Dutch solar designer Marjan van Aubel’s stunning installation at at Miami’s Institute of Contemporary Art last month captured the essence of Lexus’ electric car ambition based on the next-generation LF-ZC concept
Continuing with its five-year-long association with Miami Art & Design Week, luxury car brand Lexus showcased an installation by Dutch solar designer Marjan van Aubel called 8 Minutes and 20 Seconds at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami), which provided a window into its all-electric future.
The installation marks the second year of Lexus’s partnership with ICA Miami. Named after the duration it takes for light from the sun to reach Earth, and created by the Amsterdam-based van Hubel, 8 Minutes and 20 Seconds was inspired by the new and advanced LF-ZC Lexus Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) concept car that was showcased at the inaugural Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo in October 2023. The LF-ZC stands for Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst, which aims to achieve more versatile vehicle packaging by minimising core components.
Van Aubel has earned global recognition for bringing solar energy into everyday life through aesthetically pleasing solutions. As a passionate advocate for sustainability within the art and design sector, her practice and research have yielded award-winning furniture and lighting design, along with striking public installations. She is also a co-founder of the world’s first Solar Biennale, and her noteworthy works are displayed in esteemed institutions such as the MoMA in New York, the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
8 Minutes and 20 Seconds was jointly realised with spatial experience design studio Random Studio. The interactive installation has elevated Lexus and van Aubel’s investment in pushing the boundaries of design and technology toward a carbon-neutral future.
Besides its striking aesthetics, the installation signified the huge potential of harnessing carbon-neutral energy and represented a sculptural interpretation of Lexus’s groundbreaking new-generation electric vehicle technology, which is currently in the development stage.
The highlight of the exhibition was Aubel’s exceptional use of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells commonly employed in solar power applications. Through the lens of van Aubel’s solar design proficiency, this installation not only paid tribute to the journey of the light from the sun but also showcased the originality of Lexus’s environmentally conscious new- age technology that will power the new generation of electrical vehicles.
The installation was positioned in the ICA’s outdoor sculpture garden where the OPV cells harnessed the energy of the sun to power the installation’s audience interactivity. Motion sensors triggered reactions to an approaching viewer in multiple ways – ripples of light moving in the same direction as the viewer’s movement and erupting into a brighter display periodically.
Lexus is committed to becoming an electric brand by 2035, a transition that will involve fundamentally reassessing the vehicle architecture through a new modular structure, implementing cutting-edge production technology, and fully integrating a comprehensive new software platform.
The first of the cars in the LF-ZC- powered next-generation Lexus BEV lineup is due for market launch in 2026. As the name suggests, the model forms the catalyst for new experiences in the electric age, including elevated driving dynamics and uncompromised design. The aim is for better driving performance, with LF-ZC delivering engaging and exhilarating dynamics where driver and car become one, aided by new technologies like seamless drive force control by the all-wheel drive DIRECT4 system and the natural, linear steering feel provided by Steer-by-Wire.
The vehicle’s digitalised Intelligent Cockpit will feature situation-based functionality where customers can access the features, when they need them, making it a control interface that enhances an immersive driving experience. The integration of the new software platform ‘Arene OS’ interface will allow continuous updates of functions in line with the evolving times, including advanced safety technology and multimedia features.
The car will also adjust fundamental performance characteristics, such as acceleration and handling, to driver preferences through software-enabled hardware, resulting in personalisation at every level. Utilising advanced AI technology, the next-generation voice recognition system will provide customers with a service experience reminiscent of conversing with an attentive and accommodating butler, thanks to its swift response to voice commands and perceptive suggestions. Going beyond the conventional navigation features, the car will provide route and mode recommendations that will align with the driver’s preferences by considering their daily activity patterns and mood.
The Bamboo CMF (Color, Material, Finish) concept used throughout the interior as was seen in the concept car represents Lexus’s sustainability effort that focuses on circular resource use while delivering fresh experiential value to customers through innovative design. In this way, Lexus is exploring new possibilities for traditional materials through technology, combining the dual principles of environmental and social sustainability, and luxurious design.
All in all, van Aubel’s installation captured the future of the Lexus in a way that only art can.
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