Pei Kang

Pei Kang is an innovation designer at Philips. He specializes in creating value of seemingly dry technologies and materials – a value creation process where he finds sweet spots between technical qualities, business sense and consumer perception.

In 2006, Pei Kang won the HSBC Innovation Award with his future concept of “Google 3D”. It was an independent view which projects Google, as a comapny, 10 years into the future from 2006. The vision of “Google3D” went on to be published in a number of websites and magazines globally. It also appeared in the movie Babylon A.D (2008) which starred Vin Diesel and Michelle Yeoh.

Pei Kang graduated in Industrial Design from Brunel University, London. These days, he is fascinated by Asian culture and irrational human behaviour. He is an avid sportsman and practices Chinese calligraphy.

Woon Taiwoon

Taiwoon had worked as a product designer for companies like HP, Concord Camera HK, Creative and Philips Design. Currently he is a Design Lead for business printer and projectors in Dell, Experience Design Group and also the core team for Little Thoughts Group.

In his weekends, I enjoy organizing bicycle rides and exploring the nooks and crannies of sunny Singapore.

“It is amazing how much you can see and learn when you take the time to explore familiar places which we pass through everyday.” he said.

Visit his personal cycling blog here.

Q&A

What makes you tick? Why are you doing this?

Pei Kang: I’m looking for my little playground and the Little Thoughts Group has created a nice one to bounce ideas, also to test them. It’s very inspiring to work with these guys – the Little Thoughts Group.

Taiwoon: Passion! The belief that I can make a difference, together we can make this better! In Singapore, we often fall into the cycle of complaining. I am quite fed up with all the complaints and to just do it instead, do SOMETHING about it. Last year Little Thoughts Group event was really well received and many people came up and told me that they were inspired by the work and the energy. This means a lot to me and it shows that Singapore needs more inspiration. And Little Thoughts Group will lead the way!

What is your design inspiration?

Pei Kang: Design that’s done just right, especially today where design tends to be over-elaborated upon to the extent that it is dumbed-down for the user. As we say in chinese, “点到为止”

Taiwoon: When I was small, we were very poor and couldn’t afford many things. However mum bought me a ping pong bat and a ball. I had a great time playing with them, using the bat to smack the ball against the wall and practicing my ball returns. I derived a lot of pleasure hitting the wall with the ping pong ball to a particular spot so that it would peel off and bits of paint would come out. I eventually made it to the school team and did pretty well in district tournament. Well I guess it must be due to the time I spent playing against the wall.

If you can turn back the clock and do 1 thing all over, what would it be?

Pei Kang: I will pay more attention in Chinese class and learn my 300 Tang poems!

Taiwoon: I would change the educational system. Currently the students are too focused on academics results. What about making it more fun, more room for personal expression and most of all critical thinking. Thinking for ourselves, not just regurgitate information.

Designing for memories is…

Pei Kang: Learning from past wisdom and adapting them for today.

Taiwoon: Being truthful to yourself and sharing with others your personal stories that matter to you.

Pei Kang’s idea:

I do not keep birds, but I have a bird cage at home because it evokes a sense of nostalgia and fits well with my Zen interior. I also like it because it is an iconic representative of old-school craftsmanship that fully embodies the ‘heartware’ of the maker – more than just ‘quality hardware’. Such level of sincerity behind a piece of work, I feel, is a disappearing virtue today, evident in the disappointing quality of mass produced products.

With the bird business on decline, it could be matter of time that bird cages will disappear too, having lost its functional purpose. It is a sad thought picturing the loss of cage making skills – what of the bamboo weaving and intricate wood carving? And the ‘heartware’ driving it all? While the bird cage itself is losing relevance, maybe the craft and heart of the maker can be preserved?

For this, I’m designing a Bird Teahouse. Hung outside your HDB window, the Bird Teahouse allows free flying birds to peck some food, take a sip, and have some rest before continuing their flight.

It also offers HDB residents a chance to observe wild birds up-close, through their windows, without leaving the comfort of their home.

Taiwoon’s idea:

My design concept is to make a wall leaning board which can be flipped down to allow 1 player to practice by himself, against the wall. When not in used, I can simply flip it up and it will not take up precious space. The rationale for the large monkey god drawing is that we all have our inner monster and heroes. Monkey god is my childhood hero. He can fly over mountains and see through evil. He is the Asian Superman!