Camping in nature

Design for enhanced experience and interaction between camper and nature during shelter use

Master thesis (2017)

Authors

L.C. Daggers Industrial Design Engineering

Contributors

M.H. Sonneveld (supervisor 1)
S.R. Dehli (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Industrial Design Engineering
Copyright: © 2017 Loriana Daggers
Design Nature Interaction Shelter Experience Tent
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Published Date

21-06-2017

Language

English

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Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Abstract

Lots of people go camping to submerge in nature to break with their busy daily routine. Current camping shelters do not seem to support the desired nature experience of these campers. While protecting these campers from external conditions the shelters closes the campers off from the outdoors they came for. This led to the following hypothesis:
Current camping shelters do not fit the desired nature camping experience.

By researching campers and their context this hypothesis is confirmed. Besides confirming the hypothesis the research gave two other noteworthy insights about the desired camping experience. Firstly, the research showed that these campers like to have the possibility to make a camping spot their own. Secondly, it was indicated
that they want to have the possibility to retreat in this own created place, secluding themselves form the outdoors. Combining these findings with a future shelter and interaction vision led to the following design goal:
To design a shelter where the feeling of being outside and inside merge smoothly into one another, giving the user the opportunity to seclude from and submerge in their surrounding. Meanwhile enabling the user to break with their daily routine and make a shelter and by that, making their camping spot their own, in a mindful and exploratory manner.

The concept designed based on this design goal is a modular shelter named the LUCID. The LUCID consists of seven components, which can be configured in multiple ways. Four configurations are designed during this project; other possible configurations are left to the user. Giving them the option to make the shelter and camping spot their own. Each of the four designed configurations can be opened and closed from the inside to ensure the user that they can both submerge in and seclude from the surroundings.

To answer the question whether or not it is a good idea to continue developing the LUCID (after completing this graduation project) a concept evaluation research is carried out. Based on this evaluation and the opinion of a consulted camping and outdoor specialist the advise on continuing the development of the LUCID is positive.