放下執著，才能讓設計擁有「空間」— 專訪新澄設計總監黃重蔚：「最好的設計，是找到『剛剛好』的中庸之道」

 

新澄設計總監, 黃重蔚（Johnson Huang, Head Director of NEWRXID Design)

 
 

人到了一定的年紀，最該學會的是什麼？

這個問題，或許能在新澄設計黃重蔚總監曾說過的那句「五十而知天命」裡找到線索。

我們這個世代，從拼命做設計到學會從容過生活，那段路並不短。年輕時，總以為設計是一場需要精準掌控的戰役，每個細節都要據守陣地，生怕一點妥協就會讓作品失去靈魂。這樣的執著令人敬佩，但我也知道，那份緊繃背後藏著多深的辛苦。

和黃重蔚總監（以下內文用 Johnson 代稱) 對談後，我明白，真正成熟的設計師，最後學會的反而不是「多」，而是「減」。他談到的「放下、平靜、回歸本質」，正是他在無數案子與業主的磨合之中，一點一滴體會出來的哲學。

 
 

  • What should we learn as we reach a certain stage in life?

    Part of the answer may lie in a line often mentioned by Johnson Huang, Design Director of NEWRXID: “At fifty, you understand your destiny.”

    For many of us, the journey from pushing ourselves in design to understanding how to live with ease has taken time. When we were younger, design felt like something that had to be tightly controlled. Every detail seemed critical, and any small compromise felt like a risk to the integrity of the work. That persistence is admirable, but it also carries a quiet burden that only experience can reveal.

    After my conversation with Johnson, I began to understand something. Mature designers eventually learn not to add more, but to take away. The ideas he shared letting go, finding calm, and returning to what truly matters are lessons shaped by years of working through projects, navigating expectations, and learning how to balance ideals with real situations.

 
 
 
 

他說，自己現在不再是「導演」，更像一位「場景佈置師」。這句話太準確了！設計師的任務，不只是把自己的意志投射到空間，更是把人們對美好生活的想像，溫柔地落地成形。

如果你也正走在一個轉折點上，或許能在他的故事裡，看見一種「剛剛好」的從容。

 
 

  • After speaking with Johnson, I realized that experienced designers eventually learn the value of taking away rather than adding more. The ideas he shared letting go, finding calm, and returning to what is essential are insights shaped through years of working with different projects and clients.

    He mentioned that he no longer sees himself as a director but as someone who sets the scene. It is an incredibly accurate description. A designer’s role is not only to project personal intent but also to help shape the way people imagine a good life and bring that vision into reality with care.

    If you are also standing at a turning point, you may find a sense of ease in his story.

 
 
 
 
 
 

❝
以前我拍照我很執著天氣跟陽光，但我現在覺得沒有陽光拍昏暗氛圍也不錯。總之現在看事情的角度不同了，對事沒有在那麼堅持。我認為「堅持」其實就是「固執」修飾的代名詞。

往好的方向去想，事情自然會往好的地方發展。

— 黃重蔚/ Johnson Huang

 
 

從執著到從容，設計師的修煉之路



Q：「五十而知天命」，這個階段對你的設計思維，有帶來什麼樣的改變嗎？



Johnson： 我年輕的時候滿執著的，每個細節都要到位，得照我想的樣子去呈現。那時候我覺得「控制」是設計師的責任，要把整個節奏都掌握好，才算完成。

但後來我發現，那樣的「用力」會讓事情變得僵硬。很多阻力其實不是外在給你的，而是自己製造出來的，結果越想控制，反而越累。這是一個長期的修煉過程，直到有一天我開始學著「順」。

Jamie： 你說的「順」，比較像是接受那些變數？

Johnson： 對，順應。順著材料、順著光線、也順著人的個性去走。當我願意那樣做，結果反而更自然，這是從緊繃到鬆弛的一段轉換的過程。

現在我相信，最好的設計不一定是做到極致，而是「剛剛好」。多一分不行，少一分也不對。我們在施工現場常對師傅說，「那個尺度要抓得剛好，」因為那個「剛好」就是設計的靈魂。

 
 

  • From Persistence to Ease: A Designer’s Path of Practice

    Q: You once mentioned the idea of “understanding your destiny at fifty.” How has reaching this stage changed the way you think about design?

