With such grand-scale projects as last year’s Solar Biennale and the widely celebrated Sunne lamp, designer Marjan van Aubel has taken the industry by storm. The polymath has worked tirelessly to push solar energy generation in new directions with her own work while also surveying the potential of its expanded application. It comes as no surprise that when Japanese luxury car manufacturer Lexus tapped the Dutch talent to develop its Miami Art & Design Week 2023 installation (on view last December), she chose to develop a display not only inspired – but also powered – by this ever-evolving technology. The project wins Best Solar Roller in the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024.
8 Minutes and 20 Seconds, Marjan van Aubel's installation with Lexus in Miami, where it was on view in December 2023
Named for the time it takes sun rays to reach Earth, 8 Minutes and 20 Seconds comprises a visually informative representation of the company’s zero-emission Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst (LF-ZC) concept car – a version of which is set to hit the market in 2026. Ten translucent scrims line up to mark out the to-scale contour of the sculptural, performance-forward vehicle.
‘When speaking to Lexus’ colour and sensory designer Viviana Hohenstein about how she imagined it would be like to sit inside the vehicle, she described there being a lot of glass and the driver being positioned a bit lower, like in a sports car,’ says van Aubel. ‘I thought about creating something life-size that would be an illusion; a 2D representation of a 3D car sliced into many parts.’
During the day, the installation takes on graphical qualities while becoming more performative as dusk falls. Third-generation OPV (Organic Photovoltaic) solar cells, embedded in the front and rear, bring in ample amounts of energy to power a fully immersive showcase at night. Various lights enliven the ‘cross section’ sheets as visitors activate different sensors.
Night view of 8 Minutes and 20 seconds
Below, an outline of the LF-ZC’s thin, full chassis EV battery illuminates through different intervals. If that weren’t enough, the ephemeral experience is topped off by a sound installation; an ambient melody accentuated with birdsong and bamboo notes. The car’s interior is set to be outfitted with precision-engineered material almost purely derived from the regenerative wood.
Marjan van Aubel with her installation
The designer worked closely with Amsterdam-based spatial and experience design firm Random Studio to realise her concept. While the road version of this vehicle will not necessarily run on integrated solar cell technology directly, van Aubel is hopeful that operating entirely self-powered cars will soon become a possibility. ‘What’s great about this installation is that it shows how solar technology can also be attractive and applied to an aesthetically pleasing form, a high-concept Lexus car for example,’ says van Aubel.
MarjanvanAubel.com, Lexus.com, Lexus.co.uk, Random.Studio
A version of this article appears in the February 2024 issue of Wallpaper* – dedicated to the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024 – available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
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