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Anthropods: Off-Ground Glamping Structures for Elevated Experiences

Creature comforts and unique structures that make for Instagram-worthy photos are some elements of glamping that attract guests. For Anthropods & Co., a North Yorkshire (England) manufacturer, glamping setups with distinctive features help command high rates.

Take for example the anthropods that the company constructs. Built to be eco-friendly and eye-catching to both kids and adults, the anthropod is a unique structure that provides a one-of-a-kind glamping experience.

Photo courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie

Each pod manufactured by the United Kingdom-based company is suspended above the ground and features a futuristic look.

“And the main idea, certainly with the offering, is it’s off-ground, so it can be placed in areas where there’s water runoff or temporary flooding, and we sell up,” Rik Currie, the company’s founder and CEO, told Modern Campground in a Zoom interview.

Featured image courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie

The tubular structure has legs that plug into big steel side beams that go down the side. Per Currie, the anthropod is very light yet very strong. The frames which are made from computer-cut plywood are also strong enough to withstand a load, he said.

In addition, the pod’s design allows it to withstand high side winds where the stress goes up through the legs, across the roof, and then down across the other side versus distorting the pod. 

The pods also use a high-tech honeycomb foam foil system wrapped around the pods as part of the wall build-up, allowing the pods to endure the winter.

Featured image courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie

Fitted with wifi-controlled and low-energy white goods for creature comforts, the pods are business-ready—delivered, dropped down, plugged in, and ready to go after half a day. The only thing left for glamping operators to do is put the chocolate on the pillow, Currie said.

In terms of materials, the business means business when sourcing supplies.

As much as possible, resources must come from sustainable sources or must be recyclable. Items should also be locally collected to support communities.

Featured image courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie

The Origin

Asked where the idea about pods with legs came from, Currie said the concept all began when his son asked him to build a treehouse.

Left with no tree upon which a treehouse could be built, the designer decided to make a structure on legs. Currie is not entirely new to designing as he has a degree in vehicle design and experience in designing double-decker trains in Holland for a few years.

Featured image courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie

After his transportation design stint, he started an industrial design company, followed by more startups later.

“I love startups and I love technology and I love design,” Currie expressed.

What lured him to the luxury camping market, he said, was when the glamping industry in the U.K. was seeing remarkable growth in 2018 and doubling every three years.

Featured image courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie

Anthropods & Co currently has four lines in its workshop and can produce four pods every six weeks, including the time for deployment and in-house upkeep.

Currie shared that the team is currently working on the off-grid version of anthropods which will be solar-powered.

“You can put it anywhere. We’re looking at waterless WC systems. So again, you don’t need to plug anything into the ground,” the businessman told Modern Campground.

“It’s an exciting future, I think. And I think as we move forward, we’ll be looking at new materials that come out and new technologies,” he added.

Featured image courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie

Learn more about the glamping pods at https://www.anthropods.co.uk/.

Featured image courtesy of Anthropods/Rik Currie.

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EllieVortex
EllieVortex
February 15, 2024 10:16 am

Did you know that these eco-friendly anthropods are not only designed for comfort and sustainability, but they also incorporate innovative technology? I think it’s wonderful that the company uses locally sourced materials, supporting the environment and surrounding communities.

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Hi, you might find this article from Modern Campground interesting: Anthropods: Off-Ground Glamping Structures for Elevated Experiences! This is the link: https://moderncampground.com/europe/united-kingdom/anthropods-off-ground-glamping-structures-for-elevated-experiences/