The Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven is the largest design festival in Northern Europe. Every year we pick nine designers that we think are this year’s hidden gems. You can read their stories here. Today: Hein van de Laar and Edwin Bron about their LUME Traveler.<\/p>\n
The team behind the LUME Traveler has been working for years on realising their dream: building and commercialising a self-designed caravan. Aim: to make camping trendy again. Innovation Origins spoke with founders Hein van de Laar and Edwin Bron; together they are developing a caravan in which no compromises are made in terms of design, luxury and comfort. By using high-quality materials such as aluminium, teakwood, leather and wool felt, the company is able to distinguish itself from the competition.<\/p>\n
And it is exactly this competition that is the driving force behind the design of the caravan: \u201cThe caravan that everyone knows isn’t attractive at all\u201d, says van de Laar plainly. The designer seized his chance to change that. \u201cIt all started with me, in fact. I had been thinking about it for a long time, and eventually, I started making some sketches. After years of close cooperation with technical designers, suppliers and producers, we came up with this product\u201d, he says. Together with colleague Edwin Bron, van de Laar continued his dream of commercialising the LUME Traveler. Bron: \u201cMy expertise in this field came in handy. Building a brand and establishing an organisation; together we have managed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
With its all-aluminium bodywork and open roof, the caravan is unique. To offer the high level of quality, luxury and comfort, the designer – who enjoys spending his free time on the water – was inspired by the yacht-building industry. Van de Laar: \u201cIt is odd that we have never seen the quality that is used in yacht building in, for example, a caravan or motorhome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not only quality but also comfort and interaction with nature played a significant role in the design process: \u201cI think it is wonderful to be able to enjoy the same comfort as you are used to at home in nature\u201d. This vision is reflected in the design; you live outside, and only sleep inside. By opening the tailgate, you get access to a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, inside you will only find a spacious, comfortable bed. The fully opening panoramic roof creates both light and space and allows you to sleep under the stars.<\/p>\n