PROLOGUE
As a designer, I’m always wondering: What do we design for? Is design merely a commercial instrument? Are we simply striving to create the perfect client experience? Or is design only meant to satisfy the designer’s ego? Is design supposed to embody a right, a will, a power or a value? Or to convey culture, aesthetics and lifestyle? At its heart, design is about exploring and improving the relationships between individuals and objects, and humanity and the surrounding environment. Such relationships should be friendly, not antagonistic. The book has 15 chapters, starting with Minimalism – which studies dislocations in Chinese culture, aesthetics and design, as well as the difference between design in China and the West – and ending with Kindness, which describes the highest level of design: design that follows the principle of sustainable development and transmits positive social enlightenment to the public. Each chapter corresponds to a keyword relating to my practice, discovery and thoughts, gathered over the years I spent working in the field of design after returning to China from Germany. —JAMY YANG
PROLOGUE
As a designer, I’m always wondering: What do we design for? Is design merely a commercial instrument? Are we simply striving to create the perfect client experience? Or is design only meant to satisfy the designer’s ego? Is design supposed to embody a right, a will, a power or a value? Or to convey culture, aesthetics and lifestyle? At its heart, design is about exploring and improving the relationships between individuals and objects, and humanity and the surrounding environment. Such relationships should be friendly, not antagonistic. The book has 15 chapters, starting with Minimalism – which studies dislocations in Chinese culture, aesthetics and design, as well as the difference between design in China and the West – and ending with Kindness, which describes the highest level of design: design that follows the principle of sustainable development and transmits positive social enlightenment to the public. Each chapter corresponds to a keyword relating to my practice, discovery and thoughts, gathered over the years I spent working in the field of design after returning to China from Germany. —JAMY YANG
MINIMALISM
D E S I G N F US I O N
MINIMALISM
DESIGN FUSION
MINIMALISM IN JAPAN
010
A French journalist once asked me, “What characterises
Can any product convey the notion of ‘minimalism’
Chinese design?” She then added: “For example,
as incisively as a pair of chopsticks, either in terms of
Japanese design is minimal.”
usage or philosophy?
At the time I replied, “Chopsticks. Chopsticks represent
Shifting the focus to Japan, one name has been
Chinese design, but not necessarily contemporary
mentioned over and over during my many conversations
Chinese design.” Indeed, chopsticks may be considered
with Chiaki Murata, Sadao Tsuchiya, Hasegawa and
an exemplary example of Chinese design. Unlike Western
other Japanese friends: Sen no Rikyu. Four hundred
knives and forks, a pair of chopsticks embodies typical
years ago, Rikyu’s profound influence on the ‘Way of
Eastern philosophy on both a practical and spiritual
Tea’ shaped the tradition of wabi-sabi. This notion draws
level: that is, coping consistently with change. The
inspiration from Chinese Chan Buddhism, advocating
same tool can be used for all kinds of dining. In contrast,
the ‘unfinished’ aesthetics, calmness, and reticence.
knives and forks come in various shapes and sizes and
Contemporary Japanese minimalist design is influenced
are used for different types of food – hence each item is
by this notion to a certain extent. Naoto Fukasawa’s 80%
assigned its own specificity. These two types of utensils
principle, Tadao Ando’s architectural concrete, Kenya
demonstrate the disparate ways of thinking in the East
Hara’s graphic design and the Japanese karesansui
and West.
gardens are all manifestations of the wabi-sabi spirit.
— Chinese chopsticks
— Japanese chopsticks
—
—
The goal is not to achieve completeness, but to only Interestingly,
due
to
different
culinary
customs,
chopsticks from Japan and Korea differ from those in
produce 80% of something, so that perfection can be attained through usage.
China. Japanese chopsticks are pointy, likely adapted for eating fish and sashimi, whereas Korean chopsticks
To explain further: a container can be thought of as
are metallic, and suitable for BBQ.
‘complete’ or ‘perfect’ only when it is full. If the container’s
Korean chopsticks
Knife & fork
011
MINIMALISM
D E S I G N F US I O N
MINIMALISM
DESIGN FUSION
MINIMALISM IN JAPAN
010
A French journalist once asked me, “What characterises
Can any product convey the notion of ‘minimalism’
Chinese design?” She then added: “For example,
as incisively as a pair of chopsticks, either in terms of
Japanese design is minimal.”
usage or philosophy?
