Why B.A.S.C.?

As we looked at various forms used for personal shelters, one was the traditional sheep camp, vardo or caravan, a portable one- or two-person shelter designed to be more or less self contained. Although variations of this simple Airstream of the Pioneers are used throughout the world, the form most familiar to folks in Boise is the traditional Basque sheep camp, or Karro Kampos. This idea was appealing for several reasons:

1. The sheep camp is a very simple design form consisting primarily of a stepped box frame and arched roof.
2. The form is similar to the more rudimentary Conestoga Hut used effectively by Community Supported Shelters of Eugene to create micro neighborhoods of secure, insulated structures to those who would otherwise be isolated in tents and vulnerable to predators and weather.
3. Ultimately, the sheep camp is a ubiquitous form recognizable to westerners and Boise residents—hopefully one with positive associations based on the historic use.
4. These lend themselves well to placement around or adjacent to shared services like showers, bathrooms and kitchen or meeting space.
5. They are portable and can be relocated or repurposed as needed.

This group originally formed before the 2015 Jaialdi festival. One member spent time at the festival visiting with individuals who had restored or built Karro Kampos and documenting the structures. When he described the group's goal of creating personal shelters, everyone at the festival seemed to agree that the sheep wagon would be a great option and could be adapted to serve this purpose.

Some even offered to provide technical assistance and guidance in the design and construction. 

So while we already knew that we were looking to create shelter alternatives for use in Boise, we needed a term to describe our group's structure, and settled on either Coalition or Cooperative. It's that simple.

We meant to honor the historic cultural form and the expressed support of folks at Jaialdi with a name that describes our purpose and goals.

Photo: idahosheepcamp.com