Our Story

The motivation of Boey and Simon comes from their minority position in society. Boey is a Chinese immigrant, and Simon is a blind Dutchman. Racism, bias and micro-aggression have been part of their life and work. As a new generation of designers, they feel the need but also have the capability to address the urgent issue of equality. 

Our collaboration has been simultaneously captivating and challenging right from the outset. One of the most significant hurdles we encountered was related to communication, stemming from our divergent perspectives. Simon’s visual impairment and my natural tendency to describe things visually created ample opportunities for miscommunication, often requiring considerable time and effort to resolve.

To illustrate the communication challenge, there’s a somewhat amusing story to share. Simon once sent a complete email to me, but upon receiving it, I found seemingly nothing within. Upon closer examination and confirmation with Simon, it turned out that the text in the email was white, coincidentally matching the background colour. Simon, who relies on VoiceOver on his MacBook to read text, was unperturbed by the text colour, as it didn’t affect his interaction with the content.

Furthermore, our collaboration encountered challenges in spatial design, especially since Simon needed assistance in visualising spatial concepts. To surmount this obstacle, we devised a communication method using physical materials and models to convey the scale and layout of spaces. Although it took some time for me to fully grasp Simon’s ideas, this approach proved immensely informative for Simon, deepening his understanding of spatial concepts.”

By humbly acknowledging the inherent discomfort in a design challenge, we open ourselves up to the realm of the unknown. This personal recognition of the fear and anxiety experienced by end-users fosters a deeper connection and resonance, ultimately leading to a more compassionate approach to design.”