STUDENT CONVERTS OLD SCHOOL BUS INTO VERSATILE MOBILE HOME

"The bus was purchased on Craigslist for $3000, and has had about $6000 in improvements. It’s not pocket change, but it’s less than a down payment on a home, and it’s less than I paid in tuition for my last semester of grad school."

"There are too many architecture students who don't understand basic physical limitations of materials or how they can be joined. This project was a way to show how building a small structure with simple detailing can be more valuablethan drawing a complex project that is theoretical and poorly understood."

One of the primary goals during the design phase was to develop a living space in 225sqft that is as open and un-restricting as possible.

"The seating space is one of the most versatile, and as it occupies four bays, it is also the largest. In it’s neutral state, the zone features four large seats on either side of the aisle. Either side of the aisle can be raised or lowered to create a table surface for eating or working."

The sleeping space is comprised of two narrow beds, of equal width, on either side of the aisle. There are drawers beneath each each bed, deep storage underneath the mattresses, and built-in shelves facing the seating area. In order to accommodate varied sleeping arrangements, the port-side bed rolls into the center aisle, creating a queen-sized sleeping area, with a third mattress revealed in the vacated space. This allows for a total sleeping capacity of up to six adults.

The cabin of the bus almost entirely untouched, except for the rats nest of wires from the added electrical systems. The cabin can be separated from the living space by a sliding door panel, which is left open while on the road to communicate with the driver.