me, the quality of a piece lies in its ability to spark constructive discussions. Even if it doesn't solve problems directly, if it can inspire people to engage in dialogue and raise questions that resonate, I believe that's the most important thing.

Our dream project is to create our own solo exhibition, where we can build and showcase a unique worldview through our art. We want to invite everyone to come and experience this immersive exhibition, stepping into a world that reflects our vision and creativity.

I believe it is the strength of the team that has enabled these works to be realized so perfectly. I am also very grateful to all the people who have recognized and supported our designs along the way. Their belief in us has provided us with ample creative space and substantial support.

We are currently developing multiple design projects simultaneously, some of which have been in progress for several years. These works will continue to focus on presenting natural information through physical installations. You can expect to see innovative and thought-provoking designs that blend technology and nature, creating immersive experiences that resonate deeply with our audience.

Our ultimate goal as designers is to promote harmony between humans and the environment through innovative and meaningful design, creating lasting value and impact for society. We aim to enhance people's awareness and respect for the natural environment through our design works. Our "electronic landscaping" aesthetic seeks to showcase the beauty and fragility of nature through artistic installations, awakening viewers' environmental consciousness and motivating them to take action. We are committed to designing works that inspire social change and progress, hoping our designs will provoke deep reflection on social issues and promote cultural exchange and cohesion within communities. We believe that design can be a powerful tool for driving social change.

We strive to continually explore and apply the latest technologies, integrating them with artistic creation to produce unprecedented design works. We are dedicated to experimenting with new materials and technologies in our designs, collaborating with tech material manufacturers to accumulate more inventions and patents, thus driving innovation in the design industry. Our goal is to enable more people to access and appreciate high-quality art. By designing small art installations, we aim to bring our "electronic landscaping" aesthetic into public and home spaces, making art not just exclusive to museums and galleries, but a part of everyday life, enhancing people's quality of life and aesthetic appreciation.

As intermediaries, designers wield profound influence over society and the environment. We must assume responsibility for design choices with our professional knowledge, ensuring that our work accurately conveys the correct message to users.

We believe that technology is merely a language of our times. As times change, we can use technology to convey emotions with increasing precision.

WHYIXD, a rare cross-disciplinary art installation design team in Taiwan, was

founded by Yen Po Yeh, Zih Jing Wei and Chieh Lin Chuang in 2011. The team has

grown from the initial three members to a cross-disciplinary team of 13

people with diverse backgrounds in art, architecture, visual design,

information engineering, electromechanical, and others.

With the core concept of "Future-Nature Synergy," WHYIXD delves into the relationship between the environment and humans through meticulous observations of their surroundings. By experimenting with different materials and technologies, they transcend the limitations of flat visuals, creating new bodily experiences through their installations. Their art depicts inner poetry, conveying subtle emotions that words and images cannot capture in this digital era. Through their works, WHYIXD poses questions that awaken connections to the world around us, inspiring deeper reflection and resonance.

For us at WHYIXD, "design" is the seamless fusion of technology and art to create immersive, sensory experiences that transcend traditional visual boundaries. Design is not merely about aesthetics; it is about forging meaningful connections between people and their environments. Our interdisciplinary team, rooted in diverse fields such as art, architecture, design, engineering, and mechanics, approaches design as a holistic process that involves meticulous observation, innovative experimentation, and the integration of cutting-edge materials and techniques.

We enjoy designing physical installations that can inspire and spark people's imaginations.

When designing, we particularly focus on whether the work can effectively convey the intended emotions. We strive to ensure that the piece captures the audience's attention and prompts them to pause and contemplate. Every detail in the design could potentially influence the overall impression of the piece, so we often conduct repeated experiments to find the best solutions.

When designing, we're often crafting a narrative. We consistently consider the space in which the piece will reside, much like composing a song. The space acts as the fundamental rhythm, while the piece serves as the embellishments, akin to notes in music. It's a continuous process of experimentation until we hum out the melody of the piece.

I believe close collaboration within the team, with each member contributing their expertise and understanding one another, is what leads to successful design.

For me, the quality of a piece lies in its ability to spark constructive discussions. Even if it doesn't solve problems directly, if it can inspire people to engage in dialogue and raise questions that resonate, I believe that's the most important thing.

As intermediaries, designers wield profound influence over society and the environment. We must assume responsibility for design choices with our professional knowledge, ensuring that our work accurately conveys the correct message to users.

With the rapid development of AI, I believe the design field will undergo many changes. Designers may no longer be constrained by tools and can produce work more freely. As a result, the future of design will place greater emphasis on the perspectives and ideas of designers.

Our most recent exhibition was at Kühlhaus in Germany, as part of the BBA Prize exhibition. This was our first time showcasing our small-scale art installations in Europe. We anticipate having one or two more physical installation exhibitions in Europe later this year. We are actively planning these events, so please stay tuned for updates.

We have clients from various fields, including government agencies (public spaces), singers (concerts), corporate brands (lobby images), and architectural firms (residential spaces).

Our future goal is to host our own exhibition, curating the works from the past decade into an immersive experience. Concurrently, we are engaged in numerous collaborative projects across different fields and countries. We look forward to showcasing our works to a wider audience in the future.

WHYIXD has always been a team effort, with each member bringing different professional skills, excellent cross-disciplinary communication abilities, and a shared creative goal.

We are currently developing a range of sophisticated small-scale installations designed to seamlessly integrate into home environments. These include past award-winning pieces like "Heaven Bloom," which received the A'Design Gold Award, as well as our recent "Alive" series showcased in Germany. These installations exemplify our approach of translating organic elements of nature into captivating design pieces.

visit our website at www.whyixd.com

or email us at info@whyixd.com