Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel Wong.
Joel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Born and raised in Singapore, after completing my two years of mandatory military service, I pursued my 5-year architecture degree here in Los Angeles at Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc). Got addicted to it and my life has never been the same.
After graduating from SCI-Arc with distinction, the merit thesis prize and receiving the Henry Adams medal, I had the amazing opportunity to work with one of my biggest inspirations, Pritzker-prize winning Thom Mayne from Morphosis Architects. That experience not only shed light to the glitz and glamour of a top design firm but also the arduous intensity of up-keeping a practice at exceptionally high and optimal levels.
Pursuing architecture is not merely an act of will but passion. Down the road, while working at Morphosis, plenty of other opportunities were coming up, and I took the leap of faith and started my own design practice with my partner. Now, I am the founding principal of OWIU Design. OWIU, an abbreviation of “the only way is up” embodies the company’s philosophy of only progressing forward not only in terms of design but the way of thinking as well.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Coming out into the real world and having to fend for one’s self without the protection of a larger corporation or structure is definitely not a smooth one. Dealing with clients and having to communicate expressive ideas requires certain levels of acuity. Managing the operations of a company and having to deal with the actual technicalities of running a business is also a whole different story. But creative design continues to fuel my passion to pursue this career.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with OWIU Design – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
In OWIU Design, we cover the whole spectrum of design work. Architectural, product, landscape, branding and also visualizations through animations. We specialize in aiding communication through visuals, bringing ideas forward and across to not only designers but the universal audience.
We use creative solutions to help our clients materialize their visions and dreams into tangible reality through the optimal uses of available technology. Every member of our team brings something unique to the table, and we trust this creative synergy to bring forth the best solution to any problem.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for the future is to have more built work, grow the team and develop better strategies for design.
Contact Info:
- Address: 530 S Hewitt St, 255 Los Angeles, CA90013
- Website: www.owiu-design.com
- Phone: 213-590-5251
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @zhoujoel , @owiudesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OWIUDesign/
Image Credit:
OWIU Design
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