    Johnson:
    When I was younger, I was very persistent. Every detail had to be precise and presented exactly the way I imagined it. At that time, I believed that control was a designer’s duty. I thought the entire process had to follow my rhythm for the work to be considered complete.

    But over time, I realized that this kind of force makes everything rigid. Many obstacles are not created by others. They are created by yourself. The more you try to control, the more exhausting it becomes. It took years of practice before I learned how to go with the flow.

    Jamie:
    When you say “go with the flow,” do you mean accepting the variables rather than giving up?

    Johnson:
    Exactly. It means moving with the material, with the light, and with the personalities of the people involved. Once I allowed myself to do that, the result became more natural, and that sense of tension began to loosen.

    Today, I believe that the best design is not about pushing everything to the extreme. It is about finding what feels just right. A bit more feels wrong, and a bit less also feels off. On site, we often tell the craftsmen that the proportion needs to be just right, because that sense of balance is the soul of the design.

 
 
 
 

Q：你提到「剛剛好」的狀態。那個尺度，會不會其實跟時間有關？



Johnson： 年輕的時候，我會很想突破，證明自己能做什麼，想用新的東西比例去做實驗，讓人一眼就看到：啊，這個設計不一樣。

那時候我最痛苦的就是「風格」。畢竟業主不是專業人士，講不出太具體的感受，只能用這些詞來概括。但那會讓設計陷進框架。現在我反而更在意「留白」，希望空間能讓人靜下來，好好呼吸。

 
 

  • Q: When you talk about finding what feels “just right,” does that sense of balance have something to do with time?

    Johnson:
    It does. When I was younger, I wanted to break boundaries and prove what I could do. I wanted to experiment with new proportions and new ideas, so people could immediately see that the design was different.

    Back then, the most difficult thing for me was the idea of “style.” Clients are not professionals, so it is hard for them to describe what they feel. They use words like style because it is the only way for them to express something abstract. But relying on that kind of term can trap the design in a fixed frame.

    Now I care more about leaving space. I hope the interior allows people to slow down and breathe. That quiet margin often matters more than any dramatic gesture.

 
 
 
 
 
 

❝
身為設計師，要看的是「人的動線」，不是「空間的動線」

 
 

以人為起點的設計思考



Q：你曾說過「把自己照顧好，是對愛你的人最重要的使命」。這樣的想法，在設計裡會怎麼被實踐？



Johnson： 我以前做設計，是在「證明」；現在做設計，是在「照顧」。那個「照顧」是一種責任感，我會去想這個空間對業主的生活到底意味著什麼？他每天回到家，這道光、這張桌子、這個氣味，能不能讓他安定？

所以我會讓團隊先去觀察「使用者」是誰？他怎麼怎麼活動、怎麼待在這個空間？當你真的理解人，就會知道該留多少、該拿掉多少。

 
 

  • Design That Begins with People

    Q: You once said, “Taking good care of yourself is the most important responsibility you have toward the people who love you.” How does this way of thinking show up in your design work?

    Johnson:
    In the past, design was a way for me to prove something. Now it is a way for me to care for others. And this form of care is not sentimental. It comes from a sense of responsibility. I ask myself what this space truly means for the client’s daily life. When they come home each day, can this light, this table, or even this scent help them feel grounded?

    So I ask my team to start by observing who the user really is. How do they move, pause, work, rest, or simply exist in the space? Once you understand a person, you naturally understand what should remain and what should be taken away.

 
 
 
 

Jamie： 你說的「拿掉多少」這個詞很有意思。能不能舉個例子，你怎麼破解那些大家都習以為常的設計？

Johnson： 我們最近就遇到一個很典型的情況：床頭一定要有床頭櫃，對吧？我就把它拆開來看，床頭櫃到底是做什麼用的？放手機、充電、放水杯、放書，再加上插座、夜燈。那這幾個功能，有沒有可能變成更簡單的整合？

最後我們做了一個「層板」，可以放東西，也能藏一個內嵌式的充電器；夜燈就設在層板底下，用一個可調角度的小燈，方向、亮度都能調整。一個層板，解決了四個功能，還比傳統的床頭櫃更有彈性。這就是從功能出發，去找到「剛剛好」的平衡。

 
 

  • Jamie:
    The way you described “taking things away” is interesting. Could you give an example? How do you break apart design elements that everyone assumes should exist?

