Explore the design and history of the humble camping tent in a new book

Most of us have a mixed relationship with the tent. For some, it conjures memories of childhood camping trips, festival weekends, or nights shivering under nylon in the rain. For others, it evokes images of military camps, mountaineering expeditions, or humanitarian relief efforts. In The Camping Tent, the fifth book in the Typologie series, this deceptively simple structure is given the detailed design analysis usually reserved for furniture classics or architectural landmarks.

‘The Camping Tent’ by Typologie

Created by four designers and a photographer – Guillaume Bloget, Raphaël Daufresne, Thélonious Goupil, Guillaume Jandin, and Alberto Strada – Typologie is a series of self-published books that explores the forms and cultural significance of everyday objects.

Previous editions have looked at the pétanque ball, the wine bottle, the cork stopper, and the wooden crate. With the tent, the team turns its lens on a hybrid object: part shelter, part product, part symbol.

The book’s first section methodically documents 55 tents, from 19th-century expedition models to the latest high-performance bivouacs, capturing each from the front, top, and side to reveal design evolution and technical ingenuity. The second half of the book dives into history and meaning, with essays, archival images, and interviews spanning military, leisure, and humanitarian contexts, alongside a factory visit exploring contemporary production in China.

Central to this title is the Italian brand Ferrino, Europe’s oldest tent manufacturer, whose archive underpins the book’s historical sweep. Founded in 1870, Ferrino’s tents have sheltered everyone from mountaineers to explorers to refugees, making it a fitting collaborator for Typologie’s rigorous study.

Ultimately, this is a book for anyone with an eye for detail and an appreciation of the utilitarian – particularly product designers – making Jasper Morrison's Shop the perfect host for its launch during London Design Festival 2025.

Typologie : The Camping Tent, €25, is available to order from collectionstypologie.com