norbert juhász is a hungarian photographer who, with his fiancée dóra, has chosen to leave the urban life of downtown budapest and convert a sixteen year old van into a mobile home for travel and freelance. being also a graduate in architecture, juhász has designed and implemented the project by using simple, discrete, low-tech, and low-budget principals.
the van has lots of openings, and where natural surroundings add extra comfort
the vehicle itself does not grab any great attention, as it looks like a regular cargo van. this discretion adopted by juhász is visible within the interior through desaturated tones, few colors, large connected surfaces, loose spacing and simple materials. three pieces of furniture create the interior: the couch, which can function as a double-bed, has the electrical system and storage underneath; the kitchen-unit which hides the gas cooker and cylinder, sink, and water tank; the L-shaped cabinet, where the lower part is for sitting, has a fridge inside and a storage space above.
the project converts the vehicle to a fully functioning home for two people
balancing low-tech methods, the materials are chosen with different assets: industrial-made but cheap and preferably green. to elaborate, OSB is applied for the interior surfaces, while MDF and reclaimed wood are used for the furniture. on the other hand, the insulation is considered to be the most technological layer — where 5 cm of PUR-foam is blown directly on the van’s body.
a double-bed, kitchen-unit, storage cabinets, electricity, water and gas system make up the interior
the mobile home has a complex 12V electrical system which can be charged in three different ways: with the 250W solar panel placed on the roof, the engine’s generator, and a regular 220V socket. it has 200Ah capacity of batteries and a smaller 220V inverter. both gas and water systems are quite simple to use. there’s a 11kg gas cylinder connected to the cooker, while a 70-liter water tank is connected to the tap with a pressure-sensing pump. an extra connection makes it possible to take a fast shower behind the van.
as they start off this new journey together, you can follow norbert juhász and dóra’s mobile lifestyle on the ‘rundebella’ website or facebook page.
for juhász, living on the road allows more freedom for freelancing as a journalist or photographer
the folding table is enough for dining or serving as a workspace
the exterior skin has a discrete appearance to avoid unnecessary attention
the 250W solar panel is placed on the roof rack
the couch opens as a comfortable double-bed and the electrical system is right placed under it
the interior before conversion
designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom
