Limited Edition Frank Lloyd Wright Airstream Travel Trailer  

Travel trailer lovers, this is pretty cool. Airstream is debuting a new Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian Limited Edition Travel Trailer, designed in partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.  Only 200 of the limited-edition travel trailers will be produced over the next two years.

The new 28-foot towable travel trailer is a tribute to American design and organic architecture. It combines Frank Lloyd Wright's storied architectural vision with Airstream founder Wally Byam's innovative and aerodynamic approach to mobile living. It was designed in collaboration between Airstream's Ohio-based engineering and design teams and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's experts at Wright's Taliesin West home, where designers had unprecedented access to Wright's archival materials, and his studio in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Photo: Airstream.

"This is a dream collaboration that brings together two icons of American design, and by focusing on Wright's design principles we were pushed to think differently about materials, textures, and small space efficiency in our floor plan," said Bob Wheeler, president and chief executive officer at Airstream. "Collaborations like this bring new ideas to the table and push our design and engineering teams beyond their comfort zone. The result distills the essence of these two iconoclasts in a travel trailer that is both beautiful and functional."

"We believe Frank Lloyd Wright's design philosophy was always about helping people live with more purpose, beauty and joy. This collaboration with Airstream has been better than we could have imagined — a perfect meeting of vision and craft that brings Wright's timeless ideas to life on the road," said Henry Hendrix, vice president and chief marketing officer at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. "Together, we've created something that lets Airstream enthusiasts 'Live Riveted' in the fullest sense — deeply connected to nature, adventure, and the meaning of home, wherever they go."

Photo: Airstream.

If you're wondering where "Usonian" in the name comes from, it's a home design principle that Wright adopted later in his career.  Usonian style is the idea of maximizing small spaces and open floor plan efficiency, while blending interior and exterior spaces. Airstream points to the trailer's rear space as one example of the design concept. 

The unit is standard equipped with Airstream's popular rear hatch feature, providing a sweeping panoramic view from the convertible lounge and sleeping space. Where many Airstream travel trailers feature a convertible dinette inside the hatch, this model uniquely positions the primary sleeping area at its rear. Two twin beds, which double as bench seating, convert with the push of a button into a king-sized bed– the largest option in Airstream's fleet— reminiscent of the gaucho beds found in 1950-1960s era Airstreams.

Photo: Airstream.

Another unique convertible feature is found in the front living space. The dining table and separate desk space both collapse into a wall cabinet. This creates room for a pull-out sofa that doubles as a secondary sleeping area.  Two collapsible Wright-inspired chairs and a collapsible stool tuck away inside the wall cabinet behind the lowered desk and table.

Designers also wanted to allow more light into the space, so they relocated the overhead storage area to allow for more windows and natural light.  Also unique to the trailer, two circular porthole windows that were inspired by Wright's love of circular elements and Airstream's dedication to rounded aerodynamic design.

Other historic elements pulled from Wright's career include a never-produced mobile kitchen concept unearthed from a 1939 archival design. It features deep-set lounge seating inspired by Wright's signature furniture work. Open shelving replaces overhead locker cabinetry.

Even the desert-inspired cabin color palette is Wright-inspired, as it was drawn from a 1955 Wright-curated Martin-Senour paint collection.

Photo: Airstream.

Another design element seen throughout the trailer is a Gordon Leaf mural pattern. The graphic is something Wright actually commissioned his trusted apprentice and secretary, Eugene Masselink, to create in 1956 for House Beautiful editor Elizabeth Gordon. You'll spot the pattern's organic geometry on the entry portal and matching die-cut screen door, as well as in the lighting sconces, galley wall laminate, dinette, and cabinetry pulls.

Photo: Airstream.

"The Gordon Leaf is a wonderful natural pattern that becomes a gateway to the natural world. The pattern isn't solely decorative. It helps create the sense of fluidity and continuity from interior to exterior that you see across all of Wright's work," said Hendrix.

The limited-edition trailer - which features custom badging in Wright's beloved Taliesin Red hue - will be available for purchase at Airstream dealers nationwide, with pricing at $184,900.  For details visit airstream.com.