Wu Yuxin is a 2024 graduate of the Environmental Design program at the EAaD School of Xi'an Eurasia University. Throughout her time at the university, she ranked first in her program for three consecutive years and received numerous honors including the National Scholarship, the National Encouragement Scholarship, the Du Bincheng Scholarship, and the title of Learning Model of Xi'an Eurasia University. She has also achieved significant recognition in various competitions, including winning the Gold Award at the Tanaka yuanyanzai International Design Award, First Prize at the Chinese College Cultural Art Design Award, the Second Prize at the Asian Youth Rookie Award, the Huayin Award at the Global Gold Creative International Design Award, and the Silver Award at the SGADC Singapore Art Design Competition. Additionally, she secured the Excellence Award at the Hong Kong Youth Design Award, the Bronze Award at the 5th CADA Japan Concept Art Design Awards, the Bronze Award at the G CROSS Creative Award, the Bronze Award at the North American Applied Arts Design Competition, the Excellence Award at the Bauhaus Award International Design Competition, the Bronze Award at the ICAD International Contemporary Youth Art Design Competition, and was nominated for the art-D Award. Soon, she will be heading to the Glasgow School of Art in the UK to pursue a Master's degree in Interior Design.

Design is not as simple as the arithmetic of "1+1=2", but rather an aesthetic expression from the inside out. It contains life experience, individual understanding, upward tenacity, and the passionate beauty that feels fresh and new...

During her four years of study at Xi'an Eurasia University, Wu Yuxin finished an "idealistic adventure" concerning design aesthetics. Following the "life trajectory" she created for herself, she kept constructing interpretations and exploring the boundaries of art. As a result, she has garnered over ten awards in professional competitions, both domestically and internationally. Ultimately, she has been accepted into the prestigious Glasgow School of Art in the UK (ranked 13th in the QS World University Rankings for Art and Design 2024), ready to turn a new page in her exploration of design.

01

From Naive Aesthetic Awareness to a Vast World of Design

Wu Yuxin's design aesthetic enlightenment began in her youth.

Hotels were places where she frequently stayed as she discovered her interests. She often observed and contemplated the ornaments and spatial layout within the 20-square-meter room, reflecting on questions such as, "How do designers combine practicality with aesthetic beauty in elements like beds, sofas, and lamps to create such a sensory impact?"

At first, she had not yet established a complete aesthetic viewpoint. Instead of deliberately looking for answers, she planted a seed to explore design aesthetics. "What I experienced in my childhood instilled in me a strong anticipation for interior design. After the college entrance examination, I chose to study at the EAaD School, hoping for a deeper exploration in the field of environmental design."

(Fig. 2) Wu Yuxin's class assignments

In September 2020, Wu Yuxin stepped into the classroom of EAaD School. The teachers did not approach various design concepts with a PowerPoint presentation or confine students in a closed art studio for day and night drawing. Instead, they guided students to step outside of traditional classrooms, expanding the learning and contemplation of design aesthetics into the broader context of daily life.

In the "Design Fundamentals" for freshmen, Wu Yuxin and her teammates visited Xicang Market, where they observed the inconveniences faced by vendors while setting up their stalls each day. This inspired them to conceive a modular stall design that incorporated functionality for mobility, storage, and display, while cleverly integrating traditional Chinese patterns and handrails.

(Fig. 3) Mobile Storage Car, designed by Wu Yuxin's team

In her color course, Wu Yuxin explored the infinite possibilities of colors in design practice by utilizing software training, experimenting with a variety of combinations through repetitive practical exercises.

The course design, which closely aligns with real societal needs while emphasizing the integration of theory and practice, expanded Wu Yuxin's initial understanding of design from "This design is so unique and moving" to a higher dimension of aesthetic appreciation: observing and understanding attentively to ultimately solve problems.

"As Steve Jobs once said, 'Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.' Throughout my studies, I have deeply felt that design is not only an academic discipline but also a lifestyle and mindset. It transcends disciplinary boundaries, empowering us with the strength to innovate and a strong sense of social responsibility."

02

Learn to Heal Societal Wounds with the Art of Design

The combination of aesthetics and social issues is a way for artists and designers to examine the world.

The course "Introduction to Conceptual Design and Implementation" was launched by EAaD School first for students enrolled in 2020, in which Wu Yuxin's project theme was "Homeless Project", aiming to design and make a livable space for people who have lost their homes due to disasters. > Click to view the course review

(Fig. 4) The scene of the course "Introduction to Conceptual Design and Implementation" for students enrolled in 2020

In Wu Yuxin's work, the homeless community became a central force in her aesthetic storytelling. Along with her teammates, she completed a huge petal with bright colors on their blueprints, titled "Home for the Homeless", through model deduction.

"The homeless are embodiments of suffering, which inspired us to create the imagery of the petal—when a large petal is closed, it symbolizes the beautiful potential yet to be realized; when it blooms open, it reveals the beauty that can flourish amidst suffering."

(Fig. 5) Home for the Homeless, designed by Wu Yuxin's team

War is a profoundly heavy thread in the universal narrative. In November 2023, at the 5th edition of the "Seek Stars Design Award" Future Space Design Concept Competition, Wu Yuxin embodied the irretrievable consequences of war into a vivid pulse of pain as she presented her design work titled Healing from War.

