This vintage camper from 1985 is making a comeback with accordion extensions that triple its size!

De Markies is a vintage camper circa 1985 with accordion-like expansions that triple the camper’s size with the push of a button.

Since the start of stay-at-home orders, campers have made quite the comeback in the world of modern camping. The campers coming out from recent years have been some of the most versatile and compact designs we’ve seen in years. A few years back and ahead of its time, Dutch architect Eduard Böhtling submitted his transforming De Markies camper design to 1985’s Temporary Living architecture competition. The type of camper that can be reintroduced in years to come and still send a tingle down any camper’s spine, De Markies is a tiny home on wheels that can triple in size with the push of a button.

Ten years after the Temporary Living competition, De Markies saw its first prototype and received 1996’s Rotterdam Design Prize’s Public Prize for it. Fast forward to 2021 and De Markies is still turning heads. Built with accordion-like expansions, De Markies’s shape begins as a cubic camper on the road and triples in size to form a complete semicircle.

Once De Markies expands into its final shape, the camper’s main bedroom can be found inside of its opaque orange awning, while a sunroom comes into shape underneath the van’s transparent awning. Inside the caravan, a kitchen, bathroom, and sitting room come with all the amenities needed for a comfortable retreat on the road, including a stove, sink, countertop, storage space, and tables.

Constructed to withstand most elements, Böhtling found durability in plastic cladding for De Markies’s roof. Unfurled into its semicircular shape, the awnings find privacy on one side through an opaque orange plastic covering, and a sun-soaked room on the other side with a transparent plastic covering. Slated for next year’s Geneva Architecture Exhibition, De Markies is still making its rounds.

Designer: Eduard Böhtling

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This micro house-on-wheels built to withstand extreme weather conditions was also designed for off-grid living!

The Nomad is a compact mobile camper built to withstand all the elements, hot or cold, and for off-grid living, equipped with everything from a solar system to a composting toilet and water tanks.

These days, the nomad lifestyle has the spotlight. Going off-grid and mobile during this era of WFH has never been more tempting. With sustainability and getting away at the forefront of our minds, companies have delivered on tiny camper designs, merging eco-consciousness with the mobile lifestyle. One company, in particular, Quebec-based Minimaliste has been designing micro houses-on-wheels for some time now, and their latest model, the Nomad, is an even tinier camper built with off-grid capabilities and for the most extreme of weather conditions.

Being the only Minimaliste camper capable of off-grid operation, the Nomad camper includes a composting toilet, two 36-gallon tanks for black and gray water, as well as a 54-gallon freshwater tank allowing two people to enjoy a short vacation without having to empty or fill the tanks. Additionally, Minimaliste equipped the roof with a grid of solar panels that take lithium batteries, outfitting each Nomad camper with a minimum of 5.12 kWh solar power, or an advanced package stocked with 10.24 kWh.

While the Nomad might be shorter in length than Minimaliste’s previous camper models, measuring in at 165 feet2, it makes a home out of the space it still has. The one-bedroom camper also features a kitchen, bathroom, dining area, and living area all within its steel-clad frame. When entering the Nomad, the kitchen and dining area greet you with walnut laminate finishes, and optic white walls, with black coated handles and accents dotted throughout. Equipped with high-quality appliances, the kitchen features a propane boiler and water heater, a Furrion 12V refrigerator, and a Furrion propane stove oven.

Moving into the bedroom and bathroom, the same walnut laminate and optic white paint are seen throughout each room, but the bedroom’s ceiling rises to seven feet to ensure plenty of headroom even for taller guests. The bedroom is all about storage, featuring integrated storage underneath and around the bed, where an additional water tank can be found for off-grid living. Finally, the bathroom hosts all the amenities one might need for when nature calls: an optional flush or composting toilet, a decent-sized vanity unit with a medicine cabinet, and a 24 × 36 tub shower, as well as a 12V fan that exhausts and refilters the air.

Designer: Minimaliste

Integrated storage decks out the Nomad’s bedroom, ensuring enough room even for one of the camper’s water tanks. 

