How important is leaving to create new horizons?

It's important to give yourself the time and space to try things you're interested in. Every designer I admire is like this: every evening, one day a week, a few days a month. Every evening, one day a week, and a few days a month, I see them in one form or another take a little break from work, regardless of the size of their organization.

Did your three vacations change your view of time?

While I knew it would be fun, I had no idea it would change the trajectory of my studio and bring me financial success.

Initially, as with many major decisions in my life, I did this for several reasons: one was to escape from routine work and burnout, and the other was to bring new ideas to different types of projects at different times.

Milton Glaser, the man behind the ubiquitous "I Love NY" sign, once told me that after more than 50 years in the design business, his proudest accomplishment is that he still enjoys it and is passionate about it. I've found that taking time off is the best strategy for achieving this goal.

Has the world forgotten the joy of a holiday?

It is more a matter of life and work stress than "forgetting". Traveling in Tokyo during my last vacation, I rented an apartment in a small skyscraper surrounded by office buildings. Every time I wake up in the middle of the night, whether it's 2 a.m. or 5 a.m., there are still people working in the building. I firmly believe that this is not only unhealthy, but also inefficient.

What did you do that was interesting while you were on vacation?

At the beginning of my first vacation, I thought ideas would magically flow over time without a plan. But the results were terrible. I couldn't cope with too many demands and was overwhelmed like an intern. But later, I made lists and grades of my interests, and arranged my time and made plans like a schoolboy. It made me feel the design process again and have fun with it. Basically, all of our design over the last seven years was based on thinking during that year off.

When I was recently on vacation in Mexico City and looking for a theme for my work, it dawned on me that the theme would have to do with beauty, because it would force me to stay close to so many people. The next few months have been some of the happiest of my life.

What do you think of the value of money?

In today's society, many jobs have become so complex that the sense of belonging among those doing them has been reduced to such a low level that money is the only criterion for success. In general, people report higher levels of happiness when their work gives them a sense of control (a sense of responsibility for the tasks).

What aspect of modern design has disappointed you the most?

Lack of aesthetics.

Why did beauty fall out of favor?

Most design-related industries -- whether architecture, product or digital design -- don't place much value on beauty; Many practitioners consider it redundant and focus on functionality. I'm a firm believer that if you design only for functionality, you'll often end up designing products that don't function properly. The public housing projects of the 1950s and 1960s are the prime example; The goal was to accommodate as many residents as efficiently as possible, but instead the project became unfit for human habitation and needed to be demolished after 20 years.

What do you think is the most inspiring time for your work?

While traveling by train. The process of moving forward, the view from the window and plenty of space to sketch -- these environmental factors work very well for me.