Learning from Quartzsite, AZ: Emerging Nomadic Spatial Practices in America

Abstract

Quartzsite, in Arizona, is a popular winter home base for vehicle dwellers who identify as nomads. While vehicle dwelling in America has diverse motivations, this thesis focuses on 4 million Americans who live in their cars full-time as their sole home and rely on them as a means of seasonal migrations. Building on the author's participation in the nomads’ biggest annual gathering in Quartzsite called Rubber Tramp Rendezvous (RTR) and subsequent interviews; the thesis investigates their spatial practices in urban and non-urban settings. It seeks to shed light on invisible mobile communities emerging from the ongoing decentralization process in the US, driven primarily by economic crises, climate change, and technological advancements. Los Angeles County serves as an urban case study, while Quartzsite serves as a non-urban case study. The thesis advocates for differentiating between houselessness and homelessness, asserting that a houseless nomadic lifestyle can serve as an effective adaptation strategy for individuals confronting the loss of conventional homes. In this context, design intervention aims to enhance nomads’ visibility and vehicle dwelling reliability through systemic thinking, proposing complementary infrastructural modules to address deficiencies along their migration route.