hank bought a bus: architecture student turns bus into a house

hank bought a bus: architecture student turns bus into a house
image © justin evidon

hank butitta grew tired of the hypothetical, often paper-choked world of architecture school. so hank bought a bus.

the university of minnesota architecture student since converted the lengthy vehicle into a traveling home and has embarked on a 5000 mile trip across the american northwest. the project grew from an impulsive school bus purchase as butitta entered his master’s thesis project and has become the post-graduate impetus to start his own shop. a testament to the brilliance of spontaneity, the bus was a $3000 USD craigslist purchase that the architect has fitted with beds, tables, ample storage and living spaces as well as a working sink and toilet. while the space is a slight 225 square feet, the mobile architecture can comfortably house 6 people. the dwelling is also both a contribution and response to the ‘tiny house movement’ which advocates for pared-down sustainable living, but is often marred and obstructed by draconian building codes. after learning that his grandfather owned 80 acres of land in the wisconsin dells, hank had been fixing to build a cabin on the property. the idea of a schoolbus-turned-home was a serendipitous opportunity and solution; butitta stated:

‘building code just doesn’t allow for buildings under 600 square feet and requires all sorts of permits for septic and electrical, even if you’re not interested in having those things, and we heard that if we were on wheels we could get away with anything we wanted.’

the result is an exuberant, retrofitted architecture that continuously provides rich, human experiences and testifies to the possibilities of the built form.

see hank and his friends as they travel across the united states on the bus-turned house here.