Vanlife: Creating Community on the Road

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.