Opposites attract: Studio Bang-Gu take us behind the scenes of their San Francisco-based practice

When they first met at university, the creative duo Daisy (Dal Hae) Lee and Lucien Ng had not expected that they’d be working together, let alone running a studio together, many years later! We are so glad that they are, as San Francisco-based Studio Bang-Gu have delivered many wonderful, inspired and visually arresting works – from the majestically vibrant Dang to the childhood-influenced Play Play Laaaaah! Here, the pair dig into their creative partnership, the studio’s development, and the Eastern and Western cultural influences that imbue their work. PT: Hey Daisy and Lucien! Can you tell us how you first met? What were your first impressions of each other? DL: Hello! We first met in school at the School of Visual Arts, where we took a typography class together. Lucien stood out to me as he was active during critiques, and sometimes even more critical than our lecturer. He regularly shared good insights and a unique perspective to the discussion, making me initially think he was a TA. I remember feeling competitive but also inspired by his passion for design and was eager to be friends with him.