The Dutch Design Week 2025 was the chosen stage for Dutch designer Pauline van Dongen to present the Umbra Pavilion, an installation that redefines the link between architecture, solar energy, and sustainability.
More than an artistic work, the pavilion is a tangible demonstration of how solar fabrics can be integrated into urban spaces to generate electricity without compromising aesthetics or functionality.
Heliotex: a flexible, lightweight, and recycled solar skin
The structure is composed of a 40 m² canopy made with Heliotex, a flexible solar textile that incorporates 150 organic solar cells between recycled polyester threads. This surface allows for solar energy capture with a storage capacity of up to 3,000 watts, all with a design that is lightweight, light-permeable, and visually striking.
The revolutionary aspect is not just the technology, but its architectural application: facades, movable roofs, temporary structures, and urban textiles can become energy-generating surfaces.
Distributed solar energy and adaptable architecture
Unlike conventional solar panels, Heliotex does not require rigid structures or invasive interventions. Its current efficiency of 53 W/m² may seem modest compared to silicon, but it targets spaces where nothing would be installed. Recent research in Denmark has doubled this figure in experimental trials, demonstrating a real potential for improvement.
This approach allows for energy rehabilitation of old buildings, reducing fossil fuel use in massive events, and designing urban furniture with energy autonomy, such as canopies, charging stations, or smart awnings.
Responsible design: aesthetics, durability, and environmental respect
The solar fabric has been developed with a comprehensive sustainability approach:
- UV protection and weather resistance
- Fire retardant
- Free of PVC and toxic materials
It is not enough to generate energy: it must be done in a responsible and durable way, without mortgaging the future with harmful waste.
From fashion to architecture: a natural evolution
Van Dongen began exploring solar textiles in garments like her Solar Shirt, capable of charging mobile devices with sunlight. Today, that philosophy scales to urban design, integrating energy into structures that can be seen, touched, and experienced.
The Umbra Pavilion turns solar collection into a sensory experience, making the use of clean energy visible in public squares, festivals, outdoor markets, and temporary shelters.
Urban applications and collective awareness
- Energy rehabilitation without structural works
- Ephemeral architecture with a positive environmental impact
- Self-sufficient urban furniture
- Visual and participatory environmental education
Cities that generate: the future of urban energy
The use of solar textiles like Heliotex proposes a new way of thinking about energy: distributed, accessible, visible, and adapted to everyday life. In a context of urgent decarbonization, this technology offers real solutions to move towards cities that not only consume but also contribute.
The Umbra Pavilion is not just an installation: it is a manifesto of regenerative design, where every square meter counts to build a cleaner, more creative future connected to the environment.
