12: Che-Wei Wang & Taylor Levy (CW&T) - Iterating Together with Time
Mar 24, 2025
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Che-Wei Wang and Taylor Levy, the creative duo behind CW&T, blend art, design, and engineering to challenge traditional concepts of time and materiality. They delve into personal anecdotes about how perceptions of time evolve, and discuss their innovative designs that encourage reflection. The couple reflects on the balance of creativity and practicality, emphasizing the importance of prototyping and storytelling in their work. Their philosophy champions heirloom-quality objects in a disposable world, forging an intriguing dialogue between sustainability, curiosity, and art.
Che-Wei Wang and Taylor Levy emphasize rethinking time as a shared experience that influences our daily lives and relationships.
Their commitment to creating durable products challenges fast consumerism, focusing on lasting design and meaningful materials instead.
Collaboration between the duo as life partners enriches their creativity and productivity, underscoring trust and balance in their partnership.
Prototyping plays a crucial role in their design philosophy, prioritizing hands-on experimentation to authentically refine and iterate on their ideas.
Deep dives
Exploring the Concept of Time
The discussion centers around the profound relationship between time and human experience, with both speakers reflecting on their evolving perspectives about time throughout their careers. They emphasize the importance of understanding time not merely as a constraint but as a shared language that connects us all. Their projects challenge conventional notions of timekeeping, such as the innovative 'Time Since Launch,' which allows users to measure time in a more personal and meaningful way. This exploration aims to foster a healthier relationship with time, encouraging a deeper understanding of its impact on daily lives.
The Art and Process of Durable Design
The conversation delves into the philosophy behind creating durable and meaningful products. The speakers advocate for designs that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also serve a lasting purpose, like their titanium bookmark pen or Solid State Watch. They discuss the significance of utilizing high-quality materials and simple mechanisms that enhance the longevity of their creations, in contrast to the fast-paced world of digital technology, which often lacks durability. Their approach highlights a commitment to crafting objects that endure and resonate with users over time.
Collaboration and Creative Dynamics
The dynamic between personal and professional relationships is explored, particularly how collaboration influences their creative process. They discuss how working together as life partners enhances their productivity and creativity, allowing them to blend their strengths effectively. The conversation also touches on the importance of trust, sharing responsibilities, and maintaining individuality within their partnership. This synergy is portrayed as essential for overcoming challenges and fostering innovation in their designs.
Prototyping as a Way of Life
Prototyping emerges as a fundamental aspect of their design philosophy, emphasizing hands-on experimentation to bring ideas to life. They express a preference for physical prototypes over computer-generated images, believing that tangible creations lead to more authentic feedback and refinement. By prioritizing rapid prototyping, they can quickly iterate on ideas, ensuring that finished products align with their vision. This iterative process not only enhances their design quality but also fosters a deeper understanding of their materials and techniques.
The Role of Storytelling in Branding
The importance of storytelling in creating a brand identity is discussed, highlighting how narratives can engage audiences and convey the ethos behind their products. The speakers reflect on their desire to share their creative journey with others, aiming to foster a community of like-minded individuals. They express a commitment to authenticity in their storytelling, distancing themselves from conventional marketing tactics that prioritize aesthetics over substance. This approach is seen as integral to establishing a connection with their audience while remaining true to their core values.
Nature as a Source of Inspiration
Nature is acknowledged as a significant source of inspiration for both speakers, who draw parallels between natural elements and the creation of their work. They express a deep appreciation for the inherent beauty and complexity of the natural world, which serves as a counterbalance to the fast-paced digital environment. By immersing themselves in nature, they find clarity and inspiration that rejuvenates their creative processes. This connection underscores the importance of seeking out natural experiences to foster creativity and enrich their designs.
The Future of Creativity and Technology
The speakers reflect on the intersection of creativity and technology, acknowledging the rapid advancements that reshape design practices. They express a cautious optimism about emerging tools that allow for greater experimentation and exploration in design. However, there is a recognition of the potential trade-offs between efficiency and the value of traditional craftsmanship. The discussion highlights the ongoing need to balance innovation with the preservation of the human touch within creative endeavors.
Che-Wei Wang and Taylor Levy are the founders of CW&T (Website, Instagram, X, TikTok), a Brooklyn-based studio creating products that exist somewhere between art, design, and engineering.
The husband-and-wife team met at NYU ITP and shares a background across industrial design, architecture, computer science, film, including time at Pratt Institute and MIT. They won the 2022 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Product Design. They design and manufacture everyday objects including clocks, pens, tools, and other strange objects that challenge our relationship with time, attention, and materiality. Their most recognizable products include the Pen Type-A, Pen Type-C (my favorite), Time Since Launch (a one-time-use, 100-year timekeeper), and Solid State Watch, a remix of the classic Casio F-91W.
Our conversation explores their fascination with time, their commitment to creating heirloom-quality objects in a disposable world, and how they've built a sustainable creative practice on their own terms. We discuss their prototyping-centered approach, the tension between digital and physical creation, and how they navigate collaboration as partners in life and work.
Throughout, Che-Wei and Taylor reveal a philosophy that treats making as its own reward—they create what fascinates them first, trusting that others will connect with their vision. In a world increasingly dominated by disposable products and digital experiences, CW&T offers a refreshing counterpoint: a workshop where physical objects are thoughtfully conceived, meticulously crafted, and built to accompany us through life's journeys. Their work invites us to reconsider our relationship with the objects we use daily and the passage of time itself, offering a refreshing counterpoint to our increasingly digital, ephemeral world.
(11:21): Time Since Launch: the idea of counting up instead of down, and creating personal epochs
(14:11): "Good design is long-lasting,” Durability of Electric Objects
(19:31): Balancing art, product, and design: CW&T's approach to creating strange (but useful) things
(23:51): First Word vs. Last Word Art: Michael Naimark's essay on innovation
(28:01): Death by consensus: Why Che-Wei left architecture, and the joy of creative collaboration
(32:52): Inspiration, Theory, and Self-Evidence
(38:40): Tools: iPhone world, what makes a great tool, and design that optimizes for joy
(44:21): The Hi-Tec-C pen cartridge and remixing what has come before
(48:01): Making physical objects: a case for prototyping and against rendering
(55:41): CW&T’s beloved products
(53:27): ITP, Electrified Objects, Software in Objects
(56:49): Dream Stem: Generative design, openness to new tools, AI's impact on the creative process, and intuition
(01:07:11): The value of friction, and what's lost and gained in the pursuit of efficiency
(01:09:46): CW&T the brand, contemplating CW&T's legacy and purpose
(01:15:24): Kickstarter, owning your audience, and what it would look like to start today
(01:19:35): Partners in life and work, the tension between merging identities and maintaining individuality
(01:25:02): Growth, explore vs. exploit, and learning, dream collaborators, and more resources
(1:33:56): Lighting round: great teachers, New York City focus & serendipity, creative inspirations, CW&T book, nature and green things, morphology and architecture, “form and force,” a gift for children or grandchildren, what to hang onto,
