Interviewer: Jio Yeung Jio： I always wanted to become a video game designer, unfortunately I had to give up my dream.  I am just a beginner when it comes to design so I am looking forward to learning a lot from our talk today.&nbs…

Interviewer: Erina Hosono Hosono： This might be out of the blue, but the reason I wanted to become a lighting designer is because lighting helped get my chronic problems with sleeping under control. Whether it is narcolepsy or insomnia, I w…

Interviewer: Namiko Watanabe Watanabe：In terms of human interaction, I would like to talk about the generation gap between you and me, today. You and I have a lot in common and sometimes I even feel that our sense of value is similar. Mende…

Theme: Understanding Millennials Interviewer: Clement Lee Mende： This is a very interesting topic for me, because communicating with younger generations is a little headache to me. I have been teaching Lighting Design for 10 years in univer…

Theme:Self-Promotion as a Designer Interviewer: Yuichi Anzai Anzai：Today I`d like to talk about something that is troubling me as a designer with not a lot of experience. I`d like to talk about self-promotion, something that I am lacking in…

From Your Bed to Your Desk Brien Ng Mende: Today we’re sharing our daily routine. Brien, how long does it take from your bed to your desk? Brien: It takes almost 90 minutes. Mende: That’s quite long. What is the first thing you see in…

This column was written on June 3, 2017 and recently found while I cleaned my PC. Barcelona`s La Rambla basks in the spring sunshine. It has been awhile, but I am just wondering today with limited cash, a credit card, and iPhone in my pocke…

Theme: Into the Water Interviewer:Yusuke Hattori Hattori：Your first diving experience was five years ago near Malaysia`s Tioman Island, is that right. Was it really your first time? Mende：Yes really. I wanted to go diving and so I went. I g…

Environmentally Friendliness Interviewer: Sherri Goh Mende: So are we talking about environmentally friendly lighting design or environmental friendliness in lighting design…? Sherri: I’m not sure if I explained the topic clearly to you as …

Education between student and staff Interviewer:Zooey Li Mende：Hello Zooey, Education between student and staff is today’s topic, It’s quite interesting. Zooey：Yes, Mr. Mende, I thought you were a very good lighting design professor in a fa…

Childhood memories which influences you as a lighting designer Interviewer:　Quratuaini Bte Jamil Aini：Hi, Mr Mende. I would like to discuss about childhood activities or memories which influences you as a lighting designer. Mende：Sure but y…

Theme:Playback! Interviewer:　Bryan Yan This “coffee break” column is a bit different from all the previous ones. The change of style in this column is also corresponding to our interview topic – “Playback”! Since I have read the PAST issues…

Lighting designer’ VS ‘Lighting planner’ Interviewer:　Karen Huang Karen: Mende san, today I would like to talk about the definition in between ‘Lighting designer’ and ‘Lighting planner’ since I thought about how we could define the directio…

Work Style Revolution Interviewer:　Tomohiro Mukaihira Mukaihira：Today I`d like to talk with you about design and work balance, not as a lighting designer, but as Mr. Mende, the entrepreneur. Recently, the workforce is decreasing with severa…

Design Starting with Imitating Interviewer:　Kentaro Tanaka Tanaka： Today, I thought we could talk about lighting design and how to protect copyrights, but I think I`ll tone it down a bit. Shall we discuss the act of imitating instead? So to…

Hairstyles Interviewer:　Chika Makabe Makabe：Today I`d like to talk about your hairstyle. Also, I thought it might be fun to take a peek at your private life, a different side of the lighting designer, Mr. Mende. But let`s just see where the…

Theme:Lighting Design Awards Interviewer:　Li Jinmu Jinmu：Mende San, today let us discuss about design awards. When I was in the college, I actively joined many student design competitions. During my final year in the University, I particula…

Theme:　Value of Time for Designers Interviewer:　Catherine Wong Catherine：So today our topic is TIME. Mende san, you always travel around to have meetings, lectures, forums and interviews through these years. You must be asked about thousand…

Favorable Lighting for having Drinks Interviewer:　Shosaku Takahashi Takahashi： Today`s theme is “Favorable Lighting for having Drinks” so instead of coffee I thought we could relax and talk with an alcoholic beverage today. Mende： It`s not …

Theme:　Light art and Lighting design Interviewer:　Blanche Lam Blanche：LPA is a lighting design firm. The works mainly focuses on design rather than art. What do you think about design and art? Mende： Good question! But I’d like to ask you b…