An Interview with Joyce Wang

The Artling is pleased to have Joyce Wang Studio’s designs on our online gallery. Wang’s work takes on unique approaches in pushing the possibilities of form, exploring different techniques to challenge what exists, and finding new ways of expressing ideas in space. With offices in Hong Kong and London, Joyce Wang Studio interior design projects have also received international acclaim, decking out spaces from the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, a XinTianDi Penthouse in Shanghai, and MOTT 32 in Vancouver.

We sat down with Joyce Wang to talk more about her background in design, what project she holds the most sentiment to, and how she hopes her design studio will grow in years to come:
 

For those who might not know about you, could you tell us a little about your background? Have you always known to pursue design and how did you get into it?

I had always wanted to be an architect as it was the more accepted creative industry profession in the eyes of a traditional Hong Kong family. I recall one of my first memories of accompanying my mother up the escalator of the Hong Kong HSBC Bank Building. Going from the gritty streets through the crystal-like underbelly of the building made me feel like a million dollars. Arriving at the bank atrium interior was exciting and humbling all at once. Since then and through establishing Joyce Wang Studio, I’ve devoted my profession to make others feel the same way with our interiors. 

If you could describe Joyce Wang Studio in three words, what would they be?

We are “all-in” people who pour our hearts over design. It would be impossible to convince us to behave otherwise. As such, I would say we are passionate, persistent, and somewhat rambunctious. To me, the studio is a place that nurtures confidence as much as it generates exciting ideas. Ideas come from everywhere and they are best when they result from exchange and dialogue; often from people of different cultures and backgrounds.
 

The Artling is incredibly excited to have designs from your Flint Collection in our gallery. Could you tell us about the inspiration behind this beautiful collection?

We’ve worked with terrazzo in our projects right from the very start when I founded the studio in 2011. We owe terrazzo for the exceptional qualities it has given our projects. We’ve investigated and played with the versatility of the composite material through use in the expected and the unexpected. Terrazzo speaks to the shift of luxury design from past to present - from the aspirational to the fathomable; from hierarchal to democratic. It’s my love for these qualities that have brought about the conception of this Collection. We also wanted to design a set of flexible objects rather than purely functional items, the forms are therefore beautiful and sculptural.

What characteristics of this collection stand out from other design items or collections that you’ve produced in the past?

In the past, we have worked with marble to produce design items. This is the first time we have used terrazzo as a starting point for a collection of objects. Because of the tactility terrazzo offers, it felt like a natural development to create something at a different scale to our projects that you can hold or touch. At this scale, you have a very different relationship with the material. You see how it comes together. Plastic finishes as an example appear homogenous and remain placid when viewed from any distance – in comparison to terrazzo which reveals itself as archaeology and it is very exciting that as the maker we have control over this.

The materials you use are both sturdy and stunning, especially in your Rare Table Collection. How do you go about sourcing the materials you use for your designs?

Our studio has always been open-minded to design and we have been lucky enough to be able to experiment with new techniques in materials. We rely wholeheartedly on people who take pride in their trade and craft. We constantly challenge our in-house appetite for style and taste as it evolves with time and between cultures we work with to create new languages of materiality together.

Is there a particular project you’ve worked on that you feel the most sentiment to? If so, why?

Mott 32, Hong Kong. It was the most challenging project and one that the client granted us free rein over. The studio pulled together to draw from their diverse backgrounds and cultures to interpret an interior that felt Hong Kong to us personally. It will always be a special project for us.

How do you hope Joyce Wang Studio will grow in years to come? What do you see in your studio’s future?

We joke within the studio that one day we should have a studio by the beach and we would be sipping cocktails whilst brainstorming mood imagery for projects. Establishing a London studio seemed a distant goal to have a while ago so it makes me think of cocktails by the beach between sketching and meetings might just be possible, and maybe even well deserved. In 5 years, I'd like for both my team and myself to still feel hungry and still be foolish.

For those looking to start their own design studio, what would you say is the most important factor that they should keep in mind?

Open heart, an open mind and always travel with eyes open for inspiration from everywhere.

To check out more of Joyce Wang Studio's designs, click here.
To find out more about her studio, click here.