ZEAL Explorer II – Airstream Mobile Showroom

“The mountains are calling and I must go,” is the famous quote driving the philosophy of Zeal Optics, a quickly up and coming boutique eye-wear company based out of Boulder, Colorado. As a company driven by the need for exploration, the journey and meaning in what they produce, 1 Friday’s approach to design was a logical choice for the collaboration. The project was born out of a run-down find in the desert Southwest and the desire to create a mobile showroom / office / event center from this salvaged 1972 Airstream Safari trailer. The programmatic needs of the project drove every sq ft of the space to allow and accommodate multiple usages depending upon the trailer’s location and purpose. We like to think of Explorer II as a “Swiss Army Knife on Wheels” due to the multi-use of every wall and operable maple panel in the design. The project was completed on budget and from design to roll-out in three months. Should the difficult-to-miss aluminum chassis roll into a town near you, check it out, as it’s one of the more playful showrooms you’ll encounter. (It’s also our understanding the beverage center is always well-stocked in addition!)