INTRODUCTION

THE SYAHIM MAG

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A NEW GENERATION OF ALTERNATIVE LIVING

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.

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.

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SIGNIFICANCE

Housing must adapt to the physically changing environment by remaining as flexible and as mobile as possible; moreover, the population must continue to adapt to the economic environment in a similar way. Coupled with the advancement of technology and an evolving workforce, lack of affordable housing and increasing levels of student debt fuels the potential for a nomadic revolution, where people regain agency through the power of choice.

Nomadism begins to address the interiority of the landscape, the interiority of the built environment, and the interiority of self as the definition of the ‘home’ transforms to meet the demands of the ever-changing landscape. The potential for lower expenses and simplified lifestyles could break middle-class households free from the chains of debt and mounting living expenses; moreover, this model of living could make basic survival possible for those failing to meet their financial needs in the lower-class.

Vehicle dwelling offers individuals the financial agency to determine when and where to spend their income regardless of inflated rental rates. The importance of acknowledging the cultural shift in values of these individuals and supporting vehicledwellers, who are using their ingenuity to work within the capitalistic system, remains of upmost importance in providing relevant facilities for the modern world. Moreover, the need to connect these individuals becomes vital in order to strengthen the community of vehicle dwellers and facilitate peerto-peer learning in an effort to keep these individuals on the road longer in order to achieve their financial goals.

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THE SYAHIM MAG