For those keen on camping, but don’t want the hassle of sleeping in a tent on the ground, Barcelona-based designer In-Tenta has created the Drop Eco-Hotel.
This hotel is a portable living space that treads lightly on the environment and allows tenants to experience nature while surrounded by comfort.
The mantra of wilderness campers – “take only pictures, leave only footprints” – can now be practiced in high style and with this pod-like hotel unit. Each cylindrical green hotel unit is made of wood, polycarbonate and steel and can comfortably accommodate two adults. The Drop rooms also include adjustable steel legs, so the bottom never touches the ground and only minimally interacts with any kind of uneven terrain upon which it is placed.
Inspired by organic forms found in nature, the Drop Eco-Hotel concept was one of the winners of a “microarchitecture design contest” held in October between the 89 members of the Spanish design consortiums o-cults, in collaboration with furniture designer Urban Square and the Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura urban planning firm.
Some of the many green features that are planned for these “removable” hotel rooms include photovoltaic films that can be combined with wood siding for power generation and a rainwater collection system for bathing. The use of lightweight materials allows the modules to be transported to virtually any legally permitted solid ground, including remote forests, beaches, mountains and jungles.
The units generally consist of a terrace, living room, kitchen and bedroom in the same shared space, as well as a separate bathroom. The living room can also be opened to the outside environment and used as a porch, while the bathroom can be converted into an outdoor spa.
One of the key design features of the design is the use of hemispherical transparent windows at each end that can be completely opened to provide a 180-degree view of the surrounding environment. In addition, a skylight running the entire length of the pod allows daylight to flood the entire space even when both ends are closed.
Drop units can also be maneuvered and joined to form larger housing units for more than two guests. Larger models, In-Tenta says, may be obtained by adding circular wooden extensions on either end.
In-Tenta is hoping the Drop Eco-Hotel design will meet the growing demand for eco-tourism around the world with customers who demand sustainable architecture and a high degree of luxury. The Drop concept will now be produced by Urban Square, In-Tenta says.
