In this FRAME China interview, Zhuyuan Cái, the founder and head designer of Foshan Bosi-tao Design Co., Ltd, discusses the importance of balancing commercial interests throughout the design process, creating experiences from the perspective of the user and why brands continue to invest in physical activations, in an increasingly digital world.

You’ve spoken a lot about ‘balanced’ design. What do you mean by this?

ZHUYUAN CÁI: When I speak about ‘balanced’ design, I’m referring to the relationship between design and business. Design is multidimensional; it transcends merely emphasizing art or aesthetics. In commercial design, balance is about considering a brand's positioning, product, system, service and consumer needs, and simultaneously avoiding being limited or excessive. Part of this means investing more attention in the customer experience and translating that into the design of a commercial space. In my eyes, a good designer should have excellent coordination skills, know how to go beyond themselves, expand the vision to products and businesses and help brands solve problems.

Zhuyuan Cái.

When designing commercial spaces, it's important to first and foremost respect the current situation of business, and use design as a tool to help drive it further. This is something that should be evaluated and implemented on a case-by-case basis, as commercial space design should vary based on a variety of factors. In this regard, design can be understood as a strategy or method to achieve organizational goals. As the landscape of consumption has changed, now more than ever, the story behind the product has become the soul of business. Spatial design is a means to articulate that narrative. 

How do you think your background of living abroad contributes to this perspective?

My educational experiences in China and Spain varied from one another. In China, I learned the basics of art and design, accumulated professional experience in work, and balanced design and business to a certain extent. While studying abroad in Spain, divergent thinking was encouraged. This philosophy has guided my initiative to learn and explore more information sources as part of the design process. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of independent thinking in design, rather than relying solely on a framework to solve business problems.

Cover and above: For the design of the Shushengtang Art Museum, a contemporary art museum in the Jiangxi Province, Foshan Bosi-tao Design Co., Ltd leaned into the region’s history of producing traditional porcelain.

Could you discuss how this approach manifests in your work?

My design focus changes for different groups. Many aspects of business needs, such as aesthetics, function, form, artistic sense, budget and so on, are in conflict with 'design'.  Shusengtang Art Museum is a special project as it is a combination of art space and club. We eased this tension by focusing on local culture and establishing a contemporary artistic atmosphere in the different spaces. 

Exhibition design is all about experience. How do you approach centring the user through design? 

Exhibition design is an investment that allows customers to experience the brand's market strategy or product advantages in a limited time. Therefore, it requires a more dynamic presentation. Due to timeliness, attracting more attention is core to the exhibition design. To achieve this, brands allow us to be bold with creativity, which is one thing that I love so much about designing temporary exhibition spaces.

To present the modern techniques of traditional porcelain production, the designer sought to highlight the ceramic brand Lion King’s innovative process at its international headquarters.

It's crucial to focus on user experience; without a good experience, there will be no users. It should not only focus on product function and appearance, but also the product form which is based on users’ psychological feelings and behaviour to demonstrate how the product solves the comprehensive. Design should make it easier or faster for users to understand how the product feels, which ultimately helps the brand close the deal.

For the design of the Foshan Shunhui Exhibition Hall, the designer showcased the products of the new materials brand through a series of systematic display modules.

Though we live in an increasingly digital world, why do you think brands find it important to invest in physical exhibition spaces? What does it say about how they connect with customers? 

I think online retail has regional and efficiency advantages, offering customers a convenient experience, while physical exhibition spaces are more tangible for consumers to physically interact with brands and products. This instant gratification can increase customer satisfaction and lead to impulse purchases. Immersive spaces help more and more of our designs appeal to customers. Using fun, interactive displays and aesthetic sensory elements engages localities to explore brands and products in a meaningful way. However, the particulars of the approach depend on a brand’s given position in the market. We pay deep attention to developments within particular industries and strategize based on that understanding. It allows us to aid brands in their growth as well as ours as designers.