CHAMPARTE DESIGN have been shortlisted for 1 Category in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2022.

Name: Catherine Yu
Company: CHAMPARTE DESIGN
Position within company: CHAMPARTE FOUNDER & CEO
Website: www.c-artdesign.com

Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc) I graduated from Barcelona School of Architecture in Spain, with master degree in Design Management. Later, I studied in the EMBA program of The China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). Currently, I am a registered senior interior designer of China Building Decoration Association(CBDA) and a member of E-House Wharton PMBA program.

How would you describe your personal interior design style?
In my opinion, design is not only to make people feel beauty, but also to convey deeper meaning of life and guide people’s aesthetics, lifeway and thoughts. Accordingly, what my design style is based on the concept of various poetries, then through artistic design gimmick to create the new. I hope to be unique in the industry with this poetic and artistic design style and bring refreshing and high-quality works to customers.

Where does your design inspiration come from?
Inspiration for the design has intimate connection with the characteristics of the project itself. For example, when I design Weifang UrCove by Haytt, considering the hotel in Shandong Weifang which has a long-history reputation of “the hometown of Confucius”, the Confucian culture is considered as an inspiration, blending in the design of hotel space with the beauty of the landscape and functions.
Because I am from Shandong Province and has Shandong character, a steady character, so the space design is used black and gold by the consideration of regional preference. On the other hand, it has showed Shandong aesthetics, the beauty of nature and the humanity, to the world through Champarte design codes.

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
Firstly, design serves human life. It is necessary to start from the heart and create around people’s behaviors, feelings and needs. Besides, Scenario-based marketing, thematic space and implantation of science and technology elements will be key factors to increase the competitiveness of design works. There is a lot of low-carbon style, Silicon-Valley style, Moxy style as the theme of the sales center. Some of the personalized display, multimedia theme wall, science IP, relaxed atmosphere and other innovations are also deeply sought after by fans. In addition, in the past two years, much attention has been paid to the topic of “Metaverse” that will also be used into interior design in the near future, by that time, in the virtual world, people will be more pursuit of novelty, spiritual and sensual experience, as a designer, we have begun to put “Metaverse” into possibilities.

Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2022 and beyond.
Innovation, culture, science and technology, scenario and sustainability.
Innovation is an eternal theme. Especially in the current society, many developers in order to control costs and risks and designers in order to improve efficiency, resulting in a large number of homogeneous works. As a designer, I should stick to the original intention, adhere to innovation and do original design, as well truly play the significance of design for taking social responsibility.

Culture, design needs to explore and reflect the culture of a region, a nation, even a country. In the very long period of time, Asian design is an imitation of the west and rarely reflects its own cultural attributes. Until recent years, the rise of “Chinese Fashion Style” hotels and guesthouses is a manifestation of cultural self-confidence. More and more design works will include the power of culture in the future, which presents more poetic and humanistic beauty and makes the global design more diversified.

Science and technology, in this era led by science and technology, there will be no lack of science and technology in design. For example, the use of scientific and technological innovation in interior design has two main bodies, one is oriented from business, and another one is people. The essence of both approaches is that science and technology serve people.

The sales center as commercial purpose, uses the dynamic sand table and art installation, leaves the customer a novel and deep impression, even becomes the influential spot, getting more social exposure.

Customer-oriented design, especially apartments and houses, according to the different identity roles of the owners (socializing, parenting, medical care), technology elements help to achieve these demands.

Scenario, it is a new marketing model that is “interest guidance + sensory experience + commercial marketing” called Scene Marketing Model.

Users’ consumption behaviors are carried out in specific scenarios. We need to put specific themes to space through design to guide users to recognize products through scenarios, and trigger different needs of users in different scenarios to arouse emotional resonance, so as to bring two-way benefits to owners and users.

Sustainability, it has become a recognized theme in all levels. I also need to save costs moderately in the design work, and consider the environmental attributes of the product (disassembly, recycling, maintenance, reusability, etc.). At the same time ensure design works have the function, service life, quality and so on.

If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to interior design schemes, what would it be? Uphold the spirit of innovation and add cultural elements.

How important are The International Hotel & Property Awards as recognition of talent and achievement? I think the International Hotel and Property Awards is a kind of recognition for outstanding designers in the design field. An industry-recognized award is more than honor. The main purpose of the competition is not only to reward outstanding design talents, but also to let more people find out the beauty of design in real life, which is to improve the quality of life, and finally promote the development of the whole human society and culture.

What projects are you currently working on?
At present, I am working on several high-end residential demonstration areas, especially improved residence, hotels, boutique B&B, villas and some art display.

What was your favourite project to work on and why?
In fact, there is no “favourite” for me and my team. It’s hard to select.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why?
Same as the last question. Every project is a challenging process from start to end. Every project needs us to break through ourselves that is full of challenges. But we enjoyed it, as my team likes to say, ‘Every day is a new day’, thus every breakthrough, every challenge is a new start.

Which products/services could you not live without when designing?
That is, everything can get the latest art/life information products. If someone wants to be an excellent interior designer, he also needs to be a lifestyle expert. These information platforms can keep me sensitive to the current lifestyle, and let me constantly update my cognition and have positive thinking about social life, and form my own unique system.

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
Deeply excavate the cultural resources of the key cities in China and the development direction of the real estate market. As design serves people and society, I, as a designer, need to design from a people-oriented perspective. Taking culture as the design gene that enables more people to know the charm of Chinese culture, finally help the country enhance national confidence. In addition, the development direction of the real estate market is a must-pay-attention topic. We need to realize the implementation of design works by taking into account the needs of the market and people as well.

Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself and your daily inspirations:
Your most treasured possession? Books.
Your favourite holiday destination? Greece.
Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar? Bvlgari Resort & Residences Dubai.
Your favourite book, film & song? ‘The Ride of a Lifetime’ by Robert Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company.
Your favourite food and drink? Spanish Iberico ham and coffee.
Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?
Reading books and going to art exhibitions.
If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?
Being an artist or a poet.

CHAMPARTE DESIGN have been shortlisted for 1 Category in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2022.

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