    Johnson:
    We recently encountered a very typical situation. People often assume that a bedside table is necessary. So I asked myself what a bedside table is actually for. It holds a phone, provides a spot for charging, a place for a glass of water, some books, an outlet, and a night light. When you list it out like that, you start to wonder whether these functions can be combined into something simpler.

    In the end, we created a single shelf. It holds objects and also contains a built–in charger. The night light is installed underneath the shelf. It is a small adjustable lamp, so you can change both its angle and brightness. One shelf takes care of four functions and is more flexible than a traditional bedside table.

    This is what it means to work from function and find the balance that feels just right.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Q：所謂好的空間，是不是和「關係」有關？不只是人與人，也包括人和空間本身？



Johnson： 我覺得是。好的空間，最後一定會讓關係變得更自然。家應該是能讓人自在交流的地方，你真的去理解人與人之間的互動，就知道哪些地方該留白、哪些該聚焦。

我有個業主特別重視家人間的相處。他希望客廳是能「待著」的地方。那次我沒有大改格局，只是重新調整方向，讓沙發和休閒椅的配置更偏向「對話式」，而不是一字排開面對電視。在公共區域也減少視覺上的雜物，讓空間更通透，有呼吸感。結果人與人之間的眼神、互動、甚至坐下時的距離，都因此變得自然。

很多人以為那是美感的調整，但其實是「關係」被重新排列的結果。

 
 

  • Q: Would you say that a good space is defined by relationships? Not only between people, but also between people and the space itself?

    Johnson:
    I believe so. A good space eventually helps relationships unfold more naturally. A home should support easy, comfortable interaction. When you truly understand how people relate to one another, you know where to keep things open and where to place focus.

    As designers, we should observe the movement of people rather than the movement of the space. One of my clients cared deeply about family interaction. He wanted the living room to be a place where people could spend time together. I did not change the layout dramatically. I simply shifted the orientation so the sofa and lounge chairs encouraged conversation instead of lining up toward the television. I also reduced visual clutter in the shared areas to make the room feel more open and breathable. The result was clear. The eye contact, the small gestures, even the distance between seats began to feel more natural.

    Many people think these are aesthetic decisions, but they are in fact decisions about relationships and how they are arranged.

 
 
 
 

Q：與業主互動時，你怎麼拿捏「自我表達」與「理解對方」之間的平衡？



Johnson： 設計的本質不是「說服」，而是「理解」。我曾經想主導一切，但那樣的關係太單一了；現在的我比較像一個「轉譯者」，把業主說不太清楚的感受、情緒、甚至模糊的想像，轉化成可以被日常使用的空間。

Jamie： 「轉譯」這個詞很好。你是指把抽象的想法具體化嗎？像有人說「我想要大氣一點」，你就去找出那個「大氣」究竟是什麼意思？

Johnson： 對，就是這樣。當業主說「我要大氣」，我不會去做一個視覺很滿、很誇張的空間，而是用材質的層次、通透的動線、或光影的柔化，去營造沉穩但不壓迫的氛圍。

我常說，我現在比較像「場景佈置師」。業主是導演，他才是生活的主角；我的工作是讓場景和他的故事搭得剛剛好，幫他看見他自己還沒察覺的需求。就像幫忙鋪一條路，他走進去之後發現，原來這是他想要的生活。（延伸閱讀：定格電影劇作般的永恆場景)

 
 

  • Q: When working with clients, how do you balance your own expression with understanding what they need?

    Johnson:
    The essence of design is not persuasion. It is understanding. I used to want to take full control, but that created a one–sided relationship. Now I see myself more as a translator. I take the feelings, emotions, and sometimes vague ideas that clients struggle to articulate and turn them into a space they can actually live in.

    Jamie:
    I like the word “translator.” Do you mean giving shape to abstract ideas? For example, when someone says they want something “grand,” you try to understand what that word really means?

    Johnson:
    Exactly. When a client says they want something grand, I do not create a space that is visually heavy or dramatic. I work with layers of materials, clear movement through the space, or softer light to build an atmosphere that feels steady rather than overwhelming.

