PearCore
Soft core, hard form
We’re a pair of designers who try to bring surprising yet well-crafting design to live
︎︎︎How to Catch the Fire Dragon
︎︎︎The Shape of Time
︎︎︎2nd Catelogue
︎︎︎Vase Shaped Vase
︎︎︎DON’T MOVE THE FOUNTAIN
We’re a pair of designers who try to bring surprising yet well-crafting design to live
︎︎︎How to Catch the Fire Dragon
︎︎︎The Shape of Time
︎︎︎2nd Catelogue
︎︎︎Vase Shaped Vase
︎︎︎DON’T MOVE THE FOUNTAIN
How to Catch the Fire Dragon
Installation Design
2025
Gijs Bakker Award Nominated
Since 2000, the People’s Republic of China has conducted radio signal jamming against specific foreign broadcasts. This system continuously transmits twelve traditional Chinese opera pieces via satellite and can actively shift frequencies and time slots to track and interfere with target signals—primarily shortwave broadcasts from Taiwan. Due to its distinctive sound pattern and wide coverage, radio enthusiasts have named it firedrake, the fire dragon.
“How to Catch the Fire Dragon” reveals the concealed nature of signal control and interference—particularly how cultural packaging and technical design make such interventions difficult for listeners to detect. Using a modified radio antenna that sways in response to incoming signals, the project makes the invisible tensions in the air perceptible, exposing how the radio spectrum is deployed as a tool for political conflict and border management.
Installation Design
2025
Gijs Bakker Award Nominated
Since 2000, the People’s Republic of China has conducted radio signal jamming against specific foreign broadcasts. This system continuously transmits twelve traditional Chinese opera pieces via satellite and can actively shift frequencies and time slots to track and interfere with target signals—primarily shortwave broadcasts from Taiwan. Due to its distinctive sound pattern and wide coverage, radio enthusiasts have named it firedrake, the fire dragon.
“How to Catch the Fire Dragon” reveals the concealed nature of signal control and interference—particularly how cultural packaging and technical design make such interventions difficult for listeners to detect. Using a modified radio antenna that sways in response to incoming signals, the project makes the invisible tensions in the air perceptible, exposing how the radio spectrum is deployed as a tool for political conflict and border management.
The Shape of Time
Craft Experiment
2024
Prompted by the rapid deterioration of World Heritage sites like the Chinese Mogao Caves, Yan Qing Xu provokes reflection on human impact on the environment. Dating back to 336 AD, the caves still house the murals and sculptures of ancient artisans. However, strong sandy winds are slowly erasing the site. As a byproduct of human industrial activity, this destruction is further accelerated. In the last century, the caves’ disappearance sped up by 100 times.
‘The Shape of Time’ visualises the transformation of our surroundings through artificially eroded objects. Using sandblasting as a time accelerator, Yan simulates centuries of deterioration on various materials within hours. By bringing geological time into human scale, the project challenges viewers to reconsider their relationship with materials and environmental change.
Craft Experiment
2024
Prompted by the rapid deterioration of World Heritage sites like the Chinese Mogao Caves, Yan Qing Xu provokes reflection on human impact on the environment. Dating back to 336 AD, the caves still house the murals and sculptures of ancient artisans. However, strong sandy winds are slowly erasing the site. As a byproduct of human industrial activity, this destruction is further accelerated. In the last century, the caves’ disappearance sped up by 100 times.
‘The Shape of Time’ visualises the transformation of our surroundings through artificially eroded objects. Using sandblasting as a time accelerator, Yan simulates centuries of deterioration on various materials within hours. By bringing geological time into human scale, the project challenges viewers to reconsider their relationship with materials and environmental change.
2nd Catalogue
Speculative Design
2024
2nd, a fictional 2024 Design Academy Eindhoven graduation catalogue, explores the intersection of AI and design education by generating simulated projects, challenging the role of designers and educational outcomes in an AI-integrated world.
Coming from an exam based educational background, Yan Qing’s years at Design Academy Eindhoven(DAE) were of a great contrast, where the focus is on the critical thinking abilities of the individual, despite the outcome of one’s study being important.
Yan Qing uses her past projects and interests, and the cum laude projects of past years, to inform Artificial Intelligence(AI) programs. They are asked to generate 100 projects in her field of interest under pseudonyms and fictional identities, to the standard of excellent graduates.
2nd seeks to examine the desired educational outcomes of DAE while revealing the integration of AI in the design process of graduates today. It questions the role of the designer in a world of AI integration.
Speculative Design
2024
2nd, a fictional 2024 Design Academy Eindhoven graduation catalogue, explores the intersection of AI and design education by generating simulated projects, challenging the role of designers and educational outcomes in an AI-integrated world.
Coming from an exam based educational background, Yan Qing’s years at Design Academy Eindhoven(DAE) were of a great contrast, where the focus is on the critical thinking abilities of the individual, despite the outcome of one’s study being important.
Yan Qing uses her past projects and interests, and the cum laude projects of past years, to inform Artificial Intelligence(AI) programs. They are asked to generate 100 projects in her field of interest under pseudonyms and fictional identities, to the standard of excellent graduates.
2nd seeks to examine the desired educational outcomes of DAE while revealing the integration of AI in the design process of graduates today. It questions the role of the designer in a world of AI integration.
Vase Shaped Vase
Self-Initial Study
2023
When light passes from one medium to another, the difference in speed of spreading light could cause redirection, this phenomenon is named “refraction”. In our daily life, refraction or caustics could be observed in a variety of situations, e.g., bottom of swimming pool, an acrylic sculpt, or even a cup of water in the glass. However, in most cases, people couldn’t tell the shape of caustics from its original outline, and I think it would be quite an interesting scenario if people could read different messages from objects’ refraction.
Vase Shaped Vase demonstrates the application of refraction and caustics as design element. Expand the realm of “lighting” design.
Self-Initial Study
2023
When light passes from one medium to another, the difference in speed of spreading light could cause redirection, this phenomenon is named “refraction”. In our daily life, refraction or caustics could be observed in a variety of situations, e.g., bottom of swimming pool, an acrylic sculpt, or even a cup of water in the glass. However, in most cases, people couldn’t tell the shape of caustics from its original outline, and I think it would be quite an interesting scenario if people could read different messages from objects’ refraction.
Vase Shaped Vase demonstrates the application of refraction and caustics as design element. Expand the realm of “lighting” design.
Ghost Fountain
Installation Design
2022
Taiwan Design Expo
Installation Design
2022
Taiwan Design Expo