There is no evidence that architect Frank Lloyd Wright and Wally Byam, legendary founder of Airstream, ever met. Both would no doubt approve of the latest addition to the famed RV brand’s lineup. The new Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer manages to channel the design philosophies of both men, creating a towable that elegantly and seamlessly connects to the natural world just outside its aluminum shell.
A collaborative effort between Airstream and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the travel trailer, unveiled in June, took nearly three years to complete. Both organizations saw a connection between their brands, working to fuse Wright’s architectural heritage neatly with Byam’s innovative engineering tenets. Both of these 20th Century greats found inspiration in nature, and worked to help others find that inspiration, too.
Photo Credit: Airstream/ Andrew Pielage
Wright emphasized the importance of a building integrating into its surroundings. His projects were meant to exist harmoniously with the natural world, resulting in spaces both beautiful and functional. He played brilliantly with light and shadows, using distinctive materials like rock, wood, glass and fabric to blend his interiors with the exterior environment.
Nowhere is this more evident than at Taliesin West, the architect’s compound in Scottsdale, AZ. It was there that Wright perfected his ideas on holistic design and organic architecture. His approach came to be known as “Usonian” design, a term Wright used to describe his distinctly American architectural aesthetic and his drive to create buildings that served their occupants above all.
Photo Credit: Airstream/ Andrew Pielage
Airstream, working closely with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, took plenty of inspiration from Taliesin West when designing this special-edition 28-footer. Obvious examples include awnings made from the same fabric that Wright used as ceiling panels throughout the compound; interior light sconces resemble those found there, too. And in a nod to Wright’s propensity for bringing outdoor environments inside, the RV has the most windows ever incorporated into an Airstream vehicle. The result is a cabin that feels bright and airy, creating a sense that the space is larger than it actually is.
Both Wright and Byam believed that form and function should go hand in hand. That design principle is felt throughout the travel trailer. For instance, the rig includes a rear hatch to ease loading and unloading gear, also creating an alternative for entry and exit. But it’s also no accident that the hatch further opens up the interior space, adhering nicely to Wright’s approach of bringing users of his buildings closer to nature.
Photo Credit: Airstream/Andrew Pielage
Other multifunctional features include twin beds that serve as couches in the sleeping space, but automatically convert to a king-size bed at the touch of a button. The kitchen/living area features a wooden dinette and a desk, both of which create extra space by folding out of the way when not in use. The table and desk are flanked by a set of wooden chairs and a footstool, which collapse for easy transport and storage. At the campsite, those same chairs—which strikingly resemble those found at Taliesin West—can be taken outdoors, with the stool doubling as a small table.
The travel trailer further distinguishes itself with the use of a whimsical graphic known as the Gordon Leaf Pattern throughout. Designed by one of Wright’s most prominent apprentices, this design element was named for Elizabeth Gordon, the longtime editor of House Beautiful magazine, one of the most influential design minds of the post-War period and major Wright ally. The pattern is most notably found on the door of the RV and in the kitchen, but is subtly incorporated throughout the trailer. It reinforces the idea of immersing yourself in nature at the campsite, while adding yet another link between Airstream and Wright’s work.
Photo Credit: Airstream/Andrew Pielage
Of course, this being an Airstream, the trailer comes with plenty of traditional RV features, too. Those include things like an energy-efficient 12V fridge, lithium house batteries, and 300 watts of solar panels on the roof. The kitchen is equipped with a three-burner gas stove, a microwave, and a single-basin stainless steel sink, while the dry-bath comes with a porcelain toilet and glass-doored shower.
But the Wright-inspired design elements are what separate this RV from anything Airstream—or anyone else for that matter—has built before. Perfectly melding the architect’s design philosophy with Wally Byam’s ingenuity and vision, this is a rig that goes beyond what either man could have envisioned on his own. The result is something both new and fresh, and comfortingly familiar at the same time.
This article originally appeared in Wildsam magazine. For more Wildsam content, sign up for our newsletter.
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