Air conditioning units and insulation create a comfortable interior temperature throughout the year and changing seasons. 

The kitchen even comes with a built-in 2-in-1 washer-dryer unit.

The dining area transforms into sleeping accommodations for two children or one adult when not in use during the night. 

This Mercedes Vito turned camper keeps you outdoor ready with everything from an outdoor shower to a rear kitchen!

French atelier Serge Propose transformed a Mercedes Vito L2H1 van into a minimalist camper van ideal for the nomadic lifestyle, equipped with everything from an outdoor shower to a removable kitchen stove and sink.

Minimalism goes with camping just like wheels go with a van–it makes things a whole lot easier. Camping requires the essentials: stove, boots, water, check. The rest is just extra weight. Well, you might need a blanket or two. Unless you’re sleeping in a van. As the mobile lifestyle becomes more and more popular, designers are converting their vans into autonomous campers for the ultimate nomadic mode of transportation. French design atelier and van-camper converter, Serge Propose tied minimalism into their latest project where a Mercedes Vito L2H1 transformed into a camper equipped with only the essentials.

Transforming the Mercedes Vito L2H1 into a modern-day minimalist camper meant creating a nomadic living environment for Serge Propose. The French atelier hollowed out the inside of Mercedes Vito L2H1 to outfit it with a sleeping and lounge area, rear kitchen, and plenty of storage space throughout. Constructed from birch plywood, the wooden interior living area is also insulated with hemp wool and projected cork so campers will stay warm during the night and colder months without leaving the van turned on. Stocked with adaptable furnishings and concealed storage compartments, Serge Propose thought of everything when converting the Mercedes Vito L2H1.

Most of the interior is covered by a cushioned bench, also constructed from birch plywood. During the day, the bench operates as a sit-down working space or dining area, then come night, campers can convert the bench into a 130x200cm sleeping bed. Underneath the adaptable bench, campers can find plenty of storage space and hidden drawers to keep the nonessentials. The showstopper of the camper van is certainly the rear kitchen where campers can prepare meals using the van’s removable stove and sink. Overhead, campers can rest assured the raised taillight will keep them dry from extreme weather.

Outfitted with plenty of electrical and technical features, the van comes powered with an auxiliary battery, a DC charger, and a converter all provided by Victron Energy. Additionally, campers can find a dry toilet and mini-refrigerator just beneath the interior’s longest bench. Every feature inside the van from the LED lighting, to the outdoor shower, a built-in 2D air heater, and handmade curtains is tailor-made by the designers at Serge Propose.

Designer: Serge Propose

The rear kitchen has overhead protection from the raised trunk during rainy weather conditions.

A removable kitchen stove and sink provide heating and clean water for cooking. And the van is outfitted with adaptable furniture to save and create space. 

Top 10 trailer designs of 2021 are here to amp up your summer glamping plans!

It’s time to get back on our bucket list!  After the year of confinement and taking safety precautions, we all have learned and understood the benefits of traveling – and not just the mindless one. Travel should be to create a list of experiences that helps you grow – and what a better way to do it than take a solo/family trip before the summer runs out! To do just that, we have created a list of trailers that meet your unique needs and help you achieve that life-changing experience you truly want!





The Bailey Discovery D4-2 Camper Trailer is designed for adventurers who love their space. The USP of this camper trailer is its inflatable awning which creates almost double the private space you need for your escapades under the star-studded nights. On the inside, D4-2 is equipped with all the amenities and a fully furnished interior. The best part about that expanded area – the transparent panel that allows plenty of sunshine and light while keeping those pesky mosquitoes away.

Bradbuilds is a Los Angeles-based concept artist who reimagines many automotive designs with a crazy twist. Apart from the BMW M4 camper, his other viral works include a Tesla roadster safari as well. BMW is associated with luxury, not with adventure but this concept really turns the brand image on its head to give us a sporty yet sleek coupe camper. To accommodate the trailer, the designer has taken out the backseat from the car and optimized for time off the grid. The vehicle is a 500 horsepower single-bed camper. The interiors include all elements ideally needed for a road trip – a bed, a pair of solar panels, and a kitchenette. The suspension has been lifted and the tires have been replaced for robust BFGoodrich ones which makes it ready to take the road less traveled.

