Chinese architect and designer Li Xiang joins the Archiproducts Design Awards jury, a prestigious panel of more than 50 of the world’s most influential architecture firms, designers, creative directors, editors, and photographers.

While we are waiting to hear who the winners of the new edition are, over the coming months the judges will share their personal views on the state of innovation in the design world and their expectations for this year’s entries.

Li Xiang, “The world needs creative, fun and bold ideas that excite and enrich people’s lives”.

The interview with Chinese architect and designer Li Xiang opens the weekly appointment with the 2021 ADA jurors.

In 2011, Li Xiang founded X+Living Architectural Design in Shanghai, bringing together an interdisciplinary team that now numbers 70. The studio’s work spans architecture, art, fashion and industrial design (this last activity through a second company, Xiangcasa).

In a nation like China undergoing rapid urbanisation, among numerous architectural firms heeding the call for new buildings that pierces the skies of its metropolises, Li Xiang’s design stands out for its bold approach with vibrant hues and Escher-like plays of perspective.

“My goals are to bring happiness and colour to grey everyday life and immerse people in an extravagant and artistic world,’ says the designer Li Xiang on the jury of the Archiproducts Design Awards 2021. ‘After working more than 10 years in the design industry in China, I believe that client needs and expectations have changed a great deal. Creative ideas and bold designs are more welcome than in the past. People expect to go to a place and be excited by a space that doesn’t have to be anonymous.”

Zhuyeqing green tea flagship store.

What do you expect from the entries, and what features should the winning products have?

I will definitely assess each submission’s aesthetics, function, and social impact, including sustainability and environmental protection. I will also look at how a new product can inspire and/or change people’s lifestyles.

What role do you think a Design Award should play today?

Today, there are so many channels available for designers to get their creations noticed. This means that more excellent projects will have the opportunity to gain the attention of a wider audience. As award platforms gather more projects from different places, I would like to see them improve communications among participants so that they can exchange experiences and ideas.

What should contemporary design be looking at, and how should it evolve to meet the community’s needs?

In my personal experience, I feel that client needs have changed a great deal in recent years. The challenge for young designers is to experiment with more creative ideas and bolder designs and meet customers’ growing expectations in terms of aesthetics and user experience.

In the post-pandemic era, how can design define a ‘new normal’?

With social distancing, the pandemic has had major impacts on the habits and lifestyles of people, who are increasingly ‘connected’ and immersed in a virtual world. The recent scenarios defined by the pandemic can be used to innovate and find solutions that delineate ‘a new normal’. Creative genius must merge with post-pandemic opportunities by putting ‘human’ needs at the fore.

How do you think the pandemic has affected design?

During the post-pandemic era, designers are focusing more and more on sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. Obviously, this is very positive. I only hope that designers’ creativity will not be limited by this trend so they can experiment with even bolder ideas. This world still needs creative, fun and energetic ideas to enrich people’s lives!