Interview with Hao Zhong

Yuchen: I was initially amazed by how architecture can create these tiny moments that completely change our behavior.. I realized that buildings weren't just shelters; they were these powerful tools that could influence how we move, feel, and interact with each other. As I started to appreaciate that architecture could create these behavioral shifts, I was completely drawn to it. It felt like discovering a hidden language that speaks directly to our instincts.

Hao: Design is rarely a linear process, and the emotions it brings are complicated. I constantly move between moments of fulfillment and frustration, highs and lows—but I appreciate each part of it. It definitely feels rewarding when design got realized. Knowing that these spaces will exist for years to come and have the potential to create meaningful moments for people brings a deep sense of fulfillment.

Yuchen: Don't fall in love with your first idea and spend time with people who aren't designers—they'll keep you grounded and show you problems you'd never notice otherwise.
Hao: The next iteration is always better

Designers have the power to shape how people live, and that comes with serious responsibility. We're not just making objects or buildings - we're influencing behavior, resource consumption, and social interaction. With climate change accelerating, every design decision is essentially having an impact on the future we will be in. That's why we think projects like Spira Silva matter so much - we're proving that sustainable alternatives aren't compromises, they're the future. Designers need to think beyond the immediate client and consider the ripple effects of their work on communities and ecosystems.

Yuchen: I look at user experience and impact first - both immediate and long-term. Does it improve people's daily experience? Does it contribute positively to the environment? With Spira Silva, we asked whether each decision was moving us toward a more sustainable future.
Hao: I don't necessarily have an answer. Every design serves a specific purpose, and I think a project can be considered successful if it effectively meets its goals and fulfills its intended function in a thoughtful and meaningful way.

We work for different firms but collaborate as design partners on projects we're passionate about. It's an interesting dynamic—we bring different perspectives from our backgrounds and combine them into something unique. We complement each other's strengths really well.

Design is problem-solving with empathy. It's about understanding what people actually need, and finding elegant solutions that become vehicles to address those needs while serving the greater good.

Spira Silva is definitely our favorite. It's a timber skyscraper that challenged what we thought we knew about high-rise construction. The whole concept started when we became fascinated by timber's potential to revolutionize sustainable building at a larger scale. Most people think of wood as something for small, cozy buildings, but we saw an opportunity to prove that engineered timber could create dramatic, soaring structures while drastically reducing carbon footprint and show that sustainability doesn't mean compromising on ambition or beauty.

Hao: During my first internship at an architecture firm, I had the opportunity to design a feature slat wall for their new office. It was incredibly rewarding to see the design move quickly from concept to construction, offering me an early and tangible experience of how ideas take shape in the built environment.

We have a deep appreciation for wood and timber construction. While our professional work doesn’t involve timber structures, we continue to explore this material in our own research and design practice. This passion was a major inspiration behind our decision to develop timber construction concepts for Spira Silva.

Yuchen: Early mornings with coffee, or late at night when the world gets quiet. There's something magical about those threshold moments when the world and the noise aren’t fully on yet.

Yuchen: User experience and societal benefit. We ask: Does this solve the actual problem? Is it intuitive? Does it create a greater good and societal benefit? The aesthetics come naturally once the function is right.

Hao: Design is rarely a linear process, and the emotions it brings are complicated. I constantly move between moments of fulfillment and frustration, highs and lows—but I appreciate each part of it.

It feels rewarding. Knowing that these spaces will exist for years to come and have the potential to create meaningful moments for people brings a deep sense of fulfillment.

Hao: I don't necessarily have an answer. Every design serves a specific purpose, and I think a project can be considered successful if it effectively meets its goals and fulfills its intended function in a thoughtful and meaningful way.

We look at user experience and impact first - both immediate and long-term. Does it improve people's daily experience? Does it contribute positively to the environment? With Spira Silva, we asked whether each decision was moving us toward a more sustainable future.

