The sound of lasers

Jewellery designer Hannah Martin is set to launch her latest jewellery collection at London’s Dover Street Market tomorrow night with a mix of augmented reality and an interactive laser installation.

If, like me, Martin had you at the mention of lasers, then the installation will be all the more exciting as you actually get to play with them.

The installation, which has been design by Moritz Waldemeyer in collaboration with Hannah Martin and DSM, has been created to display Martin’s latest collection.

A cage of lasers cases one particularly special piece and when interrupted by hands, the lasers make different sounds, allowing visitors to create their own soundscape.

The idea for the installation and its look and feel have been inspired by the story of Martin’s collection, says Waldemeyer. The collection has been inspired by ‘the man who knows everything’ – a mysterious alchemist figure who appears at different points in time and space.

The design language is a combination of Egyptian oblique, futuristic and alien, with the surface of the installation created from black Corian, because of its amazing finish and the appearance that it is made from just one block, says Waldemeyer.

He adds, ‘The design is playing with the idea that the jewellery is valuable, protected by lasers, which when you touch, all hell breaks lose.’

Another element of the project is an augmented reality installation that allows visitors to try on a selection of Martin’s rings. By slipping on a ring of paper with a triangle shape printed on top, visitors can model Martin’s designs as the augmented reality technology, created by augmented reality company Holition, tracks the shape, deletes it from the image on screen and replaced it with a gleaming ring.

Holition chief executive Jonathan Chippendale says, ‘With the best examples of [augmented reality] you don’t notice the technology you just have a good customer experience.’

This experience will also be available to those who can’t make the DSM exhibition, via Martin’s site www.hannahmartinlondon.com.

The installation will be open from 18 March at Dover Street Market, 17-18 Dover Street, London W1L.