How do you improve upon a timeless design that's already the premier icon of its genre? Perhaps by pulling a little inspiration from an all-time master in an adjacent field. For Airstream, that master is none other than architect extraordinaire Frank Lloyd Wright. The all-new Airstream Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian trailer looks like a classic Silver Bullet outside but draws travelers in with a warm, organic multifunctional interior inspired by the architectural giant.
We honestly weren't sure whether to call Airstream, i.e. "world's most recognizable and traveled trailer," or Frank Lloyd Wright, i.e. "America's greatest architect," the more famous brand name, or declare them equals. We were leaning toward giving the distinction to the human of the pair, and happily Google Gemini agreed.
"While both Frank Lloyd Wright and Airstream have had a significant cultural impact and are widely recognized, Frank Lloyd Wright is more famous and has a broader, deeper level of fame," the AI engine summarized when we posed the question.
To Airstream's credit, there aren't many RV brands that would even inspire us to ask. But with a deep, near-century-long heritage of producing one of the world's most instantly recognizable travel trailers, Airstream is one of the rare few that could make a contest out of it.
And while never imagined this particular team-up, it does seem like a natural extension for both of these timeless brand names.
"Though they likely never met, Airstream founder Wally Byam and pioneering American architect Frank Lloyd Wright helped define the modern aesthetic at home and on the road," Airstream frames the collaboration. "Wright’s concept of 'organic architecture' sought to situate his creations perfectly within the landscape, while Byam sought to let you take your home with you and place your doorstep in the perfect location for exploring the world around you."
Frank Lloyd Wright, of course, passed away in 1959, a time period in which a Byam-led Airstream was pushing its way across the US to carve out its space in the collective American conscience. It was also working hard to add the level of residential-style glamping amenities we take for granted today, including hot water and self-contained off-grid capabilities.
Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation preserves Wright's works, fosters an appreciation of architecture and nature in general, and licenses official "Frank Lloyd Wright" products. The foundation collaborated closely with Airstream's Ohio-based design and engineering team to blend Byam’s emphasis on aerodynamic curves with Wright’s organic architectural philosophy into a beautiful piece of functional mid-century architecture made to travel with its owner.
The "Usonian" part of the trailer name ties into the series of small, affordable homes Wright designed during his career that brought together open interior floor plans and outdoor spaces, making more efficient use of their limited size. The rear of this new trailer puts this concept to work via Airstream's popular hatch, bringing the outdoors in for a breezy lounge experience.
In place of the dinette/convertible secondary bed Airstream trailers would typically house in this rear space, Airstream installs the main bedroom area to give owners the opportunity to enjoy scenic views and fresh air from the comfort of bed. A pull-down screen provides protection from unwanted insect invasions.
After they rise for the day, the space transforms into a sofa lounge, the massive 80 x 97-in (203 x 246-cm) super-king bed splitting into a pair of vis-a-vis couches at the push of a button. Those sofas benches can also be used as single beds, each offering a sleeping area of 80 x 34 in (203 x 86 cm).
The dining area finds its home at the very front of the trailer, down a long, narrow center aisle. Airstream eschews the typical table-split bench set with a more open arrangement pulled from Usonian philosophy. A trailer-width rear-facing sofa sits right under the oversized front windows, set next to an inconspicuous console.
To the extent they're not outside adventuring and soaking up the sun, campers can use the sofa during daytime hours as an alternative to the rear lounge, enjoying wraparound window views while chatting, reading, playing cards, watching the wall-mounted TV that awaits behind an accordion panel, or simply scrolling through the latest updates on their phones.
That inconspicuous console to the side plays a much larger role than it appears at first glance, concealing both a compact work desk and longer dining table until they're needed, at which point they flip up from its face. Two folding Wright-inspired chairs and a stool store away inside the console for use with the desk and four-person table.
Not only does this multifunctional sideboard open the floor plan by allowing the dining/workstation to disappear when not in use, it whisks the furnishings out of the way at night to make room for the pull-out 72 x 76-in (183 x 193-cm) sofa-bed that serves as the secondary sleeping area to complete a four-sleeper interior.
Stepping into the central functional heart of the trailer, the kitchen looks fairly simple and classic but is said to be inspired by a 1939 mobile kitchen concept Wright never completed, pulled from the Foundation's archives. In contrast to the prevailing trend of large rectangular sinks popular in other RVs, including some Airstreams, this unit features a distinctively round sink that pairs naturally with the trailer's porthole windows and disc-like throw pillows in referencing Wright's love of circular elements.
Across the aisle, the dry bathroom includes a roomy toilet area along with a separate shower.
In place of common overhead cabinetry, Airstream further blurs the delineation between indoors and out with long, narrow upper windows above the primary window line. The trailer features a total of 29 windows in all, a record for an Airstream. Shelving stands in for overhead lockers to provide a practical amount of storage space without blocking the open window array.
Thin slats feature prominently throughout the interior, exemplified by the long-running ceiling panel. The desert-like color palette feels natural for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's Scottsdale home and ties directly to Wright-curated paints with earth tones that include deep red, cool turquoise and ochre. The inside of the entry door showcases the Gordon Leaf Mural Wright prepared by Wright's apprentice and secretary Eugene Masselink, a theme mirrored in other areas throughout the interior.
As for hard specs, the 28.2-foot (8.6-m) Airstream Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer (that's a mouthful!) comes with a well-equipped standard features package that includes a 2.5-kWh heated lithium battery-based electrical system with 2,000-W inverter and 300 watts of solar charging, both heating and air conditioning, a large 227-L door refrigerator with upper freezer, a three-burner gas stove and convection microwave, and a JL Bluetooth audio system with four Kllpsch speakers and a subwoofer. The trailer weighs in at a 6,800-lb (3,085-kg) base and offers 800 lb (363 kg) of payload.
Airstream plans to build 200 Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian trailers over the course of the next two years, each starting at a cool US$184,900. Will the majority of buyers actually travel and camp with them, or insert them in huge garage collections of collector's cars and vehicles?
Source: Airstream
