TH E SYAH IM M AG
A N E W G E N E R AT I O N O F A LT E R N AT I V E L I V I N G INTRODUCTION
How can architecture assist in providing for the underserved physical and psychological needs of the existing vehicle-dwelling, nomadic community? And how can this discipline assist in growing the movement by providing stability and organic community connections between vehicle dwellers? PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION The devastating economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light the social and economic injustice embedded in the United States. Prior to the onslaught of the pandemic stay-at-home orders, the US saw homeownership decline 10 percent among households in the bottom quintile between 1986 and 2016; at the same time, the average percentage of income households spent on rental expenses rose from 28% in 1960 to 42% in 2016.
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In 2020, the percentage of average household income being allocated toward rental expenses continues to rise with the price of real estate leaving families with very little income to pay for the basic necessities of food, utilities, medical care, and transportation. Therefore, solutions are needed to provide a low-cost, adaptable alternative to the current housing market in order to account for the economic and social landscape of the United States and provide social mobility through empowerment of choice. Fortunately, without access to truly affordable housing options,
individuals are taking to voluntary, preemptive vehicle-dwelling as a way to pull themselves out of debt and strategically leverage their financial present to invest in their financial future. The movement of individuals living in their vehicles continues to rapidly grow following the Coronavirus pandemic as seen through social media accounts and public interest. The New York Times reports, “dozens of new companies are popping up to rent or sell retrofitted sleeper vans, some now with yearlong wait-lists.” The problem becomes the resources these individuals will require on the road to sustain their nomadic lifestyle including the physical infrastructure and social systems. Often relying on public spaces, commercial gyms, and coffee shops, the nomadic community found themselves without essential resources during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Individuals were forced to shelter in place with friends and family or found themselves retreating into traditional apartment living dipping into their savings. The lack of consolidated and specified
services for these individuals became a major issue as their public spaces, commercial gyms, and coffee shops were deemed unessential during the pandemic restrictions despite providing essential services to vehicle dwellers. RESEARCH QUESTIONS The research and proposal here within seek to address the following questions (1) How can architecture assist in providing for the underserved physical and psychological needs of the existing vehicle-dwelling, nomadic community? (2) How can this discipline assist in growing the movement by providing stability and organic community connections between vehicle dwellers? The underlying issues in these questions include underserved needs pertaining to sanitation services, food services, health services, and coworking and/ or makerspace. These questions seek to explore ways of supporting the vehicle-dwelling community by embracing their chosen lifestyle in the overall design strategy and celebrating the ingenuity of these individuals.
