SUNSEEKER

VANTOT introduces a design for a solar powered sustainable and interactive (street) light-installation called SUNSEEKER. Designed for the brand new Victoriapark in the city center of Eindhoven.

SUNSEEKER
2020

COLLABORATION with
Municipality of Eindhoven

SUPPORTED by
Brabant geeft Energie, Provincie Brabant
What if Labs, Dutch Design Foundation
Eindhoven Design District, Dutch Design Foundation
MIT, MKB innovatie stimulering
Spoorzone, Gemeente Eindhoven

> Winner Design Intelligence Award
> Winner Hans de Jonge start up Award

Woman carrying a Sunseeker on her back in front of a beautiful sky with fluffy clouds.

Sunseeker is a mobile and modular solar-light chain developed by Studio VANTOT. Its human-centered design promotes playfulness and participation in urban landscapes, and encourages local curiosity towards sustainable energy resources.

The smart solar harvesting modules of SUNSEEKER are equipped with light sensors that inform each individual light fixture to spin on its axis, or move along the light chain to find the sunniest spots. This allows the fixture to escape the shadows of the urban landscape and optimizes solar harvesting. Much like sunflowers spinning to catch the sun rays, or people chasing glimpses of the moving sun between high-rises, the choreography of the lights adds an exciting and sentimental element to our usually detached city settings. Once the sun sets, SUNSEEKER becomes an illuminating pathway, as it uses captured solar energy to light up the night.

Illuminated Sunseeker black and white Render where its suspended between to steel cables.

Sunseeker black and white Render where its suspended between to steel cables, portraying its ability to rotate.

The Sunseeker is a smart solar powered light that encourage sustainable energy in an urban environment. The sunseeker is equipped with light sensors that inform the light fixture of where the light is so it can spin on its axis to find the sunniest spot and avoid shadows.

Assembly process of mounting the main PCB within the heatsink housing of a Sunseeker.

Close up of mounting a Sunseeker on its steel cable.

SEEKING LESS WASTE

SUNSEEKER is built with a modular design principle, meaning each separate part is replaceable and mendable. This makes the fixtures environmentally and financially more friendly as only the broken pieces will have to be discarded, instead of the whole light, contributing to much less material waste and costing much less. The chain of lights are easily integrated into any urban setting, as they can be adjusted in length to fit the unique spatial dimensions required of each urban setting. The lights are also light-weight and easy to transport and install, making them low maintenance and effort.

SEEKING SOLAR SUSTAINABILITY

The SUNSEEKER promotes a shift towards sustainable energy on a city infrastructural and individual human level. The light installation provides an option for urban environments to invest in renewable energy while encouraging civilians’ curiosity and support through its innovative and interactive design. Equipped with very light and flexible solar panels, the fixtures not only collect and store energy for use later in the day, but are also easily transported and installed. Their high-tech sensors also collect valuable data about how to optimize energy harvesting, allowing for better and smarter city planning decisions when installing future solar lighting.

SEEKING LOCAL NETWORKS

Informed by close conversations with residents of Eindhoven, and built by local craftsmen and talent, even the design and production process of SUNSEEKER is embedded in the regional networks of Eindhoven city. This adds a collaborative and social layer to the SUNSEEKER project’s merit, and aligns it with Studio VANTOT’s vision of a better urban future.

SEEKING BETTER URBAN ENVIROMENTS

SUNSEEKER’s interactive and aesthetic design aims to promote a sense of curiosity and connection for the urban population. By encouraging a more dynamic and environmentally responsible experience of the city, SUNSEEKER harbors more sentimental attachment for locals, and creates a more meaningful sense of belonging. This is crucial for building communities and encouraging care towards local surroundings.

DESIGNING IN A 3D SIMULATED WORLD

We devised and developed a new digital design tool together with digital expert Roel Deden to better envision how the design of SUNSEEKER could exist in reality. We created a hypothetical park environment to test out the dimensions and aesthetics of SUNSEEKER in our own 3D world. This allowed us to bring the project to life, and made it tangible at a conveniently early stage in the design process. With the VR technology, we now have an important new design tool with which we can simulate and adjust our design in the real world, on our own time.