We visit AutoCamp’s latest and greatest outpost in Yosemite, where Anacapa Architecture and Geremia Design have joined forces for an Airstream campground that’s both rugged and refined.
Dwell has long been a fan of the iconic Airstream—some call it a mild obsession. So when AutoCamp reached out to give us a first look at their newest property, we hit the road for the three-hour journey from San Francisco to seek enlightenment at one of America’s most beloved national parks: Yosemite.
Yosemite is hot—in temperature (my gum melted in my purse on our drive up) and in trend (you’ll be hard-pressed to find a Californian who hasn’t visited)—so it came as no surprise that AutoCamp chose this area for the third installment of their wildly popular outdoor hotels comprising decked-out Airstream suites, luxury tents, and cabins.
Dan Weber of Anacapa Architecture said that the design for the clubhouse was inspired by the work of Richard Neutra, and by Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion.
Photo by Erin Feinblatt
AutoCamp’s design has a personal, familial vibe throughout the site, which is exactly what you want in a space like this. I have many fond memories of camping near the Sierras as a kid—swimming in a lake down the road from my family’s campsite, buying ice cream and hot dogs at the cafe by the canoes, hiking up dusty trails under a canopy of pines—and if there was a ever a perfect, grown-up version of the motor lodges and tents I stayed in, this would be it.
Heating and cooling are essential for Yosemite’s snowy winters and broiling summers. Glass walls along all sides of the clubhouse fold away to let air in—or slide shut to insulate the space from the temperature outside.
Photo by Erin Feinblatt
From start to finish, AutoCamp Yosemite took a surprisingly short two years to complete. That’s because they used the same dream team they worked with for their Russian River location—Anacapa Architecture and Geremia Design. Building on the desire to make the space homey and authentic, they took inspiration from the area and brought in local talent and hometown favorites every chance they got. Architect Dan Weber sourced the tents from a company based in his hometown; local designers contributed much of the site’s wall art, decor, and building fabrication; and a vast majority of the furnishings and decor were designed or sourced from the designers’ friends.
The clubhouse’s palette of cool concrete, pine, and steel makes rustic refined. The assortment of seating in the clubhouse’s main area allows guests to occupy every space, but it still feels intimate with one or two people.
Photo by Aaron Leitz
See the full story on Dwell.com: AutoCamp’s Epic New Location Brings Upscale Airstream Lodging to Yosemite National Park
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