MERCEDES, 2020

After our research on mobile living spaces, Space10 approached us to develop an overnight bus for Mercedes-Benz.

In a world increasingly shaped by urbanization, sustainability, and shifting travel habits, overnight buses were a direct response to broader cultural and economic forces reshaping mobility. While rethinking regional mobility, the idea of offering a similar service intrigued Mercedes.

ROLLING HOTELS

Luxury sleeper buses operate in a space trains have struggled to occupy, particularly in regions where rail infrastructure is underdeveloped. As “rolling hotel rooms,” buses deliver the comfort and refinement of first-class rail without the long term investment required to lay new tracks. While urban centers densify and rural peripheries remain economically tethered to them, the need for long-distance commuter solutions only grows.

SLOW TRAVEL

Speed and efficiency had defined the past century of transit, but a new sensibility was emerging: the appeal of slow travel. Travelers want to reduce their carbon footprint, opting for experiences that feel intentional rather than utilitarian. The Mercedes-Benz bus responded to this by making the journey itself an experience: the interior was designed not just for transit but for transition.

PRODUCT ECOSYSTEM

To design an experience means approaching the whole ecosystem of product touchpoints. For the Mercedes bus, we explored: private entryways instead of a single crowded door:

a key fob that granted access to a personal space:

the ritual of changing footwear upon boarding,

and a modular interior capable of adapting to different needs:

Mercedes-Benz’s overnight bus was a re-framing of transit as a restorative experience rather than a necessary inconvenience.

CREDITS

Team: Carla Cammilla Hjort, Kristoffer Tjalve, Lukas Kauer, Vadik Marmeladov, Joe Tsao (Body Shop)