A user-centered, modular shelter designed for bikepacking beyond built infrastructure - optimizing pack volume, setup speed, and weather protection.

Bikepacking puts tight constraints on shelter design: little frame space, wind and rain exposure, and the need to pitch fast on hard or uneven ground. I mapped the practice through its history, current trends and products, ran a rider survey (n=80) with thematic analysis, and synthesized personas and journey scenarios - drawing on hobbyist knowing and a “dirt intention” mindset to keep off-pavement realities front and center. Riders consistently prioritized lightness, compact pack size, and weather resistance; durability and modularity mattered when they didn’t compromise those core goals. I explored pole-less ridge, frame-supported and hybrid tarp architectures, downselecting against pack volume, wind stability, condensation control, repairability and setup friction. Prototyping progressed from low-fi geometry checks to sewn soft-goods, refining seam maps, guyline routing and pattern efficiency; attachment points were iterated so the packed unit integrates cleanly with typical bikepacking loads. Lead users field-tested the prototype in changing weather, focusing on repeatable fast pitch, ventilation in weather management.

The outcome is a modular, frame-integrated shelter that can pitch without ground stakes when needed, reducing terrain dependency and setup friction while maintaining protection.

Highlights (process & scope):
- Research plan integrated with the design process + academic groundwork
- Survey (n=80) and thematic analysis → personas and a clear design brief
- Benchmarking analysis, sketching and scale mockups
- Functional prototype, field tests and interviews with lead users

Result: a shelter concept where the bicycle itself serves as a structural support.