Solar Salon for Ornamenta 2024
client Ornamenta 2024
year 2024
exhibition Solartal, an exhibition on Tanning, Shades and Spirits at Reuchlinhaus Pforzheim
solar salon in collaboration with La Biosthétique
Nestled in the radiant courtyard of the Reuchlinhaus, Solar Salon is an outdoor space that forms part of the Solartal, exhibition during Ornamenta 2024, set in the northern Black Forest. Designed by Belén in collaboration with high-end cosmetics brand La Biosthétique, Solar Salon reimagines our relationship with the sun, balancing the benefits and risks of sun exposure in a thoughtful and sustainable way.
At the heart of the installation is a tailor-made shadecloth crafted from bio-textiles developed by Belén, a sustainable textile that serves as a UV filter while allowing sunlight to animate the space. The textile’s pattern, created from cutouts of hands, produces a shimmering effect on the stone floor, casting dappled shadows that shift throughout the day. This dynamic canopy provides visitors with a physical refuge from harmful UV rays while encouraging them to embrace the vitality of the sun. This project forms part of Belén's research project SUN+, which is a research project into sun protection.
Photos by Sander van Wettum
Solar Salon invites visitors to explore sun care products, experience open-air skincare treatments, and discover alternative wearables designed for sunny days. The project represents a celebration of design, functionality, and sustainability, highlighting the potential of thoughtful sun-centred living.
The Reuchlinhaus courtyard, with its modernist cubical layout and use of glass, aluminum, and Maulbronner stone, serves as the perfect stage for this installation. The shadecloth stretches between the corners of the courtyard, mirroring the building’s geometric forms while softening them with fluid, natural ornamentation. The tables beneath the canopy show the colourful beauty of the raw oxidised Maulbronner stone, the same oxides used to dye the bio-textiles of the shade cloth, merging local identity with contemporary design.
Lecture by Lenneke Langenhuijsen in Ditib Fatih Moschee Pforzheim
As sunlight and wind interact with the shade cloth, Solar Salon becomes a dynamic environment. It transforms into a lovely space to connect in spirit, with the play of light and shadow creating a moving pattern of hands. This liveliness fosters shared experiences under the sun, turning the salon into a reflective space where people come together to celebrate beauty, care, and the natural cycles of life.
Photo by Sander van Wettum
Solar Salon represents a shift from a self-centred to a sun-centred perspective. By blending the science of sun care with innovative materials and design, Belén and La Biosthétique have created a harmonious space that embodies sustainability and personal well being. Set against the backdrop of the Black Forest’s rich natural and architectural context, Solar Salon offers a vision of living thoughtfully with and under the sun.
concept, design:
Belén
interns:
Clémence Joly
Lotte Roelandse
Maja bay Overgaard
client:
Ornamenta 2024
in collaboration with:La Biosthétique
curators of Ornamenta:
Katharina Wahl
Willem Schenk
Jules van den Langenberg
installation by:
Albert Fritz GmbH
production partner:
Showtex
photography:
Sander van Wettum
Belén