At the time I replied, “Chopsticks. Chopsticks represent
Shifting the focus to Japan, one name has been
Chinese design, but not necessarily contemporary
mentioned over and over during my many conversations
Chinese design.” Indeed, chopsticks may be considered
with Chiaki Murata, Sadao Tsuchiya, Hasegawa and
an exemplary example of Chinese design. Unlike Western
other Japanese friends: Sen no Rikyu. Four hundred
knives and forks, a pair of chopsticks embodies typical
years ago, Rikyu’s profound influence on the ‘Way of
Eastern philosophy on both a practical and spiritual
Tea’ shaped the tradition of wabi-sabi. This notion draws
level: that is, coping consistently with change. The
inspiration from Chinese Chan Buddhism, advocating
same tool can be used for all kinds of dining. In contrast,
the ‘unfinished’ aesthetics, calmness, and reticence.
knives and forks come in various shapes and sizes and
Contemporary Japanese minimalist design is influenced
are used for different types of food – hence each item is
by this notion to a certain extent. Naoto Fukasawa’s 80%
assigned its own specificity. These two types of utensils
principle, Tadao Ando’s architectural concrete, Kenya
demonstrate the disparate ways of thinking in the East
Hara’s graphic design and the Japanese karesansui
and West.
gardens are all manifestations of the wabi-sabi spirit.
— Chinese chopsticks
— Japanese chopsticks
—
—
The goal is not to achieve completeness, but to only Interestingly,
due
to
different
culinary
customs,
chopsticks from Japan and Korea differ from those in
produce 80% of something, so that perfection can be attained through usage.
China. Japanese chopsticks are pointy, likely adapted for eating fish and sashimi, whereas Korean chopsticks
To explain further: a container can be thought of as
are metallic, and suitable for BBQ.
‘complete’ or ‘perfect’ only when it is full. If the container’s
Korean chopsticks
Knife & fork
011
MINIMALISM
D E S I G N F US I O N
MINIMALISM
DESIGN FUSION
design places it inherently at ‘100%’, so to speak, then
012
it would be at 120% once things are added to it. It would become raucous, too ‘noisy’. If the container’s design instead remains at 80%, then the remaining 20% is left for the user to achieve. The container attains 100% through usage. Japan’s minimal, peaceful and reserved aesthetic draws from the island’s frequent natural disasters and limited natural resources. For this reason, Japanese designers are respectful of nature and grateful for what it has bestowed on them, for they believe all living things have a spirit. Conscientious management of natural resources is a universal value in Japan, so its designers are often resourceful, appreciating every piece of material in their design and utilising all of it to minimise waste.
—
A representation of wabi-sabi in the Nezu Museum tearoom
013
MINIMALISM
D E S I G N F US I O N
MINIMALISM
DESIGN FUSION
design places it inherently at ‘100%’, so to speak, then
012
it would be at 120% once things are added to it. It would become raucous, too ‘noisy’. If the container’s design instead remains at 80%, then the remaining 20% is left for the user to achieve. The container attains 100% through usage. Japan’s minimal, peaceful and reserved aesthetic draws from the island’s frequent natural disasters and limited natural resources. For this reason, Japanese designers are respectful of nature and grateful for what it has bestowed on them, for they believe all living things have a spirit. Conscientious management of natural resources is a universal value in Japan, so its designers are often resourceful, appreciating every piece of material in their design and utilising all of it to minimise waste.
—
A representation of wabi-sabi in the Nezu Museum tearoom
013
MINIMALISM
D E S I G N F US I O N
MINIMALISM
DESIGN FUSION
MINIMALISM IN GERMANY
Over the decade since I returned to China from Germany,
014
015
one phrase continues to have an impact on me: Professor Dieter Zimmer’s caution, “Simple is not easy!” (Original text in German: Einfach ist nicht einfach.) Zimmer, a juror for the 2000 Red Dot Design Award in Germany, wrote this as part of his commentary in the Annals for the Red Dot Design Award from that year. If we unpack this phrase, it recommends that we simplify our minds and stop identifying every meaningless item that we see. Instead, we should invest our limited time and energy in focusing on our loved ones and engaging with them to our fullest.
