Marjan van Aubel
Marjan van Aubel is an award-winning solar designer whose innovative practice spans the fields of sustainability, design and technology. In collaboration with scientists, engineers and institutions such as Swarovski and the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN.TNO), Van Aubel works to promote extreme energy efficiency through intelligent design. From working with expandable materials, to domestically integrating solar cells that mimic the process of photosynthesis in plants, she adds a double function to objects and puts them to work: a table is not just a table, but also a producer of electricity. Through her practice, she strives to redefine our current relationship with solar technology and accelerate its transition to ubiquity.
Pauline van Dongen
Pauline van Dongen is a Dutch fashion designer specialising in wearable technology. As a creator intrigued by the notion of interactivity in fashion, she researches the human body in relation to its surroundings. She is fascinated by concepts of change, movement, energy and perception, as she believes the future of fashion lies in its ability to be dynamic and change. To Van Dongen, technology is not a mere tool, but also an aesthetic matter. In her work, there’s a strong focus on materiality and its ability to enhance expression. The fact that we can now programme material pixel by pixel allows us to design new types of behaviour and create materials that can actively play on the body. The language and expression of the body give form to the garment. This establishes an intimate and personal connection with the wearer.
Anastasia Kubrak
Anastasia Kubrak works in the Research Department at Het Nieuwe Instituut and teaches on the MA Social Design course at Design Academy Eindhoven. Her research revolves around the socio-political and environmental implications of emerging technologies, and her work has been published and exhibited by platforms including ARCH+, Valiz, Van Abbemuseum and Bureau Europa. She co-curated the Lithium exhibition at Het Nieuwe Instituut, which examines the role of the element in powering today’s economy.