An Architecture Student Turned an Old Bus Into a New Home

Hank's Bus1

Re-purposed buses come in all shapes and styles, but they tend to have one thing in common: almost every repurposed bus looks like a Do-It-Yourself project on some level. Even the most professional ‘skoolies’ have an element to them that brings out the self-made nature of the converted bus.

There’s nothing wrong with this at all, and the majority of skoolies and repurposed buses gain a cozy charm from the DIY style. Still, some people may be put off by the casual atmosphere and decor. If you’re looking for something a little more modern, you might be more interested in Hank Butitta’s converted school bus.

Hank's Bus3

What began as the poorly thought-out final project of a slightly disinterested architecture student became something much more as Hank found inspiration and passion in being able to work with his hands, rather than buildings only existed on paper. Enlisting the help of his brother Vince and photographer Justin Evidon, the groups spent 14 weeks converting an old bus into a clean, modular living space equipped with a kitchen, a bathroom, beds, storage, and perhaps most beautifully, a sleek floor make of wood panels taken from an old gym.

When they finished, the group took the bus on a 5,000 mile trip around the US over the course of August 2013, which they documented in their travel blog. The blog really gives insight to what life is like when you think outside the box and turn a large mobile space like a bus into a home. As Hank describes in his final blog of the trip, “It’s amazing how quickly a space can become ‘home’. After just a few weeks on the road I’d not only adjusted to life on the bus, but I’d forgotten what living in a building was like, and I didn’t really miss it.”

Hank's Bus2