Award-winning inventor and solar designer Marjan van Aubel (1985) focuses on sustainability, design and technology. She was ambassador of the Dutch Design Week 2022 and designed the roof of the Dutch pavilion at the World Expo 2000.
Another award-winning design is Sunne, a self-powered solar light that captures, stores and produces light indoors. By day, it harvests energy from the sun while it hangs by your window; by night, it brings sunlight into your home. Her book Solar futures was published in 2022, it gives a look at the past, present and future of solar energy.
Marjan wants to democratize solar power by making it more accessible and attractive to everyone; through her designs, solar energy is integrated into everyday life. Marjan strives to redefine our current relationship with solar energy. She gives objects a dual function by, for example, working with extendable materials or by integrating solar panels that mimic the process of photosynthesis in plants (power plant); for example, the Current table is not only a table but also generates electricity.
In collaboration with scientists, engineers and institutions such as Swarovski and ECN, the Dutch Energy Centre, van Aubel works to promote extreme energy efficiency through intelligent design.
Marjan talks about innovation and the role of design in the implementation of sustainable technologies.
Photo Credits: Sander Plug