The unique creation christened Tree Trailer by Henry K. Wein, a design student at the Design Academy Eindhoven, is a house on wheels like none other. The one-man treehouse can be towed behind a bicycle or a motorcycle, and when the time comes to set camp, simply mount it on a solid tree branch with the trunk acting as the other support. When mounted to a tree, it makes me think about the idea of vertical camping – wherein tents are pitched hanging from vertical cliffs! Henry created this amazing DIY camper from repurposed parts – such as the cladding made out of a salvaged house blind. The rest of it is made from wood and a supporting metal beam.

The “NoMad” – a light and resistant vehicle that is presented as a fusion between a traditional tent and a futuristic-looking van designed by the ABIBOO Studio. Each NoMad creates this balance by designing 3 unique compartments – a wet area that holds the kitchen and bathroom, a living room/guest room/workroom, and thirdly a master bedroom that separates from to living room to help you disconnect at the end of the day. The layout of the trailer holds the wet area at the center of the design, automatically creating a barrier/ separation between the living room and the bedroom. Given the space constraints, every bit in the vehicle design holds storage space and hidden seating space. Smart use of terraces means we can leverage the outside space once the trailer is settled in. Overall the design balances four aspects – lightness (hence saving fuel), creating resistance to avoid collisions or overturning of the vehicle, a minimum thickness that provides the best insulation, and finally, an aesthetically packaged home interior and exterior.

Similar to the Cybertruck, the Cyberlandr does away with external door handles and opens when an authorized person puts the foot on the steps or gains access via the compatible app. On the inside, the minimalistic pop-up camper has a very airy feel to it, thanks to the dual-pane windows with electrochromic dimming when required. It even makes space for a bathroom (with a showerhead and self-cleaning dry flush toilet) and a multi-use living area which can be used as a section for the kitchen, office work, or night sleep. For this, the kitchen utility comes in the form of a counter with a large sink, dual induction burners embedded in the cooktop, and a refrigerator. Once you no longer require meal prepping, the pair of lounge chairs can be used for your work or simply having some rest – it even has two pivoting desks. When the nighttime hits, the chairs unfold meticulously into a sleeping area as they morph into a double bed.

Nissan NV350 Caravan Office Pod Concept is your ticket to freedom when it comes to working productively after witnessing the most mesmerizing sunset from your favorite picturesque location on the outskirts of the city or maybe even on an adventure trip. The mobile office pod housed inside the back of the electric van is something you’ll be so desperate to jump right into. In ways, it can rival the most jaw-dropping work from home setups without a semblance of doubt. The smartphone-controlled office pulls out from the back of the van out in the open and is for sure a dope for people who love working amidst natural settings. When you’ve worked enough for the day or simply want to take a short break between work, just climb on top of the luxurious roof balcony with a rooftop deck for relaxing in style.

The idea of a bike camper is not overly new, there have been some we have come by, but they have either failed to impress with the edgy assembly or their dimensions. The Scout camper presents a very sizable alternative that transforms into a shelter with comfortable sleeping space for a rider. The camper trailer comes in varying sizes, you can pick according to your requirement – but it does require a Tough Trailer, also made by CreaCon, to carry this actual living module around to the campsite. The camper trailer design opens up various possibilities for use. The start being carried behind the bicycle for camping, the trailer can be used for transporting groceries, tools, or whatever else given the user’s needs. The trailer clips to the bike using lockable Weber coupling; it can carry 85 kg of payload standalone, and features hydraulic overrun brakes to negate the weight and thrust added by the load.

As part of their commitment to environmental design, CE-ST, a young design studio, created Time Holiday Mobile Home, an A’Design Award-winning modular mobile home the size of a shipping container that can be transported to any terrain. Whether our sustainability commitment means more camping trips and less flying, or packing up the house into an electric RV camper and living off the grid for a while, people are finding unique ways to travel with respect for the environment. Outfitted with solar panels, naturally ventilated windows, and built with recycled tiles, Time Holiday Mobile Home was designed to leave a reduced ecological footprint when traveling. Without the need for a foundation, Time Holiday can be stationed anywhere across the globe, atop varying terrains and topographies. Time Holiday’s flexibility for traveling allows for multiple pods to be stationed in one location, forming a sort of cluster or system of campers.

