How to experience Nature?

TENDO

Tendo is a small one person Tent, that can open up to a Tent-Lounge. Due to the patented folding mechanism Tendo has the comfort of a two person tent with the weight of a single person tent. The tent includes a mattress and is completely inflatable. The mattress is part of the tents static structure.

What makes an interesting project?

Motivation and Inspiration

I love time spent traveling. I prefer lonely place without many tourists. I love exploring, being surprised and letting your soul drift. At places like this there is no hotel. So I wanted to design something that invites you to stay longer in such environments.

What does the market look like?

Tents and Bivys

Analyzing the market I realized quickly, that it is way more saturated than I thought. I looked at the different attributes of tents on the market. I then proceeded to look specifically at person tents and bivys. There is a huge difference between different solutions. from thin one layered plastic covers up to high-tech soltutions that last down to -30 degrees celsius.

Is there potential for innovation?

Briefing

Looking closely how different users spend time with their tent I realized that the use is roughly thirds. 1/3 Sleeping, 1/3 daytime activity, 1/3 spent close to the tent. There is a shape for sleeping and a different shape for transport. So why not add a shape for the time you don’t sleep and don’t carry your tent? A tent-lounge for cooking, enjoying the view, being closer to nature, sitting upright, tying your shoes or staring into the bonfire?

What is the minimal suitable space?

Empirical Study

In the next step I build an experimental space to figure out how big the sleeping space needed to be. Then I tried to use the same amount of material to build a daytime space that was comfortable and spacey enough to do small activities like cooking or packing the backpack.

The inital Brainstorm.

Ideation & rough models

Which shape could possibly provide the needed ability for transformation? I looked at Origami, Kitesurfing, Rain ponchos and so much more.

Pushing the idea.

Concept development

Once I decided to use this opening mechanism a lot of questions needed solving: How does a person sleep comfortable in it? How do I maximize the space in both shapes? How does it lift up? How are the beams shaped (Graphics above)?

Does my concept really work?

1:1 experimental model

Then I proceeded to build full scale Mock Ups. I welded air-tubes inspired by kitesurfing, tried different bending techniques and eventually build a tent model to check for errors and to find the optimal shape.

So, what does it look like in the end?

The Finale

Tendo is a small one person Tent, that can open up to a Tent-Lounge. Due to the patented folding mechanism Tendo has the comfort of a two person tent with the weight of a single person tent. The tent includes a matress and is completely inflatable. The matress is part of the tents static structure.

While creating Tendo my focus was always on the folding mechanism: How can you use nearly the same amount of material as a regular one person tent but still have the opening mechanism? Because Tendo is completely inflatable and doesn’t use any rods the assembly is easy and fast.