Distant Shores.Ph: beach

Why not sleep under the stars as a space traveler in a campsite that feels like you're in 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Martian? Rest your head in a cozy pod, kite cabin, or trampoline tent amongst sandscapes and quirky mobile art pieces for a unique camping experience on a remote, artificial island near Amsterdam.

Marring Art with camping, UrbanCampsite Amsterdam features art installations in an open-air exhibition 20 minutes away from the Dutch city. Created by local designers, any of the 12 campsites can be rented and slept in by outdoor-lovers.

1. Superfire Camp

Cook food over an outdoor fire pit that overlooks the IJ lake and is enclosed by a red

lounger, and a hot tub you can use. The cabin, also known as the sea beacon, contains a circular bed that sleeps two.

2. Solid Family

The “Solid Family” campsite sleeps composed of two “icosahedrons” capsules is spacious enough for 4 people. Each of the capsules contains a queen-size bed.

3. Bed Bug

Franka te Lintel Hekkert created the pad for nomads, and it supports mobile living protected against the elements, with a shiny foil interior.

4. The Kite Cabin

The two-person pod has a transparent roof for night-time stargazing. Plus, you can fly the window blind which is an actual kite.

5. IBC Shrinkwrap House

REFUNK, designer of the IBC Shrink wrap House, frequently explores recycling and garbage, and its link and utilization in design and architecture. The white spacious interior (despite being made out of recycled materials) is surprisingly peaceful, relaxing, and airy.

6. Trampotent

Infuse your day with energy after a few rounds on the Trampotent. This tent is multifunctional, transforming into a trampoline. The creator, Vince Vijsma, combines existing objects to suggest a new picture, object, or function.

7. Goahti

A “Goahti” is the traditional home of the indigenous Sami, who used to explore Norway. With a king-size bed perfect for two, this Sami hut is perfect if you’ve always wanted to stay in one.

8. The Val Ross

Find your original purpose in this design created by MUD Projects. “It is important to study the form of the existing object and let it speak to you in order to transform the object to subjugate the relation to its original purpose.

9. Upside Down You Turn Me

Dutch Visual Artist Rob Sweere says of his futuristic creation, “Lying inside you can look left and right and also up and down through hemispherical windows. You can sit outside, sheltered from the rain below the object. Thus, there are two rooms: inside the capsule, for resting and sleeping, and beneath the capsule one can sit and dream.”

10. Attic

Arjen Boerstra built a reconstruct-able camping space; “The attic from my youth plays a key role in my artwork. The reconstruction of this room builds a bridge between unencumbered imagination and the loss thereof later in life. The attic window connects an intimate inner world and the discovery of the outer world. “

11. Carved from wood

Studio Plots enhances the way you experience waking and the morning sun. They also wanted to emphasize the differences between the inner and outer realm. “The shape is created using varying lengths of wooden battens that soften the incoming sunlight in the interior. In this way, waking up will be a warm and intimate experience. “

12. Universe 7

Robbert van der Horst’s Universe 7 turns with the sun, and offers an expansive view of the lake and beyond.

Complete campsite facilities provided by The Tribal Toilet Tower, including showers, toitelts, compost tanks, and septic tanks.

All twelve of the Urbancampsite’s pod installations can be booked on Airbnb.com until the end of August.

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2. Gili Islands, Indonesia

Imagine three tiny deserted islands fringed by powdery white sand beaches, sprawling palm trees, and the clearest, most vibrant turquoise waters. Green is the way to go for these islanders, with not many concrete monstrosities. Expect tranquility with no motorbikes roaring past nearby or dogs howling and barking into the night.