President's Column

The interior and exterior design of campers

Author:Professor Dr. Peter Zec|2019-8-20

Today, I want to talk about a growing industry: camper van.


Right now, more people want to travel around the world without abandoning the luxury and comforts of home. The same situation occurs in both Germany and Taiwan (China).Although there is slight difference between the two regions, but camping is a trend for recent years. The reason is that people want to escape away from daily life,and they want it in a more independent and individualized way.


Manufacturers and designers are responding to these changes, trying to make positive impact on the trend with innovative products. This is why, for the first time this year, the Red Dot: Product Design set a separate category for mobile limo and camper vans, allowing entries in this category to be judged.

Manufacturers and designers around the world are invited to submit their latest products ranging from camp vans and trailers to luxury and off-road campers. 

But what was the challenge in designing those camper? What are the details that the jury of Red Dot most care about?

The difficulty with the camper is that the consumer who drives it on holiday want to enjoy the comforts of home or a fine hotel while traveling around the world. As a result, the challenge for designers is to provide spacious living and sleeping spaces, standard kitchens, and ample storage options. Therefore, the interior and exterior design of campers are becoming increasingly important.

Consumers who like to travel in a camper pay attention not only to the appearance of the vehicle, but also to its functionality, materials and technologies, such as motoring systems and applications such as the fuel gauge control and light switch. In short, campers must meet the needs of comfort, practicality and safety in a comparatively limited space.

Two of the winners of the Red Dot award show how these needs can be met through excellent design.

Basecamp, from Swift,Britain, is stunning in its detailed interiors and is working well in limited interior space, where retractable benches on either side can be converted into two single beds or combined into a king-size double bed.


The winner of the Red Dot award: Basecamp


Basecamp, from Swift,Britain, is stunning in its detailed interiors and is working well in limited interior space, where retractable benches on either side can be converted into two single beds or combined into a king-size double bed.

Hymermobil B-Class SupremeLine, manufactured by SYN Stduio, won the favor of the jury with its mobile look and luxurious interior. Hymer, Europe's largest manufacturer of camper vans, offers a design that can divide the entire interior space into a bathroom with a dressing room, a bedroom and a living room, including a large amount of storage space.

The winner of the Red Dot: Best of the Best 2018 :Hymermobil B-Class SupremeLine.


Hymermobil b-class SupremeLine, manufactured by SYN Stduio, won the heart of the jury with its mobile look and luxurious interior

The airless iron boxes of four tires with self-made curtains and sofa cushions are gone. Many luxury camper vans are made like cruising yachts. The camper companies offer customers a wide range of choices and prices.

The boom in camper vans means that the number of available vehicles will increase. I'm curious about how the industry is going to develop, and what will be showing in the Red Dot design awards next year.

(This passage is concurrently published on the Economic Daily)


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