Beauer XVan can transform almost any van into a temporary weekend camper

If you’ve ever dreamed of living in the wilderness for a day or two but only have a plain old van, you can now have the best of both worlds without having to buy a camper.

Being able to live on the road is a dream for many people, but few can even stomach the idea of giving up a comfortable bed for a stress-free night’s sleep. Of course, a bed is just the tip of the iceberg when you’re trying to survive away from the trappings of modern life. There’s also the consideration of how you’ll even be able to bring all of the necessities, which is why some really ardent roadsters try to invest in an RV or camper. Not everyone has the budget for that or the space to have two vehicles, one for normal everyday use. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose anymore if you don’t mind having to put in or take out a big metal box whenever you switch between a weekday van and a weekend camper.

Designer: Beauer

Modular and multi-functional furniture is all the rage these days, especially after more people got stuck at home with very little room for expansion. The same, sadly, can’t be said about cars, almost all of which are designed with fixed forms and functions that are rigorously tested for road safety. Vans have enough space inside for modification inside but are likewise limited on what you can pull off on the outside.

That’s what makes the XVan extension genius in its simplicity. You are, in a way giving up some of the seating space that would have been available in the back of your van, but you still have enough room for stuff when the module is collapsed inside. Of course, you might not have that space available at all anyway if you have decided to use the back of the van to carry your weekend wilderness equipment, with or without the XVan.

The XVan is pretty much a large box that slots into the back of your van and extends out when you’re ready to settle in for the night. There’s a unique fold-out bed that is large enough for two persons, windows on both sides with a mosquito net, and blackout shutters for privacy. The setup for XVan puts two niches on both sides for your belongings, and there’s also a 50L chest under the bed for bulkier items.

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Beyond the “box” itself are the accessories that will make your life in the great outdoors a bit more comfortable, including a kitchen unit with a sink, a gas fire, a 40L 12V fridge, two 10L water tanks (clean and dirty), and a small gas bottle to make you somewhat self-sufficient during that short sojourn. You can even opt to have a “lounge area” with a removable table if you’re fine modifying the two front seats into swivel seats.

The XVan is advertised to be compatible with many van models, so you don’t have to buy a new one just for this modification. What makes the XVan really special is how convenient and fast it is to use once the modifications have been made. It is advertised to take only 10-15 minutes to push in or take out the module thanks to the included lift table, and the motorized bed deploys in only a minute. It’s not going to be as comfortable or as fully featured as a camper, but you definitely can save up on space and money if you’re not the type that goes out for very long trips on the road and into the wilderness.

The post Beauer XVan can transform almost any van into a temporary weekend camper first appeared on Yanko Design.

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. 

These students designed a way of repurposing chewing gum to make skateboard wheels!

The plastics used to build car tires are the same plastics used to make chewing gum. From the moment we spit our gum onto the ground, it will take upwards of 50 years for that one piece to even begin decomposition. Noticing the wasted potential of chewing gum and the harmful effects it poses on the environment, design students Hugo Maupetit and Vivian Fischer decided to collect wads of discarded chewing gum out of which they molded and constructed wheels for skateboards.

After noticing that discarded chewing gum, made from synthetic rubbers, could be repurposed to construct wheels for skateboards, Maupetit and Fischer visualized a future partnership with Mentos and Vans. In the imagined collaboration, they worked together to take the gum from the streets and bring the gum back to the streets in a sustainable way. “Our initiative is supposed to clean the streets in a sustainable way. That is why we invented a system that will transform used wheels and turn them into new ones,” Maupetit and Fischer explained. “No more waste is created and the material stays in use.”

Initiating the collaboration, Maupetit and Fischer suggested that ‘gum boards’ be installed throughout their university city of Nantes, where residents could tack their finished chewing gum. As the gum boards filled up, the individual pieces would be collected, cleaned, molded together with a stabilizing agent, and stained with natural dye to form the wheels’ bases. The vibrant color of chewing gum along with its rubbery texture makes it a playful, yet tough choice for tire production.

People have been chewing on gum since the 1860s, but it was only after World War II that manufacturers began using synthetic rubbers, like polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate to make chewing gum. Plastics, like synthetic rubber, are able to be molded, pressed, and hardened into different shapes, making the building material relatively durable and easy to work with. Plus, there’s no shortage of supply– it’s everywhere.

Designers: Hugo Maupetit and Vivian Fischer

In an imagined collaboration with Vans and Mentos, Maupetit and Fischer conceived a mode of operations for their “Off The Street” gum-wheel initiative, including gum collection and tire production.

Gum boards throughout the city designate a spot for passersby to tack their gum for future collection.

Once the gum boards are filled up, they’ll be collected for future cleaning, molding, and staining.

Finally, following the mold and stain manufacturing process, wheels can be made available in stores for skateboarders to purchase.

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