ARCHITECTURE
Asian pagodas and European Gothic Architecture truly fascinate me. I am most intrigued by the mathematical theory behind its architectural design and by that, the structures are engineered to withstand a great amount of force and age. The structures' harmony and balance, is representational in the repetition of symmetrical design. The ornamental curvatures create exciting leading lines and presents a powerful sense of movement in a strong stillness. With pagodas, each material and placement is selected for its conventional behavior and the relationship with sky and earth (feng shui). Especially with the Phat Diem pagoda, the blend between French Gothic and Vietnamese architecture makes this structure all that more eclectic.
COSTUME DESIGN
For me, a successful costume design reflect the ideas and goals of the character. The design should communicate the character's tone and style, time and place and personality. I love historical, periodic and regional costumes and I think the best designs translate evolvement with purpose for cinematic realism. Having spent most of my life in Vietnam where I wore uniforms 7 days a week, movies and their respective costumes made an influence on how I viewed other countries.
INTERIOR DESIGN
I appreciate interior designs that can transport me to a different world and are a bee to communicate a narrative of the space's intent and personality. With the Crew Dragon and the cafe here, there is thoughtfulness to the design's consistency of variation. The sleek simplicity of it feels meticulously planned for natural ease of use and comfort. The well balanced use of repetition establishes unity without becoming monotonous. The subtlety of curvature and directional movement are beautifully rhythmic.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
For graphic design, I pursue the minimal typographic aesthetic and simplistic color palette. I like designs that optimizes usability and minimize time for complication. The graphics and packaging design of Clutch Body products reflect the science, quality and purity of the ingredients behind the supplements. As a consumer, the design speaks to me as: "Hey, you can trust us. We are here to improve your quality of life without taking away your time to deal with complications. We took care of all the math and hard work for you so that you can spend more time doing the things you want to do." As goes for the website interface design, it effectively communicates to me what I need to know with ease.
PRODUCT DESIGN
My aesthetic product design is similar to graphic design, optimal usability with minimal time for complication. The products I choose to use should only serve as tools that enhance and supplement my ability to create, not distract me from it. Nike and Apple products are good examples of the products that I generally use. I am also intrigued by how both companies have pursuit for visual appeal and functionality,aided with successful branding and marketing, makes their product to be social currency.