Designers have the power to shape how people live, and that comes with serious responsibility. We're not just making objects or buildings - we're influencing behavior, resource consumption, and social interaction. With climate change accelerating, every design decision is essentially having an impact on the future we will be in. That's why we think projects like Spira Silva matter so much - we're proving that sustainable alternatives aren't compromises, they're the future. Designers need to think beyond the immediate client and consider the ripple effects of their work on communities and ecosystems.

Design is becoming less about pure aesthetics and more about systems thinking. The future belongs to designers who can tackle complex, interdependent challenges - like how timber construction can address both housing shortages and carbon emissions simultaneously. We're seeing the emergence of regenerative design that doesn't just minimize harm but actively heals or call for the society to act in a regenerative direction. AI will handle a lot of the routine work, freeing designers to focus on the big design questions about how we want to live together. The future of design will be those who understand that good design isn't just functional or beautiful - it's restorative.

The context of each project offers unique inspiration. We always begin by deeply exploring the site's history, culture, and natural surroundings to inform our design approach. In addition to these contextual influences, we draw creative energy from a wide range of art forms—literature, film, music, anime, and more—which helps us bring fresh perspectives and emotional depth to our work

We are Chinese designers based in New York City. Although we haven’t had the opportunity to practice in our home country yet, our cultural heritage deeply influences the way we approach design. Many of the philosophies that shape our work are rooted in Chinese culture, yet we find them to be universally relevant. Our goal is to bridge the gap between cultures by interpreting these ideas in ways that are locally grounded and contextually appropriate

We're pretty chaotic at the beginning - lots of late-night conversations, preliminary sketches, and "what if" questions that probably sound irrational to outsiders. We prototype everything, even abstract concepts. We're constantly bouncing ideas back and forth. The real breakthrough usually comes around at least after five iterations, when we stop trying to force our preconceptions and start listening to what the project wants to be.

Hao: couch, living room floor lamp, office chair, cups for different purposes, mirror

Yuchen: Don't fall in love with your first idea and spend time with people who aren't designers—they'll keep you grounded and show you problems you'd never notice otherwise.

Hao: One of the most rewarding parts of being a designer is the opportunity to be creative and solve problems. On the other hand, a challenging part of the profession is that your work is constantly subject to critique, and the fear of disapproval can sometimes be discouraging.
Yuchen: The most rewarding part is knowing your work can outlast you and create a positive impact on the community. The challenging side is the constant weight of responsibility and self-doubt. Every design decision has consequences, and you're always second-guessing whether you've considered all the needs and impacts.

Hao: Critical thinking, self-reflection, and the ability to learn quickly are essential.
Yuchen: Curiosity and systems thinking are essential. Empathy is crucial too, because you're designing for people whose experiences might be completely different from yourself.

All popular 2D and 3D design softwares, and we’re continually expanding our toolkit. Recently, we've begun integrating AI tools like Midjourney, Veras, and Magnific into our workflow to enhance visualization, ideation, and efficiency.

Defining priorities is important. Once you have a clear understanding of the scope of work and the order in which tasks should be executed, it becomes much easier to manage your time effectively and allocate it where it's needed most.

Hao: It really depends on the scale and complexity of the project—it can range from weeks to months, or even years. Personally, I believe a good design is never truly finished. Even after it's realized, there's always room for reflection and improvement.
Yuchen: Like Hao said, it varies quite a lot. But I think about design time differently - it's not just the active designing period, but the years of observation and thinking that inform each project.

Hao: Yuchen and I are working for different companies.
Yuchen: As Hao mentioned, we work for different companies in our day jobs, which gives us diverse perspectives and networks. And we usually come together if we see something that excites us both.

Yuchen: Projects where we have the opportunity to dig deep into human behavior and challenge previous assumptions. The messier and more complex the problem, the more interesting the solution tends to be.

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Or directly email us: zhonghaocfu@gmail.com, yauyueson@gmail.com
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