From AI to empathy: Relative Design harnesses human insights and tech to create holistic solutions

Relative Design, founded by Yaxu Han and Lingfeng Liu, is a studio unafraid to push boundaries, embrace new technologies, and most importantly, put the human element at the forefront of their creative endeavours. Based in China, the duo bring together a wealth of experience from their time in Beijing and New York, creating a studio that embraces diversity, inclusivity and human-centred design. Alongside discussing their portfolio – an impressive range of visual identities, digital platforms and brand worlds – we explore the origins of Relative Design and how Han and Liu’s complementary skills led to the formation of their studio. The pair also unpack their views on technological innovations like AI, their approach to balancing creativity with client expectations, and how they infuse fun into their design process. PT: Hi Yaxu and Lingfeng! How did the two of you meet and start working together? YH: Hi Poppy, it’s a long story. Actually, we knew each other before graduate school. Lingfeng went to my dream school, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), and I went to Lingfeng’s dream school, the School of Visual Arts (SVA).