Vanlife: Creating Community on the Road
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Abstract
Van life is an ever-growing movement across North America and the rest of the world.
Driven by high costs of living, mundane desk jobs, poor quality of life, and the urge to
be free, thousands of people are packing up their houses and apartments and moving
into self-converted full-size cargo vans. Van-lifers tend to gravitate towards each
other, creating community on the road. What is the potential of community-based
infrastructure for van-lifers? How can a prototypical rest area for van-lifers be placed
in almost any location in the world? The research will begin with a compilation of case
studies that support intentional community gathering and investigate the wants and
needs of people on the road. Qualitative research will collect stories of van lifers.