paul van laar has designed an ultralight camping tent that is easy to set up, small enough to be easily transportable, and yet comfortable and spacious. tendo is a one-person shelter whose shape transforms from a small, wind-resistant sleeping pod to an open lounge where users can cook and enjoy the sunset. 

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
mood rendering watching the sunset

 

 

using one valve and a smart pressurizing mechanism, paul van laar‘s tendo provides high comfort while staying compact in size. the designer drew from his kitesurfing experience in brazil, after seeing how extremely durable, lightweight, and easy to pack kites are. in the sleeping mode, tendo’s front beams are in a pressurized state. releasing the connection buckle will open up the tent into a daytime lounge, where the front tubes will unfold and the sides of the mattress will bend up to form the structure’s supporting sidewall. the tent is stable without the use of pegs, offering durable fabric flaps on which heavy objects can be placed instead, to stop it from flying away. due to its small size, it is wind resistant, while the double-walled inner space can be heated with one’s presence easily.

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
mood rendering on a cliff

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
the inside of a mock-up

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
rendering of the inside showing the transparent sky-window and the glowing air-beams

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
transformation from sleeping tent to a daytime lounge

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
topview and details of the valve and material

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
render view from the back showing some icons of tendo’s unique aspects

 

 

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
building a 1:4 model at the workshop of studio F. A. porsche

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
paper model of the opening mechanism

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
checking for proportions and ideal distribution of fabric in rhino 3D

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
welding a bladder for the airbeams

paul van laar's ultralight sleeping tent can quickly transform into an open lounge
inspiration, research, experiments and design process

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: sofia lekka angelopoulou | designboom