Conversations with Lincoln Chen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lincoln Chen.

Hi Lincoln, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been interested in various moving mechanisms since childhood, curious about how they operate. I disassembled various things around the house, such as door locks, alarm clocks, and my toys, to understand their workings. This hobby gradually developed into an interest in inventing new things, where I would attempt to assemble different parts into new toys, among other creations. Later, when choosing a major in college, I decisively opted for product design. After studying in Singapore for three years, feeling unsatisfied with my skills and acquired knowledge, I decided to pursue further education at ArtCenter College of Design in California. Here, I completed a second undergraduate degree in product design.

In 2021, due to the pandemic and a sluggish market, I decided to take the opportunity to continue my education. I returned to ArtCenter, choosing the Furniture and Lighting Design program this time. This specialization provides a deeper understanding of manufacturing, materials, ergonomics, marketing, and more. While learning many new concepts, I have also engaged in numerous hands-on projects. I completed my graduate degree at the end of April 2023 with three projects, winning the SIT Furniture Design Award, and in May 2023, I participated in the ICFF/Wanted Design furniture design exhibition in New York with fellow schoolmates.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course not. When I first entered ArtCenter, I wasn’t a top student. Although I worked hard every week to exceed the assignments given by the teachers, I didn’t receive equivalent rewards. This made me gradually lose confidence, and there were times when I had no interest in doing anything at all. Fortunately, I later got an internship opportunity at Bosch’s Shanghai branch and encountered a great boss. This internship gave me a completely new understanding of the entire design industry, clarified my design thinking, and, most importantly, reignited my interest in design.

Later, after graduating and facing the challenges of the pandemic, the job market was tough, and finding work was difficult. I decided to take this opportunity to continue my education. So, I returned to ArtCenter to pursue a master’s degree in Industrial Design. However, after attending classes for only three weeks, I decided to switch majors. Luckily, I discovered that our school had a Furniture and Lighting Design program. Without hesitation, I submitted a transfer application.

After switching majors, I found that this was truly my calling. Not only could I bring my designs to life, but I also learned a lot of previously unfamiliar knowledge and met many amazing teachers. My journey in design may not have been smooth, but I am grateful for all the people who encouraged and helped me along the way.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I currently serve as a Senior Designer at AOLAB Design, having worked with clients such as BMW, Kohler, Mobi Fitness, NIO Life, and more. My primary responsibilities include product styling, design, and rendering. In my design approach, I advocate for the integration of rationality and sensibility.

I believe that design is the amalgamation of tools and artistic creations, where tools represent rationality, and artistic creations represent sensibility. A good piece of work should not only meet the functional requirements of being a tool but should also captivate the audience through sensibility. For us, creating a reliable tool or a beautiful piece of art individually is not challenging. The real challenge lies in how to seamlessly combine the two. Typically, I start from a sensibility perspective, contemplating what kind of design can represent my ideas and how to use this concept to captivate the audience. Subsequently, continuous refinement is undertaken to achieve a balance between rationality and sensibility, which is an enduring process of trade-offs.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I think every designer should read “The Design of Everyday Things” and “Emotional Design” by Don Norman. These books have truly been my design enlightenment. As for podcasts, I listen to a Taiwanese channel called Tech.wav, which focuses on the latest technology and interesting stories in the tech industry. It’s quite fascinating.

Contact Info:

• Website: lincolnchendesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lincolnchen_ff/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lincoln-chen/