People's Bus
Human Imagination
The People's Bus is a bus formerly used to transport people detained on Rikers Island. It’s been transformed into a community center on wheels with the purpose of engaging people in NYC's civic life through beauty and joy. Agencie was the Design-Builder on the project.
The fabrication involved saw-cutting the existing shell and installing a gas springs at the openings. The door hatch was enlarged and the bus was fitted out with wood flooring, storage cabinets, and a vivid beaded mural on the ceiling. The bus is fitted with solar panels and electrical wiring. The bus operates at net-zero at community events. Agencie fabricated the bus at a facility in Jersey City NJ.
The fabrication culminated in the bus being featured at the People's Bus Festival, the resulting five borough presentation of the bus. Neighborhoods most affected by COVID-19 were prioritized for the festival. The People's Bus features a 6' LED Map of NYC that highlights urban inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. This digital exhibit was developed in partnership with the Illuminate Cities Project.
Services
- Design-Build
Location
- New York, NY
Client
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
- Civic Engagement Commission
Credits
- Hive Public Space
Team
- Andres Cortes, AIA
- Tyler Javitz