—
Ergonomics test in a design class at Hermann Muthesius, 2001
I first met Professor Dieter Zimmer in 2000, in my —
German professor, Dieter Zimmer
second year of graduate studies at the China Academy of Art. He was a guest professor for the Sino-German Urban and Furniture Design class. When we discussed my proposal, he repeatedly asked, “Why design it this way?” He believed that design couldn’t just rely on inspiration; it had to be deliberated with logic. Every step should be grounded in reason. He asked me to look for the essence of a problem, and to find the simplest
MINIMALISM
D E S I G N F US I O N
MINIMALISM
DESIGN FUSION
MINIMALISM IN GERMANY
Over the decade since I returned to China from Germany,
014
015
one phrase continues to have an impact on me: Professor Dieter Zimmer’s caution, “Simple is not easy!” (Original text in German: Einfach ist nicht einfach.) Zimmer, a juror for the 2000 Red Dot Design Award in Germany, wrote this as part of his commentary in the Annals for the Red Dot Design Award from that year. If we unpack this phrase, it recommends that we simplify our minds and stop identifying every meaningless item that we see. Instead, we should invest our limited time and energy in focusing on our loved ones and engaging with them to our fullest.
—
Ergonomics test in a design class at Hermann Muthesius, 2001
I first met Professor Dieter Zimmer in 2000, in my —
German professor, Dieter Zimmer
second year of graduate studies at the China Academy of Art. He was a guest professor for the Sino-German Urban and Furniture Design class. When we discussed my proposal, he repeatedly asked, “Why design it this way?” He believed that design couldn’t just rely on inspiration; it had to be deliberated with logic. Every step should be grounded in reason. He asked me to look for the essence of a problem, and to find the simplest
T H E VO I D
D E S I G N F US I O N
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD ENLIGHTENMENT ON AESTHETICS
102
A designer’s habit or proficiency in the language of
Up until middle school, I lived in an ancient two-storey
design is often influenced by his past knowledge and
house by the Guanyin Bridge in Hangzhou. The house
experiences.
was walled in, with a central courtyard and a back yard,
103
beyond which a river ran. My grandfather was a doctor, I’ve always loved the rain, especially in my hometown
who wrote beautiful calligraphy. I have vivid memories of
Hangzhou. In the Jiangnan region, the end of spring and
my entire family sitting under the grapevines in the back
early summer is commonly known as ‘the rainy season’.
yard when the weather was pleasant, having dinner on
At this time of year, I would often take an umbrella and
the stone table.
—
The mist and fog of West Lake,Tao Tao
head to the West Lake to watch the rain. Raindrops string together, forming layers and layers of curtains. They
The gentle raindrops by the West Lake and the winding
expand across the world, from near to afar, from clear
grapevines in our back yard – these are my earliest
quickly filled with drawings. In elementary school, when
to opaque. The rain not only obscures one’s vision, but
memories of beauty. My concept of ‘the void’ – nihilism,
confronted with subjects that held little interest to me,
also one’s hearing, filling it with a simple, subtle drum.
lightness, obscurity and ambiguity – grew from these
I would draw all over the blank space in my textbooks.
All other noise is gradually muted. In this moment, one’s
wonderful childhood memories, which have likely shaped
olfactory sense can only detect the fragrance of wet
my aesthetic preferences and have had a subconscious
Drawing put me in a state of bliss – it was the singular
earth and plants. The medium of ‘rain’ occupies all our
impact on my designs.
most important drive behind my choice to become a designer.
senses, engulfing us in a pure and wonderful world. Such memories of childhood beauty are critical for Su Shi’s poem Drinking on the West Lake in the Sun and
designers. I can fondly recall my early infatuation with
Rain articulates this scenery: ‘The dimming hills present
physical spaces and forms. This may be related to my
rare views in rainy haze…’ Of course, snow is equally
father – he was a mechanic who worked on fighter planes
beautiful, although its popular reference has made it
in the air force, and he often gave me model planes to
somewhat kitsch.
