The Salone del Mobile furniture show in Milan on 22 – 27 April saw the unveiling of a new design study on the theme of ‘mobile living’. It’s the work of three brands – MINI, Airstream and Republic of Fritz Hansen – dipping their respective toes into the ‘stylistic future of travel’.

So what is it? Well, essentially it’s a combination of a 6.8m-long Airstream trailer and a modified MINI Cooper S Clubman, both kitted out with a new look – including the use of ‘surfer-dude’ wetsuit neoprene plus a dash of bright colours and flower prints. The trailer and the MINI form a single unit, with the Clubman modified to incorporate a trailer coupling and a roof rack for transporting your surfboard.

There’s the option of opening up the trailer on one side (via electric motor) to make yourself comfortable on a built-in sun lounger. Meanwhile, inside, there’s a Superellipse table, ringed by four Series 7 chairs, with a pair of Swan chairs in the corner to offer additional relaxation space. The floor of the trailer has the look of a wooden yacht-deck, while the rear wall is decorated with floral prints and two surfboards halves, doubling as shelving.

As to the MINI, it wears wetsuit effects on its roof, below the bumpers and along its sides, while neoprene makes a further appearance on the seats and dashboard. The rear bench-seat has been removed and the boot stripped out, with added watersports storage solutions in the form of purpose-built mounts for diving gear, flippers, mask, wetsuit and oxygen tanks.

For more details on the project, see www.MINIspace.com.

Text: Charis Whitcombe
Photos: MINI