Muxin Design Laboratory is a diversified architectural design firm based in Shanghai, China. Muxin design provides international architectural, interior, graphic and product design services. "Eyes and heart" means "to discover with the eyes and create with the heart". It advocates the use of architectural logic and artistic language to display the unique character, shape and space of each project. Muxin Design Research Office is composed of a group of young people who are passionate about design and strive to become one of the most influential new architecture firms in contemporary China. Their designs are diverse in content and scope: from project planning to small buildings, interior design to product design, our work interests and practical strategies are rich and flexible.
Yinji: How did you start your design journey? You have studied abroad or worked in an office. How has this experience affected you?
Sun: I was born in Western Hunan, and I was exposed to ancient architectures since childhood. I was fond of painting when I was a child, so I chose this road naturally. Influence of working experience in overseas Affairs Office: First, open thinking. Draw from different people from different ways of thinking, see different states, open a new piece of the sky. Second, the attitude of professional design. Long-term focus, serious work attitude will have a certain respect for the design, and gradually develop a sense of responsibility. Third, gradually form their own design values. During my work in the office, I saw a lot of good designs, gradually got to know the direction I was interested in, and gradually formed my own design values.
Yinji: Why did you choose to go back to China to start your own business after working in an international firm? Why did you choose Shanghai as your base?
Zhang: We went to different architectural offices after graduation. During the work, we have been thinking and communicating about how to carry out some interesting design practices. Entrepreneurship is one of the choices. Since we were both studying in Shanghai, we stayed in Shanghai. Located in the geographical center of the Far East, Shanghai is an inclusive and cutting-edge city where eastern and Western cultures mingle without obvious boundaries. The cultural, urban and historical background of Shanghai keeps the city going beyond the boundaries of tradition without losing tradition, which is also the direction of our diversified research.
Yinji: In your past work experience, you are engaged in architects. Now most of your projects are interior design projects, and some of them are architectural renovation projects. Do you think there is a boundary between the building and the interior?
Sun: From the perspective of space, there are boundaries. Architecture is a part closely connected with the environment. People can see all kinds of architecture from a distance. However, the connection between the interior space and the external environment is weak, which requires people to enter the building and feel the interior of the space more closely. However, there is no boundary between the two. The essence of the building and the interior is the same, serving people. As users and experience of space, not a single point of view of architecture or interior of a certain point of view, but a continuous superposition of metamorphosis, from external to internal integration design and perception are equally important, most of the items we currently do for interior design projects, study more from the inside out, we also can try to research and break through the boundaries of this very subtle relationship.
