References

Kinetic Table


for Studio Olafur Eliasson GmbHBerlin 2023
Team: Christof Pfleiderer, Felix Kraemer

Development of a series of large rotary tables for a zero maintenance use case in a desert environment. Each table is actuated using solar power and can be adjusted by the user to run at various speeds, with a base speed of 1 rotation per day. Part of a series of drawing machines by Olafur Eliasson.


Exhibition "The Curious Desert"

Weather Tracking Instruments


for MIT Media Lab/The Mediated Matter GroupBerlin/San Francisco 2022
Team: João Costa, Nic Lee, Felix Kraemer, Nitzan Zilbermann, lead by Neri Oxman 

Instruments is a series of LED light gauges, showing live weather data as part of an exhibition at SFMOMA in 2022. The datapoints collected are used to perform a real-time calculation relating to the decay of a 3D printed biopolymer structure on the terrace of the museum. Each weather gauge is updated in a five minute interval, retrieving new readings. The readings are then shown as changing partial light halos.


Exhibition Page SFMOMA

Silk II Production Platform


MIT Media Lab/The Mediated Matter GroupCambridge (USA), 2020
Team: João Costa, Christoph Bader︎, Felix Kraemer, Susan Williams︎, Nitzan Zilbermann, Sunanda Sharma︎, Jean Disset︎, lead by Neri Oxman 

Silk Pavilion II explores the relationship between digital and biological fabrication on product and architectural scales. Its silk membrane was produced by direct spinning technique using 17500 silk worms on a custom developed fabrication platform. It was realized in Italy in collaboration with the of Sericulture Laboratory (CREA-AA) Padova. A project developed as part of the Mediated Matter Group at MIT Media Lab.


Project PageProject Page (MoMA) Article on Creative Applications

Maiden Flight


MIT Media Lab/The Mediated Matter GroupCambridge (USA), 2019
Team: Rachel Soo Hoo Smith, Felix Kraemer, Ren Ri, Jean Disset︎, João Costa, Sunanda Sharma︎, Christoph Bader, Gabriel Owens-Flores, Miana Smith, Natalia Casas, lead by Neri Oxman

Maiden Flight is an autonomous payload module, “Nanolab”, built for studying the behavior of honey queen bees and their retinue in the context of space travel. Two Nanolabs were produced and successfully sent on the 11th unmanned Blue Origin New Shepard flight in early 2019 in West Texas, performed with a reused vehicle, the New Shepard III. A project of The Mediated Matter Group developed at MIT Media Lab.


Project Page 

ZG Stardust


MIT Media Lab/The Mediated Matter GroupCambridge (USA), 2019
Team: Sunanda Sharma︎, Felix Kraemer, Joseph Kennedy, lead by Neri Oxman

How might zero gravity space affect silk spinning, and what benefits might such material properties provide for digital fabrication and additive manufacturing once back on Earth? Project ZG Stardust explores the broader theme of material formulation and fabrication in microgravity, particularly the spinning of silk by silkworms. A project of The Mediated Matter Group developed at MIT Media Lab.


Project Page 

Adaptable Meshes (Paper Co-author)


Paper for Form and Force CongressMIT Media Lab, Cambridge (USA), 2019
by: João Costa, Felix Kraemer, Christoph Bader, Jean Disset, lead by Neri Oxman

Adaptable Meshes describes an approach developed by the Mediated Matter Group, which uses a stream of hot air to deposit and to bond a thread with itself in multiple locations. The custom designed end-effector heats up a PLA-coated fiber core. This enables the construction of membranes, starting with only a minimal set of rods as initial anchoring points for a network of threads. The system was developed as part of the Silk II research project.


Link to Paper 

Totems (Broken Nature - XXII Triennale die Milano)


MIT Media Lab/The Mediated Matter GroupCambridge (USA), 2019
Team: Sunanda Sharma︎, Christoph Bader︎, Rachel Soo Hoo Smith,  Felix Kraemer, Joseph Kennedy, João Costa, Susan Williams︎, lead by Neri Oxman

The installation designed for Broken Nature - XXII Triennale die Milano features a demonstration of melanin production on an architectural scale for deployment in specific environmental contexts. A project of The Mediated Matter Group developed at MIT Media Lab.



Project Page

Smart Materials


Collaboration with Studio NAND, Dr. Olivier Bau, Thomas Ness, Fernanda Piza, Brian Harmes for Volkswagen - Future Center EuropeBerlin, 2017

Development of a series of interactive prototypes and showcases. This project explores the future of autonomous vehicles and the informational, usable and emotional aspect of using the automobile of the future.  


NAND Project Page

Fragments by Random International


Random InternationalLondon (UK), 2016

Project/Design lead for kinetic artwork 'Fragments AP1' presented 2016 at PACE Gallery NYC. Development of mechanical platform to be used and serviced in multiple editions. Conception and design of innovative tracking system to enable interaction between artwork and viewer. A project by Random International.


Project Page
Project Video

... as well as

Porcelosia - A kinetic ceramic structure


BURG HalleHalle (Germany), October 2013

Research and product development into ceramics in the architectural context. A cooperation with Fernanda Pizá and Marija Skoko. A project developed at Burg Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule Halle.


Project Video

Rain Room (Shanghai) by Random International


Random InternationalLondon (UK), September 2015

Initial operation of Random International's Rain Room Shanghai at the YUZ Museum, conception and delivery of a bilingual workshop for museum staff. A project by Random International.


Project Page

Swarm Study VI editions by Random International


Random InternationalLondon (UK), October 2014 – May 2016

Production and assembly of two editions of Swarm Study VI as well as supervision and scheduling production of 6 following editions. A project by Random International.


Project Page