Like an unfolding crystal or blossom this lamp, first, lowers and spreads out its four leaves, and then, each of the four leaves itself rotates its cover sheet, an outer shell, counter-clockwise to reach its maximum volume.
This was the most complex sculptural project that I ever did so far, and it is -still- in prototyping phase, (right now in its 8th version). I had to constantly rethink and to adapt the first hand drawings according to later feasibility, and this at every stage of developement. Even then unexpected production constraints demanded constant review.
These constraints sometimes only became clear when the functional parts where actually tested in reality, hence the large number of prototypes so far.
Also the moving parts gave non anticipated problems since the volumes move into all unexpected directions, sometimes hitting its neigbour. These elegant translational movements are made possible by carefully planned four-bar joints that are actuated by a total of eight servo motors inside the lamp. The latter are controlled by an ARDUINO UNO (so far including the developper platform) and a PCA9685 servo controller that is fed on an independant 5V courant with sufficient amps for the high torque servo motors. Solving out the torque that each motor had to perform was not easy, regarding the huge cantilever if fully extended. Also when the courant is switched off, the lamp has not to fall open, this has been solved with 4 counter-weights.
The lamp has a total height of 74cm. In its closed state it measures 40x40cm, but totally unfolded it triples its width.