Th K van Lohuizenlaan 202
1095DW Amsterdam
Sun Catcher is a site-specific installation presented at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi that breathes new life into the historic site’s long-dormant fountain. This installation’s radiating arch is designed to catch the sun’s light. As one approaches, the form is reflected in the water below, completing the circle, creating an illusion of the sun. Amsterdam-based design studio Rive Roshan collaborated with SOL R&D — a startup specialised in aesthetic photovoltaics to harness the innovative material’s selective light reflection, playing with colour-shifting layers that delight the eye while also generating solar energy. The energy harvested during the day is stored in a battery and used to subtly light the installation after dark.
The poetic installation transformed the location into a mesmerising site for visitors to appreciate the ever-changing nature of the outdoor sculpture. Its colours and light dynamics shift captivatingly depending on the viewer’s perspective and the position of the sun, all the while reflecting and drawing attention to the tranquil natural surroundings of the villa. Each evening from 8:00 PM, the ‘Sun Catcher’ activates, casting a radiant glow and evoking a luminous sun against the night sky.
According to the owner of the villa, the site’s fountain has remained without water since the 1940s, making this installation a particularly significant moment for the location’s landscape and heritage.
The material composition of the Sun Catcher panel is visually mesmerising and technically innovative, integrating solar cells invisibly into transparent and reflective glass that shifts in colour. It reimagines a future where architectural façades and artistic installations alike can be of the highest artistic expression whilst capturing energy.
SOL R&D firmly believes in the untapped potential of everyday surfaces to generate electricity without compromising on aesthetic appeal. Their collaboration with Rive Roshan, showcased at a pivotal moment in global design culture, underscores this ambitious vision.
Location: Villa Bagatti Valsecchi - Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 48, 20814 Varedo MB, Italy
During the day the solar cells collect energy that is stored in a hidden battery. After sunset, the collected energy powers a strong light, illuminating the Sun Catcher and revealing the vibrant colours in the nightly landscape of the villa's estate.
Sun Catcher is a site-specific installation presented at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi that breathes new life into the historic site’s long-dormant fountain. This installation’s radiating arch is designed to catch the sun’s light. As one approaches, the form is reflected in the water below, completing the circle, creating an illusion of the sun. Amsterdam-based design studio Rive Roshan collaborated with SOL R&D — a startup specialised in aesthetic photovoltaics to harness the innovative material’s selective light reflection, playing with colour-shifting layers that delight the eye while also generating solar energy. The energy harvested during the day is stored in a battery and used to subtly light the installation after dark.
The poetic installation transformed the location into a mesmerising site for visitors to appreciate the ever-changing nature of the outdoor sculpture. Its colours and light dynamics shift captivatingly depending on the viewer’s perspective and the position of the sun, all the while reflecting and drawing attention to the tranquil natural surroundings of the villa. Each evening from 8:00 PM, the ‘Sun Catcher’ activates, casting a radiant glow and evoking a luminous sun against the night sky.
According to the owner of the villa, the site’s fountain has remained without water since the 1940s, making this installation a particularly significant moment for the location’s landscape and heritage.
The material composition of the Sun Catcher panel is visually mesmerising and technically innovative, integrating solar cells invisibly into transparent and reflective glass that shifts in colour. It reimagines a future where architectural façades and artistic installations alike can be of the highest artistic expression whilst capturing energy.
SOL R&D firmly believes in the untapped potential of everyday surfaces to generate electricity without compromising on aesthetic appeal. Their collaboration with Rive Roshan, showcased at a pivotal moment in global design culture, underscores this ambitious vision.
Location: Villa Bagatti Valsecchi - Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 48, 20814 Varedo MB, Italy
Sun Catcher is a site-specific installation presented at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi that breathes new life into the historic site’s long-dormant fountain. This installation’s radiating arch is designed to catch the sun’s light. As one approaches, the form is reflected in the water below, completing the circle, creating an illusion of the sun. Amsterdam-based design studio Rive Roshan collaborated with SOL R&D — a startup specialised in aesthetic photovoltaics to harness the innovative material’s selective light reflection, playing with colour-shifting layers that delight the eye while also generating solar energy. The energy harvested during the day is stored in a battery and used to subtly light the installation after dark.
