BMW's Designworks division specialises in partnering with other companies to imagine the future, and its latest undertaking is the Futurelight Camper concept that comes from a collaboration with outdoor clothing company The North Face. The compact rig provides a safe sleeping space when going on an adventure in frigid conditions. The concept is currently on display at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show.
These campers don't have high-tech fabric but still look comfy:
The exterior of the camper uses The North Face's Futurelight fabric that uses what the business calls Nanospinning technology to make a breathable and waterproof material by incorporating nano-sized holes for allowing air to move while keeping the inside dry. BMW stretches the fabric over a geodesic-dome-pattern frame.
BMW and The North Face's official announcement doesn't provide much more info about the Futurelight Camper concept, but their renderings of it offer additional details. The lower frame is carbon fibre, and there appears to be enough room for two people to sleep inside. The general layout suggests that a couple could tow the camper to the desired spot and then take a hike through the snow. When they return this concept would provide a dry place to sleep. We hope the Futurelight fabric offers a modicum of heat insulation or the occupants might need to cuddle to keep warm.
We aren't sure whether it's a coincidence or a purposeful homage, but the Futurelight Camper bears a more than passing resemblance to the classic BMW Isetta, at least when looking at them from certain angles.
BMW doesn't intend to put the camper concept into production. However, The North Face will begin selling clothing using the Futurelight fabric as part of the Fall 2019 line.
Gallery: BMW and North Face Futurelight Camper Concept
Designworks Collaborates with The North Face to Imagine New Camper Concept
Designworks, a BMW Group Company
Las Vegas, NV – January 8, 2019... In Las Vegas today, BMW Group subsidiary Designworks unveiled a new camper concept and virtual reality experience, in partnership with The North Face, to imagine the future of protection from the elements.
The lightweight camper concept and virtual experience were designed by Designworks to showcase a new fabric innovation from The North Face called FUTURELIGHT™, which uses Nanospinning technology to create the world’s most advanced, breathable, waterproof material.
“We combined both physical and digital worlds to showcase this material, ensuring the holistic vision of the brand was clearly communicated, while giving people a real ‘hands-on’ experience,” said Laura Robin, Designworks LA Studio Director. “Thinking about extreme performance in new and unexpected ways from our experience of working across multiple industries, helped us to provide consumers with a unique and never before seen insight into the very heart of the material and its key attributes.”
The FUTURELIGHT camper was inspired by the 2008 BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car. Like the GINA Concept, the FUTURELIGHT™ Camper is made of a fabric outer shell, consisting of a flexible material stretched over an iconic geodesic dome to demonstrate the potential uses of FUTURELIGHT™ fabric beyond just apparel.
The revolutionary Nanospinning process used to create FUTURELIGHT™, has allowed the The North Face designers to add air permeability into the membrane of a fabric for the first time. The process creates nano-sized holes, allowing for incredible porosity while still maintaining total waterproofness, letting air move through the material and provide more venting than ever before.
The FUTURELIGHT™ Camper, is on display during the global consumer electronics tradeshow, by invite-only Jan. 7 – Jan. 11 in Las Vegas. FUTURELIGHT™ will first become available to consumers in The North Face Fall 2019 product line and will be featured across the brand’s pinnacle performance collections.
About Designworks, a BMW Group Company
Designworks, a BMW Group Company, is a global creative consultancy offering services which foster innovation and business growth for companies worldwide. Using cross-industry knowledge and experience, its culture of innovation and future-focused approach catalyzes its passion for visionary design.
Designworks leverages the power of BMW Group’s culture of innovation and cutting edge design to advance the goals of its external clients, including John Deere, Virgin Hyperloop One, Siemens, Corsair, HP, Microsoft, Embraer and Singapore Airlines, whilst bringing outside perspectives and impulses to the BMW Group through knowledge and experience gained with client engagements.
www.bmwgroupdesignworks.com
BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; technology offices in Silicon Valley and Chicago, and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 346 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 153 BMW motorcycle retailers, 126 MINI passenger car dealers, and 37 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.