Sam Sum

I have been working with my company partner more than 10 years, AS Design Service Limited was founded around 7 years ago, we like to inject an essence of experimental art for the possibility of combining space and art, which is our design philosophy.

I started to learn art and the courses related design during my high school period, I felt very fun at first. I like drawing and thinking in my childhood, I had been spending more time to it and I thought that design is suitable for me, I started walking on the path of design slowly and unconsciously, the more time that I spent to it, the more I think my choice is right, because I really like design.

I am sure that I choose to become a designer, because it brings a lot of fun.

It must be retail design, but we have not specified any direction initially in the design development. Design emphasizes change, and we will not be restricted from a particular concept or mode, we hope to create and design continuously, and also make changes ourselves at every moment. Retail design is basically the closest type as our design philosophy to create the most suitable theme story, design of retail stores must be unique every time; it is the third place for human, and it is dramatic, and it has a great story.

I think young designers’ attitude should stay humble in learning, do not “close the door while making car”, do more learning and understanding different things, do more trying and do not give up on design as philosophy to yourself.

I think a good designer can fulfill architectural particular needs, including the functional needs for people, and also creativity and visual feeling by request, as well as feasibility of restricted conditions (including economy and material substance ability are also satisfied by people’s needs). I think a great designer could do more than a good designer does, the most important thing is that, the design work could impress people, and make people feel it is amazing.

I think good design can be given people a message, it should be concerned about the relationship between human and substance, which is not only focus on trendy and good-looking, and that disregarded the relationship with users.

I think the value of good design have so much more, including cultural value, commercial value and emotional value, from point of view of cultural value, every designer from different countries would reflect the characteristics of culture from their own countries by the works, not only flow across and communicate each other with their culture, in a longer time to looking up, for the point of view and cognition from the designers’ for their own countries, the world can be affected. From point of view of commercial value, if the design can manifest brand’s value, it can be attracted the customers through the visual design, to help sending messages by the brands, extending the vitality and possibility to the brand, bringing huge number of economic value, to motivate brand enterprise development. From point of view of emotional value, a good design can inspire people with different emotions and heal their soul, it combines between human and the environment, which is inseparable.

I haven’t thought of it for now, I believe that I would know what I want to design if that moment has come.

If I have a chance, I wish I can design a hospital, the sense and visual could help some patients, so that they can be living in the positive, fun and cozy place against disease.

I am not saying that I am successful in design for now, because I am still searching for the right path to success, actually there is no secret recipe of success in design. I think the thing is, do not give up on your dream, keep learning in humble, and cherish every design opportunity, one hundred percent passion to put in, then you will embark on the right track to success slowly.

I like the well-known architect Mr. Andou Tadao, his architectural style is said to create a "haiku" effect, emphasizing nothingness and empty space to represent the beauty of simplicity, his comprehend of symbiosis with people, architectural, and the natural environment. I have read a lot of his works and books, I can get the different feelings and inspiration from it, one of my favorite words are “the unknown possibility and the territory which the eyes cannot see, it hides the true beauty.

Mr. Andou Tadao and Mr. Kohei Sugiura both are my respectful designers, both of their works have the great stories and infectant power, which affected me deeply for life, art and philosophy of life.

I would say “UMix ”and “UM Junior”, but I cannot say they are my greatest design, I think they are just the more satisfied ones, I like both very much because they have a strong design concept, and also a strong infectant power, giving viewers and users a space which has so much imagination and fun, because of it, both design also has won several interior design awards and got the recognition from people.

I think it is not only upgrading itself ability and knowledge, but also viewing all over the world and thinking globally, life experience is the greatest source to be innovative, different experience details could increase the creativity thinking to yourself.

If I hadn’t become a designer, I would have worked for children’s creative education, I think children’s imagination and their life attitude is powerful, they have infectant power. I like being with children, their mind are direct and simple, their life might not have any limit and restraint.

I think design is improving life quality and attitude to fulfill its needs, and bringing people creativity, comfortable, convenient and aesthetics kind of life pursue.

My partner and my team are my biggest supporter, their support and efforts could let me concentrate on my design work, so that I could think out of the box and make it work, because I know they always back me up.