Solar panels have come a long way from their big and bulky designs, but many people still don’t like the way they look on their roofs or façades. While it is possible to hide solar cells in glass or roof tiles, Studio Solarix, founded by architect Marloes van Heteren and artist Reinier Bosch, decided that solar panels needed a design overhaul. They developed energy generating design solar panels, which are customisable in colour and texture!

The Solarix panel was inspired by photosynthesis in nature, in which the skin of plants is the main energy source. By covering the façade of a building with the panels, you both create a nice looking façade, as well as a green and local energy source for the building.

The panels are made from a Cradle-2-Cradle composite with an integrated glass panel with solar cells. The panel is completely customisable in colour and texture, but also in size, giving architects much more design freedom.

The panels are generate about as much energy as conventional solar cells. They are installed slightly angled to make them more efficient. It also gives the façade a somewhat playful look.

To give the solar panels an extra dimension, LED strips can be integrated into them. The LEDs turn the generated energy into light, so that the façade can communicate with its surroundings.

Photos: Marielle van Uitert