Zhi Cheng Lai

Hello, I’m Zhi! I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Design, specializing in Motion Design. My deep enthusiasm for motion design has driven me to bring static designs to life through animation. During my three years study at Swinburne University, I’ve built a strong foundation of design skills.

My passion has led me to explore a wide spectrum of creative possibilities within this community, encompassing both 2D and 3D skills.

Mode Fest

A motion graphic produced for Mode Festival, a music festival dedicated to exploring experimental, futuristic, and electronic genre music. The metallic, bold, and neon visuals vividly convey the vibrant energy of this unique community.

1Q84

As part of a book relaunch project for the Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s fiction novel ‘1Q84,’ a series of visual posters are designed. This project centers around photography and photo manipulation, with the goal of highlighting the themes of suspense, science fiction, and parallel worlds that are central to the novel.

Pandora’s Box

A publication designed for the Pandora’s Box opera event. Through the use of photography, it introduces the Greek myth of Pandora’s Box, providing essential context for the audience before they experience the opera. The design, characterized by warm tones and serif fonts, conveys the elegance of this timeless story.

The Zephyr Room

A series of motion graphics developed for a meditation projection installation. These graphics are seamlessly integrated with guided breathing practice audio from a breath coach. This immersive experience is designed to encourage people to take a break from their busy lives and find moments of tranquility and relaxation.

Daisy

A looping 3D animation created to illustrate the energetic movement for alphabet ‘D’. Using ‘daisy’ as main concept to develop a playful concept.

Acknowledgement of Country

The School of Design and Architecture respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and knowledge-keepers of the lands, waters and sky that surround us, where we work, learn, create, communicate and make place. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and this always was and will always be Wurundjeri Country. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who continue to make a better world through design.

We extend our acknowledgement to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, alumni, real-life clients, and knowledge keepers, who have contributed to our own education diversity and growth. We will continue to ensure that staff and students respectfully honour ancestral connection to Country and Place in everything that they do.

We are dedicated to the notion of design to make a better world and we acknowledge that making tools, shaping place, sharing stories, making meaning, wayfinding and collaborating have long been and continue to be both central and integral to First Peoples' cultures. We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ cultural contributions have continued relevance to design practice and commit to: reconciling ancestries of design and contemporary practice as well as pursuing culturally and professionally appropriate ways to engage with a diverse population of colleagues, industries and clients. In a time of treaty-making and voice we understand that there are overlaps between caring for Country and the sustainable production of goods, services, experiences, products and buildings.

Guided by the principles of respect, reconciliation, and reciprocity we undertake to indigenising and decolonising design practice by dismantling colonial structures and challenging biases that have marginalised Indigenous voices and design.

As students of SoDA you will be given opportunities to both engage with and educate yourself in Indigenous creative practices and cultural protocols through a lens of inclusivity, diversity, respect, mutual understanding, inter-cultural dialogue in all aspects of design practice. Indigenous people have been telling stories, making tools, and connecting to Country through visual media, placemaking and place marking for more than 60,000 years and these practices are part of an ongoing, evolving and live tradition.