The poetic installation transformed the location into a mesmerising site for visitors to appreciate the ever-changing nature of the outdoor sculpture. Its colours and light dynamics shift captivatingly depending on the viewer’s perspective and the position of the sun, all the while reflecting and drawing attention to the tranquil natural surroundings of the villa. Each evening from 8:00 PM, the ‘Sun Catcher’ activates, casting a radiant glow and evoking a luminous sun against the night sky.
According to the owner of the villa, the site’s fountain has remained without water since the 1940s, making this installation a particularly significant moment for the location’s landscape and heritage.
The material composition of the Sun Catcher panel is visually mesmerising and technically innovative, integrating solar cells invisibly into transparent and reflective glass that shifts in colour. It reimagines a future where architectural façades and artistic installations alike can be of the highest artistic expression whilst capturing energy.
SOL R&D firmly believes in the untapped potential of everyday surfaces to generate electricity without compromising on aesthetic appeal. Their collaboration with Rive Roshan, showcased at a pivotal moment in global design culture, underscores this ambitious vision.
Location: Villa Bagatti Valsecchi - Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 48, 20814 Varedo MB, Italy
Sun Catcher is a site-specific installation presented at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi that breathes new life into the historic site’s long-dormant fountain. This installation’s radiating arch is designed to catch the sun’s light. As one approaches, the form is reflected in the water below, completing the circle, creating an illusion of the sun. Amsterdam-based design studio Rive Roshan collaborated with SOL R&D — a startup specialised in aesthetic photovoltaics to harness the innovative material’s selective light reflection, playing with colour-shifting layers that delight the eye while also generating solar energy. The energy harvested during the day is stored in a battery and used to subtly light the installation after dark.
The poetic installation transformed the location into a mesmerising site for visitors to appreciate the ever-changing nature of the outdoor sculpture. Its colours and light dynamics shift captivatingly depending on the viewer’s perspective and the position of the sun, all the while reflecting and drawing attention to the tranquil natural surroundings of the villa. Each evening from 8:00 PM, the ‘Sun Catcher’ activates, casting a radiant glow and evoking a luminous sun against the night sky.
According to the owner of the villa, the site’s fountain has remained without water since the 1940s, making this installation a particularly significant moment for the location’s landscape and heritage.
The material composition of the Sun Catcher panel is visually mesmerising and technically innovative, integrating solar cells invisibly into transparent and reflective glass that shifts in colour. It reimagines a future where architectural façades and artistic installations alike can be of the highest artistic expression whilst capturing energy.
SOL R&D firmly believes in the untapped potential of everyday surfaces to generate electricity without compromising on aesthetic appeal. Their collaboration with Rive Roshan, showcased at a pivotal moment in global design culture, underscores this ambitious vision.
Location: Villa Bagatti Valsecchi - Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 48, 20814 Varedo MB, Italy
Sun Catcher is a site-specific installation presented at Villa Bagatti Valsecchi that breathes new life into the historic site’s long-dormant fountain. This installation’s radiating arch is designed to catch the sun’s light. As one approaches, the form is reflected in the water below, completing the circle, creating an illusion of the sun. Amsterdam-based design studio Rive Roshan collaborated with SOL R&D — a startup specialised in aesthetic photovoltaics to harness the innovative material’s selective light reflection, playing with colour-shifting layers that delight the eye while also generating solar energy. The energy harvested during the day is stored in a battery and used to subtly light the installation after dark.
The poetic installation transformed the location into a mesmerising site for visitors to appreciate the ever-changing nature of the outdoor sculpture. Its colours and light dynamics shift captivatingly depending on the viewer’s perspective and the position of the sun, all the while reflecting and drawing attention to the tranquil natural surroundings of the villa. Each evening from 8:00 PM, the ‘Sun Catcher’ activates, casting a radiant glow and evoking a luminous sun against the night sky.
According to the owner of the villa, the site’s fountain has remained without water since the 1940s, making this installation a particularly significant moment for the location’s landscape and heritage.
The material composition of the Sun Catcher panel is visually mesmerising and technically innovative, integrating solar cells invisibly into transparent and reflective glass that shifts in colour. It reimagines a future where architectural façades and artistic installations alike can be of the highest artistic expression whilst capturing energy.
SOL R&D firmly believes in the untapped potential of everyday surfaces to generate electricity without compromising on aesthetic appeal. Their collaboration with Rive Roshan, showcased at a pivotal moment in global design culture, underscores this ambitious vision.
Location: Villa Bagatti Valsecchi - Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 48, 20814 Varedo MB, Italy