My grandpa named me Yuanfang to remind me to dream big. An unusual mix of characters that mean “far away” in Chinese, my name seemed to predict a propensity for exploration.
I spent my early years in Hunan until enrolling for design studies in Germany, where I had my first experience of approaching the world through the lens of cultural and social influences. Working and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds taught me to be flexible and open-minded, sparking a deep curiosity about human perception. This fascination turned into a keen interest to understand the way in which people think, feel, and carry out their lives, but more importantly, how purposeful product design can advance and improve them in a meaningful way.
After a decade of studying and working in Hong Kong, I was motivated to come to Canada to pursue my aspirations of creating and contributing something impactful.