by

---

DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

: Yulia Mariana is named after a virtual figure skater. She performs in the ice arena like a star. The concept of the arena was originated from the Mobius ring. The endless loop also created a dynamic image of the jumps in a figure skating.

DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

: This installation is intended to be displayed statically. The interaction is made possible by guiding the line of sight around it to seek for the beginning or end point as the audiences actually experience the entire show of figure skate. The USB-powered rechargeable base light has switch on bottom. Light is turned on or off by pressing the base box in a two levels of intensity.

DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?

: Promote it, sale it, or keep developing it in different scales, materials, or under different themes.

DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

: This project started as early as 2017 in Taipei. A various types of 3D printing materials and opening vocabularies were applied in several on-and-off preliminary tests. The white nylon main body was printed a week ago. The duration was about two weeks with intensive works.

DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

: This design is not commissioned and acts as a pursuit of an inspiration.

DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

: This design was not produced or used by another company. To sell or lease related production rights are welcome, although I prefer to produce this work myself.

DI: What made you design this particular type of work?

: A dynamic interpretation of geometries and spaces is always the focus of my design. This is a pursuit of an inspiration and re-interpretation of figure skating that has impressed me for a while.

DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

: No other designs and designers that helped the influence the design of my work.

DI: Who is the target customer for his design?

: The potential target customers include interior designers and architects to be added as part of design or decoration, or for private collectors for personal collections.

DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

: There might be design with similar concepts, but it’s the manner of interpretation in terms of configuration that makes difference.

DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

: The named was created after a skillful virtual figure skater that leads to a dynamic image of the jumps in a figure skating.

DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

: The design was explored using software and hardware platforms. The former was parametric programs, and the latte was 3D printing machines. The final form was assembled manually.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?

: This light installation is intended to be displayed with light projected from bottom. The fixture is also displayed in daytime as a piece of art installation. The Mobius has been featured by linear openings with sharp edges as the ice skates. The tracks of hand gestures are interlaced with skate paths in three transparent strips as part of endless and smooth loops. The fixture has a floating image with the support integrated with base.

DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

: Nobody collaborates with me for this design. The 3D printed part was made by paying a company who has a very expensive SLS machine.

DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?

: Figure skating is made of many types of body languages. Accordingly the entire setup was divided into body, base, and connector. The main body is the 3D printed Mobius ring integrated with linear elements for the tracks of skates, hands, and body. The connector in between symbolizes the skate path. The base is designed with the connector perfectly fit into two cubes and the box.

DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

: Researches were made to the composition of materials or elements with continuous effect to ensure a smooth and dynamic visual order. A study was made to the parametric order of the shape.

DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

: The most challenging part of all was to create a twist vocabulary that let the skate edge and hand gestures interlaced and further integrate with the base. The connection on top and the bottom was not bolted or glues. The top is designed by using springs to hold the end points of linear members as a soft bed to host the top part. The joint was made possible by applying a three-point support from the box and two cubes on the bottom. The combination of the tension, elasticity, transparency, and opacity has created what a skater has performed.

DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

: It is a self-promoting or self-evolving process to become part of an international design competition.

DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?

: A design work was improved through stages of development in a recursive loop of examination under different scales. That’s why some design works were made more than one year.

DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

: There is always issue to be addressed. Let’s keep it open for next year or next competition.