Limit on spatial size of camp?

[Don Gately]

Is there an enforced limit on the amount of space that I can claim for my camp upon arrival, assuming I don't annex space already being used by another camp or reserved for a theme camp?

I'd like to get about 1600 square feet.

[sunn]

How many people are you camping with and do you really need that much?

[phil]

Hi, Don,

There's an issue on "claims." The BLM owns the ground, so you can't enforce any 'claim' you may make for space, although _many_ people will respect your wishes and not aggravate you about your lack of right to any space.

That respect depends on where you stake your 'claim,' though, and not everyone will concede that you have any rights at all. The best way to get the space you want is to occupy it fully with all your camp members, especially if it's in a primo location. If you're there alone trying to run people off 24 hours a day from a choice site, you're more likely to cause a lot of aggravation.

[Eric]

Like Phil said, a lot depends on how many people you need that space for and where you try to claim it. The farther back from the Esplanade you are the more room you should be able to get, but if you're one person who just wants a McMansion size camp, don't count on being able to hold off other people all week.

This link is a good shot of the city from the air: http://www.flickr.com/photos/loupiote/237497928/

You can see how crowded it gets and use it to help decide where you want to place your camp. Just remember if you try to land-grab from an Org placed theme camp, you will be moved.

[MrMullen]

Yes, claiming a bunch of land that you don't use or use inefficiently will result in being killed by other land grabbing participants. How close you are to Esplanade will dictate how early or late in the week you are killed.

Take what you need but not a inch more.

[Toolmaker]

Themecamp areas should be double flagged. Everyone bvefore me posting was on point. Don't try to take up a ton of space you don't need or will not use. If you're concerned with having a boundary of some sort use cars, structures, small netting for a fence etc to have some sort of "zone". A good tip would also be to say hi to your potential neighbors before striking camp to make sure you dig em. Also don't camp next to ANYONE with large speakers about if ya want sleep.

[Don Gately]

The plan is a pentagon dome (q.v. geometrydome.com) with guy lines coming off the 2nd-level vertices parallel to the roof struts. The guy lines will enable load-bearing suspension within the dome. Cover the guy lines with kite-shaped tarps to form 4 side rooms.

Trigonometry yields the following: The guy lines touch the playa 14 ft from the dome's walls, and the radius of the dome is 8.5 ft, so total radius is 22.5 ft. Approximating the dome/extensions complex as a circle of radius 22.5 ft gives 1590 square feet.

I can delete the side rooms, but because the guy lines allow the existence of additional rooms, it seems like a good idea to take advantage of them to create more shade.

At this time I am the camp's only resident. If deleting the side rooms will make my use of space more reasonable (and thereby more defensible), I can do it, but the guy lines are important to me because I want to suspend things in the dome that will support people. Making these lines parallel to the roof struts seems to guarantee the most structural stability (because then there is no added perpendicular force component).

[phil]

> At this time I am the camp's only resident

It's a toss-up, don. Having the structure there makes it easy to have the space you occupy. The issue then becomes what you do for your neighbors.

It's Burning Man - do what you like and see how it goes.* Then you can do it better next year.


*Keeping in mind this rule applies to those around you, too.

[honeyfire]

I'm betting that people will be more amenable to your dome taking up this much space if you happen to offer space in said shade to people who brought gear but weren't clear on what actually constitutes "shade structure".
And there's things to be said for haivng people aorund when you wanna go romp...
You may be the only one staying there now, but after a day or two, who knows?!
If you want to get some folks booked in before reaching the playa, i'm sure this pages will yield people willing to join you.

[Don Gately]

[quote="honeyfire"]I'm betting that people will be more amenable to your dome taking up this much space if you happen to offer space in said shade to people who brought gear but weren't clear on what actually constitutes "shade structure".
[/quote]

That indeed is one of my motivations. I want the space to develop into a haven, although I won't have much in the way of amenities. Just sun protection and symmetry.

[honeyfire]

Wooot!
Good on you, fella, shade is an *excellent* gift to offer.

[Eric]

Don, my trig sucks, but from what you're saying (and looking at the website you mentioned), it looks like you need about 30'x30', which should also have room for your vehicle. That space isn't too unreasonable, esp. if you share your shade with the neighbors.

I'd still say aim for the outer block just because it's easier to get more room there...

[crescent]

Hey! Looking for campmates to share your big structure? I have 6 people (5 women and one man, all in their 30s) who need a sturdy shade structure. Let me know if you want to talk!

Thanks and see you there...

[Angel Ben]

It's like that sign at the buffet: take all you want, but use all you take.

[Don Gately]

I'll probably end up just doing the standard icosahedron, due to limited prep time and priority juggling. If I get industrious out there, I'll expand things.