play with. My mother gave me a large notebook that I
—
The growing grapevine and stem is an analogy for the 'Y' bracket system
T H E VO I D
D E S I G N F US I O N
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD ENLIGHTENMENT ON AESTHETICS
102
A designer’s habit or proficiency in the language of
Up until middle school, I lived in an ancient two-storey
design is often influenced by his past knowledge and
house by the Guanyin Bridge in Hangzhou. The house
experiences.
was walled in, with a central courtyard and a back yard,
103
beyond which a river ran. My grandfather was a doctor, I’ve always loved the rain, especially in my hometown
who wrote beautiful calligraphy. I have vivid memories of
Hangzhou. In the Jiangnan region, the end of spring and
my entire family sitting under the grapevines in the back
early summer is commonly known as ‘the rainy season’.
yard when the weather was pleasant, having dinner on
At this time of year, I would often take an umbrella and
the stone table.
—
The mist and fog of West Lake,Tao Tao
head to the West Lake to watch the rain. Raindrops string together, forming layers and layers of curtains. They
The gentle raindrops by the West Lake and the winding
expand across the world, from near to afar, from clear
grapevines in our back yard – these are my earliest
quickly filled with drawings. In elementary school, when
to opaque. The rain not only obscures one’s vision, but
memories of beauty. My concept of ‘the void’ – nihilism,
confronted with subjects that held little interest to me,
also one’s hearing, filling it with a simple, subtle drum.
lightness, obscurity and ambiguity – grew from these
I would draw all over the blank space in my textbooks.
All other noise is gradually muted. In this moment, one’s
wonderful childhood memories, which have likely shaped
olfactory sense can only detect the fragrance of wet
my aesthetic preferences and have had a subconscious
Drawing put me in a state of bliss – it was the singular
earth and plants. The medium of ‘rain’ occupies all our
impact on my designs.
most important drive behind my choice to become a designer.
senses, engulfing us in a pure and wonderful world. Such memories of childhood beauty are critical for Su Shi’s poem Drinking on the West Lake in the Sun and
designers. I can fondly recall my early infatuation with
Rain articulates this scenery: ‘The dimming hills present
physical spaces and forms. This may be related to my
rare views in rainy haze…’ Of course, snow is equally
father – he was a mechanic who worked on fighter planes
beautiful, although its popular reference has made it
in the air force, and he often gave me model planes to
somewhat kitsch.
play with. My mother gave me a large notebook that I
—
The growing grapevine and stem is an analogy for the 'Y' bracket system
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
YANG HOUSE 'VIRTUAL LANDSCAPE'
108
109
—
'Y' bracket units built into a coat hanger
—
'Y' bracket units built into a bookshelf
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
YANG HOUSE 'VIRTUAL LANDSCAPE'
108
109
—
'Y' bracket units built into a coat hanger
—
'Y' bracket units built into a bookshelf
T H E VO I D
D E S I G N F US I O N
114
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
The ancient city of Suzhou is famous for its ‘Humanistic
peacefulness, in spite of a constantly changing world.
Landscape
This contrasts with the blossoming vegetation, water
Gardens’.
These
gardens
were
a
collaboration between Confucian literati and several
fountains and sculptures found in Western gardens.
craftsmen, who aimed to develop a lyrical, subliminal Suzhou
gardens
and
karesansui
gardens
landscape experience, so that every step the visitor
Both
took would guide them deeper into a scene. Every rock
encapsulate nature within one’s own home. The two
and water feature, every plant and tree articulated the
are nevertheless distinct; Karesansui tends to be more
highest aesthetic aspirations of the era. A few centuries
abstractly rendered, replacing the water with sand.
later, are we still capable of generating new aesthetic values? This is what I have wondered, over the two years
‘Y’ brackets, with their potential to grow into new ‘virtual’
it took to complete my museum.
forms, are similar to the Confucian literati stones and lattice windows found in the Suzhou gardens. All are
I made a special visit to Kyoto, Japan, to study the
naturalistic forms with hollow structures. And so, I
karesansui outside of the abbot’s residences at five
began to replace these stones and windows with the ‘Y’
temples, including Ryoan-ji, Daitoku-ji and Kodai-ji.
