As a designer, i’ve become fascinated by the designs from the world of tomorrow, in a way where design meets modernism and simplification meets convenience in the internet-of-things, i’m always looking towards the future.
After traveling to South Korea for the 19th time in my life since 2011, i’ve decided to make a home away from home in Seoul, South Korea and continue living in San Francisco for the foreseeable future.
Much of my design inspiration comes from the places i’ve visited over the course of time. South Korea is an ever-changing country that is evolving even over the course of 3 months in time.
CREATING A NEW HOME
Learning Something new after so long
After living in San Francisco for over 9 years, I almost forgot what it was like to move. I spent a considerable amount of time wondering what I could pack with me in a large suitcase and “If I could bring 5 design books with me, what would they be?”, so I knew I had some choices to make. I’ve accumulated many design books over the years through collecting locally and during my travels, I like to think they all have a purpose, I currently have around 75 as of now.
What should a Home feel like?
Minimalistic? Chaotic? I like to think of it as organized chaos, because it’s a place that needs to be “lived in” and not desired. It’s always been said that home is what where/what you make it, I certainly believe that.
ARRIVING: LIFE ON 2.TOGATHER
Adjusting to the On-the-go Life
While i’m in South Korea, I spend 70% of my time outside of my home, out and about. Because of Seoul’s eccentric night-life and businesses that don’t seem to sleep, I can have coffee and work on my laptop nearly anytime. I love to be in the thick of it all around around others who we all see as complete strangers, or maybe people who may be curious about foreigner’s like myself.
One Incredible Lounge and Lobby
Before I arrived to see the lounge (The Moment) on the 16’th floor, I was first greeted by an incredibly inviting and warm lobby. In all my time visiting South Korea, I had never seen anything quite like it.
The upstairs lounge (The Moment) is amazing! As a designer who loves books about various places and things throughout the world, I definitely approve of this place! It’s a wonderful space to sit and have breakfast, coffee, or even gather for a casual events with friends.
Lobby “The Nest” (left), Upstairs Lounge “The Moment” (right)
THE HOME
Wood Is This Home’s Theme
Wood is one of LIFE on 2.Gather’s apartment theme’s, I was very lucky and deeply thankful to have such privilege of leasing out the last available apartment that was available in this current theme.
Looking at it plainly, it’s nearly impossible to tell which cabinets are the refrigerator and which ones aren’t; however, with a bit of exploring I quickly learned.
I have always seen with various apartments in South Korea, there is a washer in the kitchen, this is to maximize space and efficiency… that and dishwashers aren’t entirely a thing here like they are in America. Me being one who’s always washed dishes by hand, I welcomed this greatly. Also, my apartment in San Francisco has nether a washer or dryer in it. 😊
Things I brought from America:
- 8 books from my design book collection i’ve collected over 9 years
- 10 cups / coffee mugs that were collected from both America, South Korea, and elsewhere
- A bathroom set of towels (because I love the soft ones I have)
- My Leica M240 Camera
LIVING WITH A VIEW
A View From the Rooftop
The view from the roof top is unique to many places i’ve seen in Seoul before! On a clear and warm day, it’s quite comfortable to stay outside for 1 or 2 hours for either some peace and quiet or a casual gathering. I personally love the plants and grassy garden sprawling access the rooftop area.
The rooftop garden in the early-evening “The Green Peak”
When I first arrived at LIFE on 2.Gather, I decided to spend some time on the rooftop, it was quite peaceful and the weather was rather beautiful for the end of Summer of Seoul. As someone who is looking to reconnect with nature, I felt this place made me feel peaceful.
There was a storm coming in for the next few days after my arrival, so I knew that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the time on the rooftop for the majority of the week.
WITH THE TECH OF TOMORROW
Taking the Time to Decide on My Future
Making this choice took at least a year for me to think about, imagining the possibilities and the future I may have going forward. I am obsessed with design in all its various forms. I realized that I didn’t want to be limited by one city, one that is having its artistic currently culture being stripped away. I always dreamed of living in a place that is constantly evolving and I wanted to be a part of it, which is why I chose Seoul, South Korea as my second home.
My first home will always be San Francisco, as I love and strive to inspire other creators with design and evolutionary techniques that think beyond the boundaries that have been created for them as artists in the tech industry.
Living with Autism as a Designer and Adapting to Change
I learned early in life that it’s not enough to be a graphic designer, product designer, brand designer, UX/UI designer, motion designer, web designer, or even a web developer. The only way I would get on in life is to acquire ALL of these skills, i’ve done much of this in various design roles. Those who know me also know that i’m autistic (Aspergers) and because of this, I am constantly trying to acquire new design skills and in some ways become obsessed with new trends in design. My mind doesn’t seem to rest and even after the workday, i’m still designing even if it’s for fun. I’ve often been told that as a designer I have certain abilities that don’t exist for other designers.
I learned that even someone with Autism can learn and grow over time. I knew deep down inside that I had outgrown San Francisco (which I didn’t think was possible). I felt that it was hard to make changes in life; however, as a creative designer I learned from my 9+ years of living in San Francisco that this city isn’t getting any easier to live in, let alone survive long-term. So I made a choice to explore ways to expand beyond San Francisco. Changing is the only way we can grow, I knew that well.
Taking the Time to Decide on My Future
Making this choice took at least a year for me to think about, imagining the possibilities and the future I may have going forward. I am obsessed with design in all its various forms. I realized that I didn’t want to be limited by one city, one that is having its artistic currently culture being stripped away. I always dreamed of living in a place that is constantly evolving and I wanted to be a part of it, which is why I chose Seoul, South Korea as my second home.
My first home will always be San Francisco, as I love and strive to inspire other creators with design and evolutionary techniques that think beyond the boundaries that have been created for them as artists in the tech industry.
Living with Autism as a Designer and Adapting to Change
I learned early in life that it’s not enough to be a graphic designer, product designer, brand designer, UX/UI designer, motion designer, web designer, or even a web developer. The only way I would get on in life is to acquire ALL of these skills, i’ve done much of this in various design roles. Those who know me also know that i’m autistic (Aspergers) and because of this, I am constantly trying to acquire new design skills and in some ways become obsessed with new trends in design. My mind doesn’t seem to rest and even after the workday, i’m still designing even if it’s for fun. I’ve often been told that as a designer I have certain abilities that don’t exist for other designers.
I learned that even someone with Autism can learn and grow over time. I knew deep down inside that I had outgrown San Francisco (which I didn’t think was possible). I felt that it was hard to make changes in life; however, as a creative designer I learned from my 9+ years of living in San Francisco that this city isn’t getting any easier to live in, let alone survive long-term. So I made a choice to explore ways to expand beyond San Francisco. Changing is the only way we can grow, I knew that well.
I’m very thankful and proud to have lived in San Francisco as long as I have (9+ years), there really isn’t any place quite like it. The important thing for me is that i’ve always striving to learn and inspire others in the realm of design.
