We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Shawn Shen about their original and creative Children Learning Center design work. Shawn Shen is an award-winning architectural designer, that makes our world a better place with their original children learning center works.
Shawn Shen ("SS") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Seed Music Academy Children Learning Center. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
SS : “Nurture by love” is the mission statement of Seed Music Academy. The academy believes that children exposed to music at an early age can bring a lot of positive influences on their future.
SS : The entire design is focusing on love. I hope every child and parent who comes to this academy can feel the love.
SS : This award gets a lot of media attention. I will use this opportunity to advertise on various platforms and expand the size of my studio. At the same time, I’ll have more interaction with local schools and the communities.
SS : When I first saw the pre-construction space, about 70% of the design inspiration was already in my mind. It then took me a month to complete the whole design.
SS : I always try to give vitality to my design works. It just so happens that this Music Academy has a very powerful mission that allows me to put its value into the design. I recall how I used to play in nature when I was a kid. I want to bring the atmosphere into this space and share the joy with those children. It is fun to bring the feeling of outdoor grass and woods inside.
SS : This design was explicitly designed for Seed Music Academy. It won't be used anywhere else.
SS : Restrictions led me to design this work. When the weaknesses of the scene limited my options, I could only try to figure out the ways to turn these weaknesses into strengths. So it is associated with the use of grass and trees as the focal point.
SS : Nature gave me a lot of inspiration when I designed this work.
SS : Target customers are children between the ages of 3 and 13 and their parents.
SS : I used every detail of the space to reflect the missions, expectations, and values of the company, which you can directly understand in the appearance. When we carefully observe each part of the room, we can feel that these special details are a metaphor for parents' and teachers' love for children.
SS : The name of the design is quite straightforward. It's the name of the company. There is a direct link between design and brand image. I hope that one day the child can grow from a little seed to a strong tree.
SS : AutoCAD, 3ds Max, Vray, Photoshop, Lightroom.
SS : I widely use circle and curvature to symbolize the harmony in dealing with things and the symbolic design of embrace with open arms. When the child sits under the desk in the shape of a tree, it is like a seed that is slowly nourished and will one day grow like this big tree.
SS : I cooperated with the sound insulation system and movable door company. These are the most basic functional requirements and the most crucial part of this project.
SS : This design uses traditional elements rather than special technology products.
SS : When I first saw the space before the renovation, I was immediately startled by two massive pillars. They're right in the middle of the space! And because of this unchangeable challenge, I adapted the design to fit the company's characteristics according to the environment.
SS : I had an opportunity to talk to my award-winning friend about the international competition and the opportunities it brings afterward. I thought my work was competitive, so I took part in the competition.
SS : One of the biggest challenges of this design was the need for sound insulation. I’ve done a lot of research on the sound insulation system and sound reflection principle of cinema and opera house.
SS : This design also wants to convey an important message, hoping that parents and the government can create a loving environment for our children to grow.