    I often say I am now more like someone who sets the scene. The client is the director and the one living the story. My job is to make sure the scene aligns with the life they want to create. This shift has helped me understand what care truly means. Care is not about giving in. It is about helping someone see the needs they have not yet recognized. It is like laying out a path so that when they walk into the space, they realize it is the life they were looking for.

 
 
 
 
 
 

在生活裡修煉設計的心境



Q：你怎麼看「設計生活」這件事？是設計帶來生活品質，還是生活態度反映在設計裡？



Johnson： 這兩個是互相的，沒辦法分開。設計師不應該只在「工作」裡設計，而是要在「生活」裡設計。

Jamie： 生活中哪些細節，會影響你看待設計的方式？

Johnson： 人吃飯的節奏、走路的速度、家裡光的方向，這些很日常的事，都在影響對空間的理解。我以前會想著，怎麼讓空間更有「設計感」；但現在，我用的是「柔化」的思維，更在意這個空間能不能讓人放鬆。像是光線，我會盡量用反射的效果，而不是直射，讓光在其中流動，揭示材質的紋理與空間層次。這些轉變，都來自生活。

 
 

  • Practicing a Designer’s Mindset in Everyday Life

    Q: How do you view the idea of “designing life”? Does design create a better quality of living, or does one’s attitude toward life shape design?

    Johnson:
    The two are connected. You cannot separate them. Designers should not design only when they are working. They should be designing within their own lives as well.

    Jamie:
    What aspects of daily life influence the way you think about design?

    Johnson:
    Life has taught me something important. The more ordinary something is, the more worth designing it becomes.

    The pace at which we eat, the speed at which we walk, the direction of natural light at home. These small, everyday details shape how we understand space. When I was younger, I focused on how to make a space look more designed. Now I work with a softer mindset. I care more about whether the space can help someone relax.

    Take light for example. I try to use reflected light rather than direct light, so it can flow through the room and reveal the grain of the materials and the layers of the space. All these shifts came from observing life itself.

 
 
 
 

❝
生活教會我一件事：越是日常的東西，越值得被好好設計。

 
 
 
 
 
 

Q：你自己喜歡的空間氛圍或質感是什麼？這跟年齡或心境有關嗎？



Johnson： 我喜歡那種安靜、有溫度，一切自然融在一起的空間。

隨著年紀增長，「喜歡」這件事會變得更內斂。我希望空間像一首慢歌，聽久了，還有韻味。那種安靜不是沒有聲音，而是所有的聲音都剛剛好。

 
 

  • Q: What kind of atmosphere or quality do you personally appreciate in a space? Does it relate to age or your state of mind?

    Johnson:
    I like spaces that feel quiet, warm, and naturally blended together.

    As I grow older, the idea of what I like has become more restrained. I want a space to feel like a slow song, something that reveals more the longer you stay with it. The quiet I mean is not the absence of sound. It is when every sound falls into place.

 
 
 
 

從主導到共創：重新找到自己的位置



Q：這些年你從「拼命做設計」到現在的從容狀態，對你來說最大的收穫是什麼？



Johnson： 看見自己的位置。以前總覺得自己要撐起一切，什麼都得親自來；但後來發現，設計不是一個人的事，是一群專業共同完成的結果。當我開始學會放手，讓每個人都能發揮，整體反而更有力量，也更能根據實際狀況作出合理判斷。


 
 

❝
當你不再執著於「一定要哪種結果」，自由才真正開始

 
 

  • From Leading to Co-Creating: Finding a New Sense of Place

    Q: As you’ve moved from pushing yourself in design to finding a sense of ease, what has been the most important realization for you?

    Johnson: I learned to see my own place. I used to feel that I had to carry everything on my shoulders and handle every detail myself. But I later realized that design is never the work of one person. It is the result of many professionals working together. When I started to let go and allow everyone to contribute, the work became stronger, and the decisions we made were more grounded in real conditions.

    When you stop insisting on a single outcome, that is when freedom truly begins.

 
 

Q：這樣的想法，會不會也影響到你帶團隊的方式？



Johnson： 以前我太多堅持，連一條線的厚度、比例、收邊都要自己決定。但後來發現，這樣做會讓同事少了思考的空間。設計師最重要的能力，不是畫圖，而是發現問題的能力；而設計師的成長，不是靠被指導，而是靠思考。

我期許自己更像教練，我不會直接告訴他們對錯，給出標準答案。我常對同事說：「你提出三個方案給我，不是讓我選，而是讓你自己知道想選哪一個。」他們有時會問我：「哪一個最好？」我就會說：「沒有絕對最好，但你先告訴我，為什麼選這個？」當他能自己思考，分析問題、提出方案，他就開始有個人的判斷力，才有辦法做出屬於他的作品。

 
 

  • Q: Has this way of thinking influenced how you lead your team?

    Johnson:
    Very much. In the past, I held on to too many things. I decided the thickness of every line, every proportion, every junction. But I eventually understood that this left no room for my colleagues to think. A designer’s most important skill is not drawing. It is the ability to identify problems. And growth does not come from being told what to do. It comes from thinking.

    I see myself more like a coach now. I do not give out right or wrong answers. I do not hand them a standard solution. I often tell my team, “When you give me three options, it is not for me to choose. It is for you to figure out which one you believe in.” Sometimes they ask, “Which one is the best?” And I tell them, “There is no absolute best. You tell me why you choose this one first.” When they can think for themselves, analyze the issues, and propose solutions, they begin to build their own judgement. That is when they start creating work that truly belongs to them.

 
 
 
 
 
 

❝
不要害怕迷惘，因為迷惘是正在成長的證明；覺得困惑的時候，代表你開始思考了

 
 

給還在路上的設計師



Q：如果有年輕設計師正在經歷你三、四十歲時那種混亂或掙扎，你會想對他們說什麼？



Johnson： 不要太急著定義自己。很多人一開始就想著「我要有風格」，但風格是被看出來的，不是被設定出來的。

Jamie： 意思是說，風格應該是過程的結果，而不是一開始就設定好的方向？

Johnson： 沒錯，先學會看，再學會做。去觀察生活裡的細節，去看別人怎麼使用空間、怎麼生活。

還有一件事，不要排斥工藝。

設計師如果只會畫圖，不懂材料工法，會做不出有靈魂的東西。工藝是讓設計變成現實的橋樑，你對工藝瞭解越深，設計就能走得越遠。

 
 

  • For Designers Still Finding Their Way

    Q: What would you say to young designers who may be going through the same confusion or struggle you experienced in your thirties and forties?

    Johnson:
    Do not rush to define yourself. Many people want to claim a “style” from the very beginning, but style is something others recognize in your work. It is not something you declare for yourself.

    Jamie:
    So style should be the result of the process, not the direction you set at the start?

    Johnson:
    Exactly. First learn to observe, then learn to create. Pay attention to the details of everyday life. Watch how people use a space and how they live. Do not be afraid of feeling lost. Confusion is proof that you are growing. When you start to feel uncertain, it often means real thinking has begun.

    And one more thing. Do not distance yourself from craft.

    If a designer can only draw but does not understand materials or how things are made, the work will lack soul. Craft is the bridge that turns design into reality. The deeper your understanding of craft, the further your design can go.

 
 
 
 

Q：倘若要想像未來十年的自己，你希望會是什麼樣子？



Johnson： 我希望自己能更輕盈一點，不管是設計，還是生活。希望能保留對設計的熱情，少一點執著，多一點從容。讓作品更單純、更自然，也讓自己有時間去感受世界。

我一直覺得，設計的終點，不是留下作品，而是留下「被理解的溫度」。當有一天我不再多說話，作品還能自己發聲，那就夠了。

 
 

  • Q: If you imagine yourself ten years from now, what kind of person do you hope to be?

    Johnson:
    I hope I can be lighter, both in design and in life. I want to keep my passion for design, but with less attachment and more ease. I want my work to feel simpler and more natural, and I want to have time to experience the world.

    I have always felt that the goal of design is not to leave behind objects, but to leave behind a sense of warmth that people can understand. If one day I no longer say much, and the work can speak for itself, that will be enough for me.

 
 
 
 

採訪｜Jamie Lo ． 編輯｜Lin
攝影｜Jamie Lo、Weng、Jyun
 
 
 
Jamie Yelo 是攝影師、創作者，也是 Hey!Cheese 創辦人。他的專欄，是思考與實驗的場域，亦是他在專業與探索之間，不斷建構自我語言與獨特視角的重要延伸。
 
 
 
其他 Jamie 專欄文章
SPEAKOUTJamie Locolumn, jamie, Voice