Fewer campers in Västernorrland!

From Swedish Radio P4 Västernorrland
The number of camping nights has decreased by 28 percent in Västernorrland in the first half of this year. In Sweden there are about 1050 campsites. One of the campsite who were lost are Valasjö camp in Kramfors.
 
"It's so expensive to go camping in Sweden:" It's so expensive to go camping in Sweden "(1:02)- It's so expensive to holiday in Sweden if you think about fuel prices. It is so that you can buy one weeks abroad cheaper than a holiday one week here in Sweden, "said Laila Lundqvist manager at Valasjö camping in Kramfors. In Västernorrland, the number of camping nights declined by 28 percent for the first half to July, all over Sweden with 14 percent. Looking ahead, Laila Lundqvist to work in a different way to attract new campers. - We try to arrange dances and events to the extent we have time and we are trying to advertise to attract people because it is nice to be outdoors. You can sit here and relax and avoid stress by spending time with family and friends," she says.

Ljudklippet finns Här.

/Emma

Camping in sweden

hej hej

www.camping.se

Kabe Royal Tower

A two-floor caravan from swedish caravan manufacturer Kabe.

http://www.husvagnsimport.se/Pdf/KABE_Royal_Tower_2008.pdf

Articles!

Article from GöteborgsPosten about the caravan-& motorhomeexhibition at Elmia, Jönköping.

http://www.gp.se/motor/1.446073-lyx-gar-fore-budget 

other articles concerning camping:

A very camping-positiv article
sorry it's all in sweden, among other things, it sais:
"The smiling exhibition - everything's increasing, more caravans. more motorhomes. more campers. A much more positive image of the mobile sparetime"
"motorhomesale has gone up by 125% during this decade."
http://www.gp.se/motor/1.20319-bara-uppat-pa-26-e-husvagnsmassan 


Caravan news from swedish Kabe
http://www.gp.se/motor/1.18602-svensk-jatte-arets-husvagnsnyhet 


Skiingtrips with caravan or motorhome is getting more and more popular..
(another interesting fact from the article is that every third camper sais that he/she is willing to rent a motorhome.)
http://www.gp.se/motor/1.20690-med-husbil-pa-vinterlovet 


Trend inom husvagnstillverkning, starka färger, lacker. Kunden får större möjlighet att påverka utseendet..
http://www.gp.se/motor/1.19491-blott-vitt-forbi-starka-farger-och-haftiga-lacker-ny-trend 

Before and After

On the bullentin board

an analyzing text of our research..

I'm not sure on how to use this but I wrote a text about what we've discussed and what we've fuond during this researchphase. at least I think it helped me to see what I think is important and interesting.
maybe we all have different thought on that so you're very welcome to edit or comment.. -SR

                                                                                -

Camping is so much broader than the stereotype of the "typical camper" conveys. Thanks to its width, camping has something for everyone, from the adventurer on the mountaintop to the old lady, painting the little fence around her caravan.

We were also struck by how attractive camping is as a theme to work with among designers, although camping sometime is looked upon as geeky. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that camping in itself is creative, that makes it okay to come up with freaked out ideas and concepts.

We have focused our research on current and future camping, not much on digging in the past. The history of Camping has pushed forward a stereotyp image of the camper that is not entirely true. Rather than opening up an altenative form of holiday for a broader targetgroup, it closes the camping market for people who are not already initiated into it.

With the blogg we want to show, through posts on everything from fashion to new products on the market market, that camping is a creative, adventurous, unpredictable.

The common conclusion of the group is simply that camping is freedom. Freedom by breaking routines. Group discussions have revealed various other thoughts on the essence of camping; that it's about being social or about being out in the nature. However, this can vary. To some, camping is being alone in nature and others stay in fully equiped caravans and will not get closer to nature than they would have at home.

Trends in camping that we have found are campsites with themes or by more targeted activities such as fishing, dance bands etc. Another trend we have seen alot of is "Urban Camping". So far campingsites are usually located in the countryside or outskirts of cities. However, we have found many interesting concepts and ideas on how to camp inside the city, the interest, demand and potensial for this seems really big.

Camping, a source for freedom.

It's almost inevitable to talk about "freedom" when it comes to camping. (Google search will tell you that...) Perhaps that's why camping has become more and more popular since the 20th century. People get overwhelmed by the busy lifestyle and pressures more and more easily that a great "escape" is often needed. The word "freedom" also comes with relaxation, worry-free, which can be quite luxurious nowadays.

People camp to get away from their everyday lives and boring routines. But what are we freeing ourselves from exactly? School work, bills, annoying rules, or your boss? When really think about the notion, it seems like camping is less so about the physical containment (living the house versus living in the tent), but more about the freeing of mind.

