When searching for ‘solar design’, one often encounters technically inclined photovoltaic systems. However, Marjan van Aubel sees herself as an ambassador for solar energy that subtly shapes our daily lives. We spoke with the Dutch designer about a growing movement, the role of beauty, and the second edition of the Solar Biennale she initiated.
by Markus Hieke
Designing Tomorrow – a series of interviews with the minds shaping our future. Leading designers and experts in research, development and innovation give an insight into their work and thinking. They share their views, doubts, ideas and visions. Tackling topics such as innovation, responsibility, circular economy and artificial intelligence – and how these developments are redefining their profession.
Just over two years ago, you and fashion designer Pauline van Dongen organised the world’s first Solar Biennale, which took place in Rotterdam and Eindhoven. What motivated you to launch this festival?
Our motivation was to truly advance the solar energy sector, particularly the narrative surrounding it. Whenever I tell people that I work with solar energy, they immediately think of blue panels and technical approaches. In fact, there are many different ways to work with solar energy and lots of people experimenting with solar technology. However, there wasn’t a place where they could share their knowledge. The event was intended to bring together scientists, architects, designers, artists, and policymakers to convey a new perspective on and the potential of solar technology.
The second Solar Biennale is currently taking place in Lausanne. It was conceived there in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts (mudac). What made you decide to move on?
Well, the idea of the Solar Biennale is that each edition takes place in a different region because the sun behaves differently across the globe.
Although Switzerland isn’t even that far from the Netherlands, you can already notice differences there. So, if we eventually go to Ghana, India, or Canada, you’ll encounter different approaches and questions arising from all the local engagements with the sun. Let’s say: In Ghana, there’s a lot of sun and heat, so design might be more about creating shade to cool certain areas. In the Netherlands, where the sun shines much less, we have to work differently. So, what appears to be a global issue is, in reality, addressed very locally.
‘We wouldn’t need nuclear energy at all if we were smart enough to harness solar energy efficiently.’
– Marjan van Aubel
The second Solar Biennale is taking place at the mudac in Lausanne until 21 September 2025. The curatorial work has been taken on by Scott Longfellow and Rafaël Santianez | Photos: Cynthia Ammann
You’ve also coined the term ‘Solar Movement’. Are you surprised that this movement has grown so rapidly over the past two years?
Absolutely! The fact that this second Solar Biennale is taking place in Switzerland was only possible with the support of this movement. There was an entire community we knew nothing about that joined forces with our Dutch network. It’s great to see how our manifesto – the principles of the Biennale, written by Pauline, me, and our team – has now been handed over to and interpreted by a Swiss curatorial team consisting of Scott Longfellow and Rafaël Santianez.
One of the themes of this year’s Solar Biennale is heliotropism. What does that mean, and how is it represented at the Biennale?
Literally, it means following the sun. For example, you can observe sunflowers turning their heads because they follow the light. In the exhibition, it’s about people following the sun, for instance, on holiday. Here, we can see a change: In the past, people from Northern Europe would travel all the way south because there was more sun there than in Germany or the Netherlands. Today, that’s partly changing because, in recent years, some previously popular regions have had too much sun. Countries like Greece, Italy, and Spain have become too hot for many in the summer. This part of the Biennale can be seen as a contribution to a more critical approach to tourism.
The Ra is a luminous tapestry that generates its own energy using organic, translucent photovoltaic modules | Photo: Pim Top
As more and more cities are experiencing so-called heat islands due to climate change, can you imagine that the sun might also become something we perceive as a threat?
If we just had enough trees in our cities and stopped sealing surfaces with concrete, they probably wouldn’t be so overheated. Studies have shown that streets with many trees can be significantly cooler than streets without trees.
Green buildings, greener cities: Do these also fall under what you consider solar design?
They do. I think if we were to hold the Solar Biennale on another continent, we could agree that they are part of solar design. That’s precisely why we initiated the Solar Biennale: it encompasses so many different disciplines.
Electricity generation is the main discipline. How frustrating is it for you to follow recent political discussions that are increasingly advocating for nuclear energy again?
We wouldn’t need nuclear energy at all if we were smart enough to harness solar energy efficiently. In fact, the power of the sun would be more than sufficient, and it can be harnessed in a very decentralised way. Building nuclear power plants, on the other hand, requires so much time, energy, and safety measures. The point is also: The more electricity we generate, the more we consume. Look at how much energy AI consumes. It’s crazy. What we need is a complete change of mindset.
Marjan van Aubel exchanges ideas with designers and researchers from around the globe. As well as working as an ‘ambassador’ for solar design, she collaborates with international brands such as Lexus, COS and Timberland | Photo: Steve Benitsy
In your book ‘Solar Futures’, you showcase some promising projects. Many of the examples presented appeal not only to solar geeks. What does it take to reach a broader audience?
I think you need some flagship projects that showcase things differently, for example, with a certain degree of beauty.
You’ve received a lot of attention for Sunne, a pendant lamp installed in the window that generates its own electricity during the day. That’s certainly just a small step towards energy independence. Would you still see a key role in it to promote the acceptance of solar technology?
Yes, absolutely. I think the aspect of beauty is very important here. People are drawn to it, and it also affects their mood. We’re not going to change things just with numbers and perfectly engineered products. We need to feel connected to it, and beauty connects people. Just take sunsets: people come to the beach to experience that magical moment together.
And you’ve kind of captured that moment in Sunne.
Yes. Sunne may be just a small step, but at the same time, it helps people understand: solar energy is easily accessible to everyone.
Another example of an even more emotional approach to the sun’s energy was the installation ‘The Sun, My Heart’, which you designed for the London Design Festival at Somerset House. What did visitors experience there?
As they entered the room, they saw an arrangement of 77 hanging Sunne lamps. Standing directly in front of them, they could touch a sensor with their hand to be connected to a computer that generated a very personal solar cycle with sunrise and sunset within 8.20 minutes – the time it takes sunlight to reach Earth. NASA’s recordings of the sun were played as sound. It was emotionally very moving.
Where does your passion for solar design come from?
It has a lot to do with my curiosity and the drive for change. We really need an energy transition because the world is not in a good state. Instead of looking at solar energy from a very technical perspective, I am focussing on steering this very important topic in a more understandable, more human direction. We often take sunlight for granted, yet it’s the source of our life. My work with the sun is essentially a celebration of life.
Marjan van Aubel has coined the term ‘solar design’ with her studio, a design discipline that deals with the creative use of classic, coloured, and translucent solar modules. In 2022, she initiated the first Solar Biennale. In the same year, she developed a multicoloured, translucent solar roof for the Dutch Pavilion at Expo Dubai, which filtered light to stimulate photosynthesis in the food plants cultivated beneath it. Van Aubel collaborates with international brands like Lexus, COS, and Timberland. Her works are found in the permanent collections of MoMA New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Recently, the Centre Pompidou in Paris acquired a large version of her solar-powered illuminated tapestry, Ra.
About the Author
Markus Hieke is a freelance journalist and author specialising in interior/product design and architecture. With a background in communication design, he started writing in 2013 and has since established himself in renowned German and international trade and consumer media. His mission is to make design accessible to a broad audience through portraits, interviews and background reports on protagonists and topics ranging from craftsmanship to circularity, even when they are out of the limelight.
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