Blending tech and art

OVER the course of his career, Marc Sadler has received numerous letters and photos from strangers in hospital beds, thanking him for saving their lives. It's odd since the Frenchman is not a doctor, but an industrial designer.

"They thank me for designing the motorcycle back protector that saved their lives," he explains. "I never thought I would be saving lives when I became a designer. That thought is so beautiful, much more than the shape of a lamp or a chair that I designed." His life-saving back protector for Dainese, the market leader for motorcycle apparel and accessories, is now in the permanent collection at New York's Museum of Modern Art.

He was in town recently to show his pieces for Italian lighting brand, Foscarini, such as the Twiggy and Tress lamps. Even though he has added lights and furniture into his repertoire, Sadler,…