Marjan van Aubel  is a solar designer whose practice blends scientific research and sensual futuribility that spans the fields of design, technology and sustainability. With her work she aims to create a mentality change by redefining solar technology. From expanding materials to colours that harvest electricity, she adds double functions to objects and put them to work. A table is not only a table anymore but also is able to generate electricity.

She is a graduate of the Royal College of Art Design Products (MA) and the Rietveld Academy (BA) DesignLAB. Van Aubel has collaborated with scientists and manufacturers including Swarovksi and the Dutch Energy centre ECN. She is the founder of Caventou that naturally integrates solar technology into every day life.

Her work has been exhibited at world-class institutions such the Victoria and Albert Museum,  Stedelijk Museum, Boijmans van Beuningen Museum and the Design Museum in London, where she has been nominated for the Design of the Year Awards twice; in 2013 and 2015. Her work is part of the permanent collection of the Vitra Design Museum, The Montreal Museum of Art, National Gallery of Victoria in Australia and MoMA New York.

In 2017 she received the Designer of the Future award by Swarovski and Design Miami. In 2016 she won the WIRED Innovation award, a Wallpaper Design Award and was chosen to be the Radicale Vernieuwer (Radical Pioneer) Netherlands.
She received the Swarovski Emerging Talent medal in 2015 and the First Prize  Dutch DOEN/Materiaalprijs in 2012. She was shortlisted for the Arts Foundation  Material Innovation Award in 2014 and is considered by the Design Council as  a one to watch; one of 70 designers representing the future of British Design.