Bracket System.
Treating boulders as mountains and pebbles as water,
—
Japanese Zen Buddhist Temple, the karesansui garden in Ryoan-ji
this minimalist approach to garden design resonates
White ‘Y’ brackets create overlapping stacks, reminiscent
with ‘wabi-sabi’, the notion Sen no Rikyu proposed
of the Suzhou literati stones. At the same time, the
four hundred years ago in The Way of Tea. Wabi-sabi
brackets’ see-through effect embodies the principle
advocates an incomplete and quiet aesthetic. Karesansui
of ‘an entire landscape in every step’ that the arched
is the antithesis to superficiality. It embodies eternal
Suzhou stones and lattice windows represent. Black ‘Y’
115
T H E VO I D
D E S I G N F US I O N
114
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
The ancient city of Suzhou is famous for its ‘Humanistic
peacefulness, in spite of a constantly changing world.
Landscape
This contrasts with the blossoming vegetation, water
Gardens’.
These
gardens
were
a
collaboration between Confucian literati and several
fountains and sculptures found in Western gardens.
craftsmen, who aimed to develop a lyrical, subliminal Suzhou
gardens
and
karesansui
gardens
landscape experience, so that every step the visitor
Both
took would guide them deeper into a scene. Every rock
encapsulate nature within one’s own home. The two
and water feature, every plant and tree articulated the
are nevertheless distinct; Karesansui tends to be more
highest aesthetic aspirations of the era. A few centuries
abstractly rendered, replacing the water with sand.
later, are we still capable of generating new aesthetic values? This is what I have wondered, over the two years
‘Y’ brackets, with their potential to grow into new ‘virtual’
it took to complete my museum.
forms, are similar to the Confucian literati stones and lattice windows found in the Suzhou gardens. All are
I made a special visit to Kyoto, Japan, to study the
naturalistic forms with hollow structures. And so, I
karesansui outside of the abbot’s residences at five
began to replace these stones and windows with the ‘Y’
temples, including Ryoan-ji, Daitoku-ji and Kodai-ji.
Bracket System.
Treating boulders as mountains and pebbles as water,
—
Japanese Zen Buddhist Temple, the karesansui garden in Ryoan-ji
this minimalist approach to garden design resonates
White ‘Y’ brackets create overlapping stacks, reminiscent
with ‘wabi-sabi’, the notion Sen no Rikyu proposed
of the Suzhou literati stones. At the same time, the
four hundred years ago in The Way of Tea. Wabi-sabi
brackets’ see-through effect embodies the principle
advocates an incomplete and quiet aesthetic. Karesansui
of ‘an entire landscape in every step’ that the arched
is the antithesis to superficiality. It embodies eternal
Suzhou stones and lattice windows represent. Black ‘Y’
115
T H E VO I D
D E S I G N F US I O N
116
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
117
—
Yang House 'Virtual Landscape' garden, 2017, which received the 2017 Red Dot Award and the Chinese Design Power 100 Award
T H E VO I D
D E S I G N F US I O N
116
T H E VO I D
DESIGN FUSION
117
—
Yang House 'Virtual Landscape' garden, 2017, which received the 2017 Red Dot Award and the Chinese Design Power 100 Award
A good design explores the complex relationships between people, objects and the environment, while ensuring that these connections remain harmonious. This is the guiding principle behind Jamy Yang’s work. After completing his studies in Germany, Yang returned to China. He rapidly attained international recognition, winning almost one hundred awards in his field. His practice, Yang Design, is defined by the melding of Eastern and Western styles, natural and artificial materials, and traditional and modern aesthetics.
Design Fusion presents the key discoveries made by Jamy Yang so far in his career. Yang demonstrates how the Minimalist movement has left a unique footprint on both Germany and Japan. Later chapters are dedicated to the concept of ‘Brand DNA’, the importance of traditional craftsmanship, and the purpose of semantics in design. Emphasising the need for sustainable development projects that positively influence the public, Design Fusion is an enlightening glimpse into the mind of one of China’s most innovative young designers.