"I see myself more as a researcher. I'd rather leave the actual design work to someone else."

"The first thing I'm doing to do after graduation is travel," says Siyao Yu (27) with a smile. After ten years of schooling, it’s time to step out of the educational bubble and see what else the world has to offer. After completing intermediate vocational education, she pursued the Interior Designer Associate's Degree and the Bachelor's course in Interior Architecture, and then finished her studies with a Master of Interior Architecture at ArtEZ. “I’ve never felt so fulfilled.”

With each course she completed, a familiar feeling crept up on her: "I’m not done yet, there is still more to discover." In this way, ArtEZ was an instant match for Siyao Yu. “I immediately felt very safe and comfortable here,” she explains. “You become part of the community pretty quickly.”

Researcher rather than designer

During her bachelor’s programme in Interior Architecture, Siyao already noticed that the concepts of ‘body’ and ‘space’ are closely related. “Through the master’s course, I gained even more insight into this and was especially concerned with research,” she says, “which is perfect for me. During my previous studies, I discovered that I really like designing, but that I don’t necessarily need to pursue that role professionally. I see myself more as a researcher, someone who starts a dialogue with people and brainstorms with a team on how to arrive at an appropriate solution. I’d rather leave the actual design work to someone else.” Fortunately, she found everything she was looking for in the Interior Architecture master’s programme. “I feel very fulfilled now and can’t wait to get to work.”

Private vs. public

During the two years of her course, she gained an important insight that she says cannot be solved with theory. Siyao: “I discovered that while people can understand something cognitively, that is often not enough to change behaviour. To truly change behaviour, one needs to really feel something.” As an example, Siyao cites the fact that we take our mobile phones with us everywhere we go. “In architecture, we focus very much on the distinction between private and public, but that boundary has vanished in our digital lives. After all, you are traceable anywhere, which renders privacy a thing of the past. Everyone understands how dangerous that is, but we don’t do anything about it because it isn’t harming us physically.” Siyao found this a compelling enough subject to explore as the theme of her graduation project.

Interaction between theory and practice

How has she developed artistically over the last two years? “In the first six months, you are taught pretty much every artistic method there is,” Siyao says, “and you are also very much encouraged to explore these methods even further.” She believes that if someone is given enough space to experiment, they will do so. “That’s how I found out that I really enjoy working with my hands, even though just about everything nowadays is done digitally. Now I also see design more as a way to explore something, rather than creating something because I think it will solve something.” However, she found the interplay between theoretical research and the experimental artistic part of the programme a bit tricky. “Theoretical research and artistic experimentation are two different brain modes that you have to switch between, which can take a lot of energy."

As to whether the Master's programme has prepared her for the real thing, Siyao thinks for a moment. “Not for everything, but that’s impossible in this broad sector. You are given a lot of starting points, though. If you are interested in something but didn’t learn it during the programme, you will at least know exactly where to look for it.” You receive different kinds of vocational preparation as a student, she continues. “One time we talked about personal positioning, and another time a guest lecturer came and explained something about entrepreneurship. In that sense, the programme gives you a lot of important information. What you do with it is up to you.”

Rich feeling

As she studied for 10 years, Siyao has been through all levels of professional study. Having done so, she advises everyone not to stick to just one course. “If you continue studying, you give yourself the space to discover what you like and what works for you. For example, during my bachelor’s course, I did an “internship” in my own company. There, I noticed how important it is to me to have the space to delve deep. I often felt at that time that I’d rather be in another position. You then find that out and anticipate it. It now gives me a rich and fulfilled feeling that I understand all facets of the sector.”

Learn more about the Interior Architecture master's course

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