It's just like a child setting up a safe-zone with only a bed sheet over the table -- everything in the little space is rule-free and worry-free, everything is allowed as long as you like.
The feeling of "going back to the basic" with minimal necessities is exactly why camping is so attractive (since when cherio is replaced by alcohol?). And the fact that everything in the nature is unpredictable makes every camping experience one of its kind.

I don't mean to overlook the tangible part of camping experience, after all, that's why all the camping products are out there for. However, coming after the idea of freedom and the seek for escapes from ordinary lives, the material becomes trivial or simply a statement for self-identity.

Donald's Vacation (Disney 1940)

Camping trip - Disney Classic Cartoon

Hakuna Matata!

what has acctually happened?

Something struck me when i was looking at pictures of motorhomes and caravans over the decades; not much has happened.

Here's a picture of a 1980 Ford motorhome

Here's a picture of a 1990 Ford motorhome.

And here's a picture of the brand new Knaus Skyway motorhome.

This is a 1970's Caravan

And this is a Caravan from 2010

How come it all looks so similar to what's been done before!?

sreenshots from "naked" (Doris Dörrie)

What is camping? Why do people camp?

Camping is such a broad topic to be talked about.
It is hard to focus on every aspect of camping since everyone (campers, non-campers) has his own definition on camping. What is the first image that pops up in your mind when it comes to camping? Are those stereotypes true?
Perhaps, instead of trying to find the ultimate future trends and solutions to current problems, one should dig back into the core questions -- What is camping? Why do people camp?

Despite the fact that cultural difference does play an important role in the activity, the psychology behind the activity also caught my attention. It is not hard to understand one's desire for a uncivilized living style after living in the a civilized society for a while. No more organized post boxes, parking spaces, and streets signs. However, the images of camping sites confuse me:

I would argue that in this particular type of camping, the intention has nothing to do with uncivilized nature or being away from the organized society. This says "I moved my apartment up in the mountain." The cottages and tents are perfectly in lined, and the camping sites are extremely organized. 

This type of camping is called social camping. Everyone walks out of their tents and socializes with others living next door. People seem to be more comfortable to social while in the nature as to in an urban setting. People tend to care more about personal space and privacy in an apartment. Everyone is more relaxed and off-guarded (why do we all seem on-guard in the city?) at a camping site. 

This picture is more like what jumps into my mind when I hear camping....

After all, what does one want to get out of the experience? what is it that we can't get from our own house that only the nature can satisfy? Perhaps for the social campers, the smell of grass is all they need, and a couple of new friends are bonus. Whereas for the wilderness campers, the complete privacy is what they seek for. It's just like any other behaviors, the desire (the need) defines the act. 

Shelter Carts For The Homeless

think of every target group

portable houses-on-wheels

Olson Kundig Architects

snuggles: Stay in a Modular Hamster Tunnel Hotel

more information

"all in one" urban-chic chicken coop from the UK

Camping Hammocks

festival and event accommodation

luxury festival and event accommodation that's green, affordable and hassle-free. Myhab is a shelter for eco-friendly campers, made from waterproof cardboard and plastic.

http://www.myhab.com/

luxury camping holidays in Europe (Linz)

Constructed from repurposed concrete drainage pipes, the Das Park Hotel provides a unique and sustainable urban camping solution in a public park.

Vertical, Mobile, Urban, Camping

Antwerp-based firm Import Export Architecture created a new, small scaled, vertical type of urban camping.

just a funny picture..;)

Designer Kevin Braaks version of urban caravaning

The Car Tent

 The Car Tent is a rather ingenious approach to urban camping. Instead of hiding in a park or making up excuses in a public location, car tent users can camouflage themselves right in plain view.

ford-airstream motorhome concept

This motorhome is the result of a collaboration between Ford and motorhome manufacturer Airstream.

here's an article with more pictures and info:

http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2007/01/10-ford-airstream-concept/ 

Urban Camping...

caravan & motorhome exhibition

A big exhibition of Caravans and Motorhomes toke place i Jönköping this past weekend. too bad we missed it, but there are some interesting info on there homepage still..(most of it's in swedish, sorry.)
http://www.elmia.se/sv/husvagn/

LET'S BRING THEM ALL!!

- Chinami Kamishima. Tokyo.

Need to look great even in the woods!

Who says camping is all about old sportswear with boring color pallet? Camping can be fashionable and chic too!

(bring the nature to the runway. Why not?)

 

The Cricket Trailer

A cool trailer for a chick camping!
Depending on the models, the trailer can cost between $10,... to $17,... It offers a stainless steel sink with two cooktops, a cabinet, a handshower with curtain, a portable cassette toilet, a shade awning, and a folding bed with foam.
For more information, visit their official site: http://crickettrailer.com/

(shower and toilet are on the bottom right....)