Moritz Waldemeyer is a master of mechatronics -- a job that's equal parts mechanical engineering and electronics -- and the go-to tech guru for some of the biggest names in design (think Zaha Hadid, Ron Arad and Hussein Chalayan).
From robotic dresses to futuristic kitchens, Waldemeyer is known for wiring the low-tech, mundane objects of daily life. He once designed a smooth-surfaced Corian table with 2,500 integrated LEDs on which passersby could play Pong.
"I specialize in using engineering in art and design, so I get to do all the really crazy projects," says Waldemeyer. "People come to me whenever they have a mad idea and they're not quite sure how to deal with it."
After building an interactive chandelier for Arad in 2004 that scrolled words sent via text message down a crystal spiral, Waldemeyer was back at work for Swarovski during this year's Milan furniture fair. For that event, he rigged up a massive shape-shifting chandelier conceived by design firm Fredrikson Stallard.
Named Pandora, it periodically settles into the form of a classic light fixture before disintegrating into seeming randomness. The look? A mix of order and chaos. It may be crystal, but don't expect to find it above your grandmother's table anytime soon.
Comment on this story.
