Stefan Sagmeister: Happiness by design

Summary

The speaker humorously recounts a superstitious moment in Hong Kong that led to a job offer and a move, despite later struggles. They reflect on moments of happiness, noting many are design-related, and share personal experiences with design objects. They critique a museum exhibit on happiness for focusing on visualization over genuine emotion and highlight innovative design projects that truly evoke happiness. The speaker concludes by discussing the importance of enjoying design work and shares projects that embody life lessons they've learned.

Takeaways

• 😄 The speaker's initial visit to Hong Kong was influenced by superstition, setting the tone for their subsequent experiences.
• 🏙️ A 'Winner' billboard at Kai Tak airport became a symbol for the speaker's expectations of their time in Hong Kong.
• 🎵 The speaker's happiness was linked to design experiences, such as listening to music on a Walkman while riding a motorcycle.
• 🚀 Despite superstition, the speaker had a challenging time in Hong Kong, which contradicted their initial positive omen.
• 🗂️ The speaker is a 'big list maker', using lists to analyze and understand their experiences and emotions.
• 🎨 Design plays a significant role in the speaker's happiness, with over half of their memorable moments involving design.
• 🖼️ The Mori Museum's exhibit on 'Happiness' led the speaker to reflect on the difference between visualizing happiness and actually experiencing it.
• 🚇 A project by artist 'True' in the New York subway system exemplified how design can evoke happiness in unexpected ways.
• 🌅 James Turrell's sculpture at P.S. 1 showed how design can change one's perception and evoke a sense of wonder.
• 💭 A project involving speech bubble stickers in New York demonstrated the power of public interaction in design to create happiness.
• 🔄 The speaker's设计理念 is to focus on work that brings personal satisfaction and aligns with their values, as reflected in their magazine and billboard designs.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial superstition upon landing in Hong Kong?

The speaker was superstitious and believed that if they saw something good upon landing in Hong Kong, they would have a great time during their two-week stay, but if they saw something negative, they would be miserable.

What significant event occurred during the speaker's first visit to Hong Kong?

During the speaker's first visit, they received a great job offer from a design company, which led them to move from Austria to Hong Kong.

How did the 'Winner' billboard influence the speaker's perception of their time in Hong Kong?

The speaker associated the presence of the 'Winner' billboard with having a good time in Hong Kong. They hoped it would still be there when they returned for work, but despite its presence, they ended up having a terrible time, which taught them about the limitations of superstition.

What did the speaker do to analyze their moments of happiness?

The speaker made a list of their happiest moments and then analyzed them from a design standpoint, eliminating those that had nothing to do with design.

Can you provide an example of a design-related happy moment from the speaker's life?

One example was when the speaker got their first Walkman in 1983, borrowed their brother's Yamaha motorcycle, and rode up into the mountains listening to The Police's 'Synchronicity' cassette, which they considered a true moment of happiness.

How did the speaker interpret the happiness depicted in the authors' photos on the back of their monographs?

The speaker suggested that the authors' photos indicated the happiness of designers from different nationalities, with Australians, Japanese, and Mexicans appearing happy, while Spaniards and Swiss seemed less so.

What was the speaker's critique of the 'Happiness' exhibit at The Mori Museum in Tokyo?

The speaker felt that most of the pieces in the exhibit were about the visualization of happiness rather than happiness itself, and they found this superficial and easy to accomplish.

What are three examples of designs that evoked happiness for the speaker?

Three examples include: 1) 'True' altering subway signs with humorous messages, 2) James Turrell's sculpture at P.S. 1 with a retractable ceiling that opens to the sky, and 3) a young Korean designer's project of placing empty speech bubble stickers on posters for the public to fill in.

What did the speaker learn about their own preferences in design work?

The speaker learned that they prefer working without pressure, being fully immersed in the work, not getting stuck doing the same thing, working on projects with meaningful content, and enjoying the end results.

How did the speaker apply their learnings to a project for an Austrian magazine?

The speaker applied their learnings by designing six spreads for an Austrian magazine, each illustrating something they had learned in life, such as 'Everything I do always comes back to me'.