Netherlands-based Mecanoo has revealed its initial design for an interesting new maritime center in Rotterdam. The building will be located in the middle of the city’s Rijnhaven harbor and, so as to not appear too large for the area, some of it will be submerged under the waterline.
Having conquered the deepest recesses of the ocean with its DSV Limiting Factor “deep-sea elevator,” and delivered its first 24-seat DeepView tourist submarine in Vietnam, Triton has turned its attention back to the luxury sector with a new six-person sub designed to launch from the garage of your mega-yacht.
With a pop-up that looks like a chimney and a bimini-topped party deck, the roof of the short, stout Purpose Trailer from California’s RKS Off-Road is unlike any other you’re likely to see at the campground. In fact, it holds up to 1,000 lb (454 kg) so that a campsite of friends can chill out during the day for better views, with a pair sticking around at night to camp in the deployable tent. The hybrid caravan/teardrop-style interior has standing height where you need it, lying height where you don’t.
If you’ve ever wanted to spend a night inside a dumpster – but without the accompanying smell – then Culture Campsite may be of interest. Situated on a former parking lot in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, it features an eclectic mix of micro-shelters made from recycled materials and objects including farm equipment, feed silos, and more. read more
For last year’s Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, Variomobil introduced the fourth generation of its “Perfect” line of ultra-luxury motorhomes, revealing the Mercedes Actros-based Perfect 1000. How do you follow up such an impressive exhibition appearance? By climbing even higher up the ladder and revealing the larger, more exclusive flagship model, the Perfect 1200 Platinum. A little piece of exclusive real estate built onto a triple-axle Mercedes chassis, the new 1200 features a massive living space broadened by three electro-hydraulic slide-outs and enhanced with nightclub-grade audio and intelligent lighting, all the appliances of home, and an XXL garage large enough to bring along a high-powered grand tourer … say, a Mercedes-AMG GT. read more
Following up on the full-size Grand California it launched in 2018 and the updated midsize California it launched last year, Volkswagen now turns its vehicle-camping mastery to its smallest van. A new-generation Caddy calls for a new-generation Caddy Beach camper, and in this case, a new name: the Mini-Camper. One of the smallest, cutest camper vans we’re likely to see until the eBussy Camper comes rolling into the real world, the new Caddy Mini-Camper sleeps adventure-loving couples and turns into a larger “glamping lodge” on demand. read more
It’s been a big week for inventions named for the shape-shifting, fortune-telling Greek sea god, Proteus. On Monday we looked at Proteus, the world’s first manufactured non-cuttable material, and now there’s Proteus, the world’s most advanced underwater research station and habitat – though in this case the naming is probably more to do with Proteus’ status as the grandson of Poseidon himself. read more
The new Maverick Hornet is one of the cutest compact camper trailers you’ll ever see off the beaten path. But don’t let its small size and cube-like dimensions fool you – it’s still a no-nonsense, galvanized-steel backcountry warrior with the most vacant, inhospitable stretches of Australian Outback in its crosshairs. The tiny body that barely overhangs the tire below slides, folds and swings into a comfy base camp complete with trailer-top tent, wraparound awning and outdoor kitchen.
If there are three things we’ve noticed about Australian off-road camper trailers, it’s that they’re insanely well-built, beautifully equipped and incredibly expensive. You can buy a luxury SUV for what a Patriot X3 will cost you. The Maverick Hornet appears as extremely well-built as other Aussie off-road trailers, but it slides in at a much lower price point by relying on a leaner standard equipment package, allowing buyers to build it up with options or equip it themselves over time. read more
Usually the term “Swiss Army camper” denotes a multifunctional camping vehicle (or kit) with swiveling and folding components meant to quickly transform on the fly. Such designs rarely ever have any material connection to Switzerland’s actual armed forces. But in the case of this Lorinser Puch 230 GE, the term comes to mean a motorhome with verifiable Swiss Army roots. After finishing its military career in Switzerland, the 1993 G-Wagen becomes a worldly adventure rig, marrying an ornate high-roof camper body with a super-efficient two-sleeper interior complete with solar-backed power and microwave. read more
