The Bus Stop
Eastmark Community Center
Snapshot
The Bus Stop at EastMark Community Center
Mesa, AZ (YEAR)
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The Bus Stop at EastMark is part of the Community Center in the heart of this master-planned community in southeast Mesa, AZ.
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Overall interior design and concept by Creative License International. They hired me to take their school bus seating area concept into reality.
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It all started with a 1981 Ford 35-passenger bus. Towing it out was the first challenge. And who knew a bus could weigh 10 tons? With the help of builder/sculptor Aaron Voight and our nephews, we cut it up, cleaned it up, and reconfigured it into a fun place to play games or pretend you're driving us all on an adventure.
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What an adventure this project was! It even had to be craned into the building so as not to disrupt the landscaping. A lot of learning and gratification upon its completion.
Conception
The original concept was designed by Creative License International as part of their overall interior design of the space. We took their concept and made it a reality, introducing our own creative touches, such as a collaged front end with maps and site-specific references and other details such as the bumper stickers and the old foot locker to encase the ice machine.
Creation
Bringing this project to fruition happened by the aligning of many things. From the affordable find of an old school bus, the availability of a big yard with covered work space not far from Fine Art & Creative Environments Studio, and the help of my experienced mechanic/ metal fabricator/sculptor friend Aaron Voight, we were able to cut up the original bus and reassemble it into a fun and safe environment for kids and families to play. Teamwork and coordination were important factors in getting this one done and into the facility at the right time in the construction timeline.
Completion
As the bus became the crowning jewel of this interactive family play center, the space became known as “The Bus Stop”.
