Featured on the front cover, Jasper Sanders shares his design approach and creative process in the acclaimed ‘Radical Thinking’ series for FX Magazine issue #345.
FX Magazine invited Jasper Sanders to contribute to their Radical Thinking feature. In this piece, Jasper reflects on the ideas that have shaped his career, daily life, and worldview. He shares pivotal moments in his journey to becoming the designer he is today, and offers insight into the Radical Thinking that continues to inspire his practice and hopes for the future.
In his contribution, Jasper explores the sparks that first drew him to design, beginning with a childhood fascination for the reinvention of space. He reflects on the radical pioneers of modernism and how their ideas have influenced his philosophy, as well as the timeless adaptability of traditional Japanese design.
The conversation touches on:
Radical influences that shaped a philosophy
Jasper recalls how his thinking was formed by early modernist pioneers such as Gropius, Le Corbusier, and Mies van der Rohe, whose vision for re-inventing space from the inside out remains foundational today. Their boldness in re-imagining what buildings could be set a benchmark for design that continues to influence his work. Alongside this, he highlights the influence of Japanese domestic traditions, where flexible, adaptive living demonstrates that radical thinking is often timeless rather than futuristic.
Listening and learning beyond the design world
A key theme for Jasper is the importance of stepping outside the echo chamber of the design profession. He stresses that real radicalism often comes from clients, when designers listen carefully to their ambitions, pressures, and lived experiences. By understanding the commercial frameworks and the needs of end-users, design can be both more human and more effective – elevating the quality of outcomes while still respecting creative ambition.
Optimism as a design driver
In a world overshadowed by uncertainty, Jasper argues that optimism is the true force of radical thinking. Rather than reflecting only the prevailing mood, design can lead with colour, joy, and positivity, lifting people’s experiences in subtle but powerful ways. He sees optimism as a creative choice – a way to move beyond the constraints of the moment and unlock the full potential of design to inspire.
Buildings and objects that embody radical design
Jasper points to Gerrit Rietveld’s Schroder House as a formative example of design that reimagines how people live, with space that flexes and transforms around everyday life. He also celebrates the Pompidou Centre as a radical work of invention – a building that clears space for people by making its services part of its architecture. Both projects demonstrate how design at its most radical can be joyful, inventive, and enduring.
Personal reflections and ways of thinking
Throughout the piece, Jasper shares candid thoughts about his own creative process: the doubts that drive him to do better, the energy he finds in early mornings, and the way contrarian thinking helps him challenge assumptions. For him, radical thinking is about balancing critical questioning with openness and collaboration, ensuring that creativity stays purposeful and alive.
Together, these insights form a portrait of how Jasper approaches his craft, what keeps him awake at night, and what gets him up each morning with energy for the work ahead.
Read the full article in FX Magazine