Flashback: Steampunk Airship Outpost

In 2011, Atomic Octopus founders Pani and Trilo brought an elaborate illusion to Burning Man. Working under the camp name Eridu Society (years before the change to Atomic Octopus), they transformed an ordinary cargo van into the Steampunk Airship Outpost, a richly detailed desert installation with a story, a sense of humor, and an excellent view of Black Rock City.

The project combined theatrical architecture, digital fabrication, hand painting, and playful graphic design. More importantly, it turned the camp itself into a piece of participatory art. Visitors did not simply see a decorated vehicle. Instead, they encountered a lonely port whose staff had somehow landed far from every known airship route.

A Steampunk Airship Outpost Takes a Wrong Turn

The premise borrowed its comic logic from old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Bugs would emerge somewhere unexpected, realize his mistake, and remark that he should have taken a different turn at Albuquerque. Similarly, this mobile outpost had made a navigational error and arrived in Nevada’s desolate Black Rock Desert.

Unfortunately, no airships were expected. Eridu Society had not built any for that year’s event. Nevertheless, the outpost staff refused to let a minor logistical disaster ruin the week. They settled in, watched Black Rock City unfold, welcomed travelers, and kept scanning the horizon for vessels that would never arrive. Hilariously, towards the end of the week an airship art car did pass by!

That simple backstory gave the installation personality. Moreover, it invited everyone who approached the camp to fully join the joke. The outpost felt stranded, but never defeated.

Building the Illusion Around a Cargo Van

To create the structure, Pani and Trilo designed a massive wooden façade that covered their cargo van. They used several CNC tools at a now-defunct San Francisco makerspace to cut the intricate components before painting, transporting and assembling them on the playa. Consequently, a practical camp vehicle disappeared behind the fantasy of a mobile industrial outpost.

The façade also extended upward. A ladder led to an upper deck, where a shaded observation platform offered expansive views across the city. From there, campers could survey the desert, watch the activity below, and, naturally, look for approaching airships.

Every layer supported the central illusion. Decorative details suggested Victorian machinery, while the elevated platform made the fictional port feel functional. At the same time, the design gave Eridu Society useful shade and welcoming social space. Art and camp infrastructure became one memorable environment.

Cats, Captains, and Safety Third

Pani and Trilo completed the ground level with two large posters: “Reasonably Good Chance of Survival” and “Public Service Announcement.” Both used steampunk imagery to imagine the sort of dubious guidance passengers might receive at a lost airship station.

The first poster featured Gandalf, their large gray cat, dressed as a fashionable businessman in a top hat. His message offered cautious encouragement while riffing on Burning Man’s enduring “safety third” mantra. Therefore, the warning felt both reassuring and suspiciously noncommittal.

Meanwhile, “Public Service Announcement” starred their cat Trillian in an airship pilot captain’s uniform. She instructed guests to contact their pilot immediately if their airship burst into flames. The advice was technically sensible, although it arrived far too late for any comfortable journey.

These portraits also let Pani and Trilo bring their cats to the desert in spirit. Actual pets did not belong in Black Rock Desert conditions; however, Gandalf and Trillian could still preside over camp as impeccably dressed officials.

Remembering Eridu Society at Burning Man 2011

The Steampunk Airship Outpost delighted visitors because it rewarded curiosity. From a distance, people saw an imposing wooden structure. As they moved closer, they discovered the stranded-port narrative, handcrafted details, improbable safety notices, and feline authorities. Then, if they climbed higher, they found a welcoming place to pause above the city.

The work also had a life beyond the event. The Steampunk Airship Outpost was featured at Burning Man’s 2011 “Decompression HEAT THE STREET FaIRE” event in the fall (where several blocks of the city were shut down and decorated with art and performance stages). A couple of years later, prints of the posters hung at Burning Man headquarters in San Francisco. That recognition suited a project built from craftsmanship, absurdity, and affection.

Looking back, the camp foreshadowed the creative partnership Pani and Trilo would continue through Atomic Octopus. They took an everyday vehicle, wrapped it in a coherent fictional world, and made room for others inside the story. Ultimately, the outpost never needed an airship to arrive. Its wrong turn was the entire improbable desert adventure.