The Sealander is a 13-square-foot, 1,100-pound camper trailer combo that doubles up as a boat too, with the ability to travel at a cool 5 miles per hour in regular waters (it clearly isn’t meant for high-tides). With a fiberglass-reinforced plastic body, the Sealander is particularly light and strong, working well both on land as well as water, and the inner space comes with a table and bench that can be tucked away to turn the inner space into a reclining area that takes full advantage of the foldable roof to let you gaze at the sunset, and then the stars thereafter.

Product designer Ozan Kayikci has come up with a mindful design for a camper tent and portable kitchen for the Microlino 2.0, a Swiss-based micro electric car to explore this unattended segment. A small electric car that can take pride in having a respectable camper-like configuration, complete with a small portable kitchen. This gives adventure seekers another option to hit the road in the small car with the assurance of a cozy place to set camp under the stars. The inflatable camper fits inside the front section of the vehicle, and when you need to set camp, it can be done in a jiffy with one end securely attached to the car. The boot section holds the mini kitchen to cook a quick meal under the star-studded sky.

 If you always wanted a camper trailer for your Tesla, specially built for the purpose, your wish is granted! Glendale, California-based Polydrops has been designing trailers for the last four years, and now they’ve come up with a P17A camper that your EV’s going to love. The trailer’s angular design is well-suited for your Tesla Cybertruck, and it is not just about the sharp looks! P17A trailer comes with floor integrated batteries capable of storing 12kWh of electricity when needed. Much attention has been given to the temperature variation inside the cabin to keep energy requirements down to the minimum. That’s achieved with the true foam-core structure providing insulation of 8.7″ EPS – thereby shunning out the need to use a 5000 BTU air conditioner in summers or an electric heater in chilling winter. 

This nostalgic Volkswagen-inspired camper mixes the old + new for the ultimate camping experience!

In many ways, the VW Bus ushered in the era of the mobile van camper. Inspired by its open interior, iconic pastel color schemes, and warm, rounded exterior‒designers have modeled their own camper vans after the VW Bus for as long as it’s been around to take us on trips. Taking the design language of Volkswagen and applying it to his own interpretation of the camper, design studio Ozan Kayicki visualized the Volkswagen Joy Camper.

Ozan Kayicki designed the Joy Camper to be the quintessential camping vehicle for all future trips. Rendered in either pine green or multi-patterned collage, Joy Camper is like the cube-shaped cousin to the VW Bus. The camper’s glossy painted exterior opens up to the van’s mostly wooden interior– a nod to the 1960s era of infinite wood panels. Each internal component is lined in wood, except for the driver’s seat, sink, and countertop, offering warmth in compliment to the van’s cool exterior. In addition to the van’s expansive, glazing windows that line the sides of Joy Camper, a pop-top roof raises the van’s headroom and allows additional sunlight to pour in through the roof’s skylights. Then, an additional extension protrudes from one side of the cabin, appearing as washing or changing areas for guests.

Camping is once more surging in popularity, which means a camper is on everyone’s Christmas list. Echoing back to the camper’s heyday in the 1960s, Ozan Kayicki’s Joy Camper takes cues from the classic VW Bus to visualize their own camper van, a simple, refined, and more mature cousin to its 1960s inspired predecessor– it’s never been this cool to be square.

Designer: Ozan Kayicki

A multi-patterned collage exterior links Ozan Kayicki’s Joy Camper to the exuberant and eclectic design schemes of the ’60s.

Opting for a more rectangular build, Ozan Kayicki’s Joy Camper steps away from the rounded edges of the VW Bus.

Inside, wooden components nod to the iconic wood panels made famous during the 1960s.

A pop-top roof extends Joy Camper’s headroom and brings in more natural sunlight during the day.