Newbury Park, California, USA
“Chris Bangle meets Buckminster Fuller,” states architecture critic Christian Narkiewicz-Laine.
The future of camping may be a waterproof soft-shell camper trailer, a veritable tent on wheels.
Outdoor icon The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, LLC., teamed up with Designworks — BMW Group’s design consultancy arm — on this miniature, yet mighty little camper concept.
Inspired by Chris Bangle’s original GINA Light Visionary Model concept car BMW first revealed over 10 years ago, the FUTURELIGHT Camper is made of a flexible, sturdy material draped in a breathable, waterproof shell fabric. The goal was to produce an outdoor adventurer that can handle the harsh elements.
As BMW Designworks puts it, “Thinking about extreme performance in a new and unexpected ways from our experience of working across multiple industries.”
Like the GINA Concept, the camper is made of a fabric outer shell, consisting of The Northface flexible material FUTURELIGHT, stretched over and covering the entire camper.
FUTURELIGHT is billed as the world’s most advanced, breathable, waterproof material.
Comprised of nano-sized holes, the fabric allows breathability and airflow while still offering protection from rain and moisture without compromising ventilation.
Aside from the innovative fabric, the camper design looks like the iconic Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome on big, maneuverable wheels and compact yet with a well-designed cabin.
The camper is a light, mobile dome.
As the fabric stretches over the dome, it creates a natural, weather-proof space. Somewhere to sleep after hiking, or a place to take cover when nature is being nature.
The North Face told GDN that the adventure trailer is still in very early stages of development, with no production date set.
BMW FUTURELIGHT Camper
Designers: BMW Group Designworks
Manufacturer: The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, LLC.
