Interview with Benson Lee
Benson Lee is a Product Designer based in Singapore and is currently the working for Studio F. A. Porsche.
Design Legend Interview
14 May 2018
Ever since I was a child, I have always been fascinated by how objects work. This curiosity led me to the start of my formal design education with a Diploma in Product and Industrial design in 2005 from Temasek Polytechnic. I then obtained my Bachelor's Degree in Product Design in 2012 from Lasalle College of the Arts, and I am currently doing my Masters in Design. Through the course of my education and professional career, I have helped start up several design companies/departments.
I feel that the world is cluttered with unnecessary objects as a result of consumerism, that does not add value to our way of life. This, in turn, gave a very wrong impression of 'design' to less design-developed countries, especially in South East Asia. My motivation to design is to declutter and to present what I feel design really is about to society.
I chose to become a designer.
As a result of working for a firm, my current practice focuses on product and spatial design. These past years I have worked on transportation interiors mainly in the field of aerospace. I would like to be involved in more craft related design.
Know what you want to do, and plan how to get there even if it involves taking a longer journey.
A good designer troubleshoots in a creative way, but a great designer knows what's next.
Canadian anthropologist, Lionel Tiger has established a framework that satisfy the four pleasures; physio pleasure, psycho pleasure, ideo pleasure, and socio pleasure. I believe a really good design satisfy these four criterias.
Good design improves quality of lives the moment you are engaged with it. Bad design only satisfy you momentarily.
I would like to design lifestyle objects that suits the Singaporean lifestyle. Most products in Singapore are imported and are forced to fit into our lifestyles.
The creative freedom and time to explore traditional raw materials and incorporate them into contemporary design to preserve tradition.
The balance between consumer and business needs.
Dieter Rams, Naoto Fukasawa
I can't choose. They all appeal to me in different ways.
I do not consider any design that I have done as great as there are more room for improvement. I would consider the experience being involved in these projects. However if I were to choose one, I would say the Premium Economy seats for Cathay Pacific that I had a chance to work on will be the one.
Practice, and be updated.
Craftsman
Everything is design. The moment the creator has an intention to create something out of nothing, he is already involved in the design process. The defining factor is just whether he has put enough thought and consideration into the process.
My colleagues and lecturers got me to where I am today. My biggest supporter will definitely be my family.
The passion, and having a goal.
The ever-changing demands of the industry.
Honestly and humbly
I am currently looking at ways to contemporise tradition crafts through design in Singapore.
To have the creative freedom and support to run my own practice.
Consistency
Good design helps eleminate the unnecessary
Can't disclose.
Better appreciation, understanding, and acceptance of design.
Technology will be heavily involved, however people will start to crave for experiences they have lost.
Reanalysing the brief to see if it makes sense, and looking for opportunity areas to make the project better.
Be confident and humble
Can happen either way depending on the topic.
Technology changes the way we use things, in turns changes the design process.
Rhino, Keyshot, V-Ray, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
It dictates the user and context.
The inspiration and story behind each design.
The environment that design will sit in.
Preferably someone who is creative and has a different skillset. I believe interdisciplinary collaborations always product unexpected results.
Everyone will give a different perspective.
Psychology and sociology books
Constantly practicing and learning.
Dieter Rams and Naoto Fukasawa
People have expectations.
A client approached me to design for his brand, and then telling me on the spot how irrelevant design is, and why I shouldn't be a designer.
The "eureka" moment when I have a great idea or when I managed to resolve an issue using design.
Earth will be terribly damanged by mankind, and everyone will be suffering.
I believe that product design has a lot of potential in Singapore if given the chance.