This piece envisions a future space in 2065, a time yet to be reached by humanity. Drawing from sociological insights, Wu Yuxin integrated post-war medicine and aesthetics into her design to create a warm healing space for those who have endured the traumas of war. "I hope that the architecture of the post-war era will serve as a remedy for humanity in our cities," she explained to the judges the underlying intent of her work.

(Fig. 6) Healing from War (partial)

Bringing eternal peace to those who suffer is a daunting challenge. As a young future designer, Wu Yuxin looks to the dreamlike imagination and presentation of art to unveil the flesh beneath the bruises of the suffering, allowing more people to resonate with the despair and cry out for beauty.

Ultimately, Healing from War was shortlisted among the national top five and won the Best Popularity Award. When her work garnered appreciation from artists and attendees alike, Wu Yuxin experienced a long-awaited reconnection with the essence of design aesthetics.

(Fig. 7) Wu Yuxin (first from left) is shortlisted among the national top five in the student group and wins the Best Popularity Award

"Earlier, when I gave a work report on behalf of the Presidium of the Student Union, I said, 'Life is a celebration'. It was my great honor that more people who had never met could participate in the art celebrations I planned. I am also grateful that they engage with the deepest sufferings of humanity through my creations. All the praises and resonance made me deeply aware of the value of design and the significance of mission."

(Fig. 8) Wu Yuxin delivers a work report on behalf of the Presidium of the Student Union

03

Explore Diverse Learning, Search for the Boundary of Life

Art begins with passion and is refined through the trials of life, leading to breakthroughs at the boundaries. "Searching for the boundary of life" is a reminder that Wu Yuxin gives herself.

In July 2024, Wu Yuxin became a member of the Eurasia-Curtin Sustainability Challenge Collaboration Course. Sustainability Challenge is an interdisciplinary undergraduate course offered by Curtin University, designed around real issues faced by local businesses in Australia. It provides a platform for interdisciplinary students to collaboratively explore solutions to these practical problems. EAaD School has maintained a long-term exchange relationship with Curtin University. It was the first opportunity for students from the EAaD School to participate in such in-depth academic cooperation across disciplines and borders. > Click to view the course review

Participating in the collaboration course, Wu Yuxin boarded an international flight to Australia for the first time. In a country surrounded by the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean, she visited the world-renowned Sydney Opera House mentioned in the textbook and witnessed the harmonious coexistence of Indigenous architecture and European-style churches born from Western civilization in the Southern Hemisphere.

(Fig. 9) Wu Yuxin in Australia

"The measurement of footsteps carries more significance than the theoretical meanings found in books. When we break through established physical spaces and continually encounter the unfamiliar, our understanding of design aesthetics and life experience will broaden." The practical experience of real projects placed Wu Yuxin within the context of a foreign culture, subtly deepening her understanding of cross-cultural interpretation.

(Fig. 10) A project discussion session at the Curtin University

As the scheme designer in her team, Wu Yuxin was challenged by doubts and ideological differences caused by the lack of understanding of "temple culture" among foreign team members. She shifted her approach, explaining from a global historical perspective of temple architecture and its artistic evolution, gradually unveiling the rich history and beauty of Eastern architecture. This ignited her teammates' interest in exploring ancient Eastern civilizations and even their longing for her hometown—Xi'an, the millennium-old ancient capital.

"When the process of establishing cultural confidence faces obstacles, there's no need to overreact. Instead, we should learn to find methods to interpret the common aesthetic points across different cultures. Design aesthetics then becomes a beautiful experience that transcends nationality, race, skin color, and language," she said.

(Fig. 11) Group photo of Wu Yuxin and the teachers and students of the project team

04

From EAaD to GSA: Live a Life Where Every Step Counts

On June 14, 2024, finishing the busy graduation exhibition, Wu Yuxin posted in WeChat Moments: "2024 sees my graduation with the best offer."

After completing her undergraduate studies, Wu Yuxin is set to embark on her postgraduate journey in design aesthetics at the Glasgow School of Art.

(Fig. 12) Wu Yuxin receives her admission notice for the Master's program at the Glasgow School of Art

Wu Yuxin describes her undergraduate experience as "an adventure of idealism". She is grateful that her original passion for design aesthetics lasted during her four years at Xi'an Eurasia University and appreciates that she, who "designed the life trajectory for herself" from the moment she entered the university, remained calm and courageous during the adventure.

Having found an "answer" for this phase of her life, Wu Yuxin now looks forward to the future. "Every scene is an unknown, but in artistic Europe with profound history, every unpredictable unknown carries the hope of a new beginning."

(Fig. 13) Glasgow School of Art

Over the course of more than 1,400 days and nights, Wu Yuxin has witnessed her "transformation" and has taken the time to reevaluate her past. She remarked that she, too, once found herself trapped in the dilemma of life planning, but the elapsed time is actually a disguised test of one's growth. "Every landscape the train of life passes has its significance. The key to growth lies in how we cherish every fleeting moment in the irrevocable passage of time."

"Every step of life counts," Wu said in her WeChat Moments. Now, she hopes that her unique experiences and the understanding granted by time can influence her younger peers who are growing along their own paths of youth.

(Interview & Text by Wei Xiao'ou)