Entry# 9 So What Exactly is the Plan Here?

But its a Bus, Not a Cafe?

​Alright, so what is the main vision leading the build of the bus? What are the goals of its design? What is the overall plan for the bus? And what considerations are there to making the space work? The overall vision for the bus is a small unique café to enjoy quality coffee in an interesting and unique space. The overall goal of the design is to maintain portions of the bus, while making it easy to forget you are inside one. There are plenty of the double decker bus restaurant conversion around, and I wanted to separate my build from others by altering how the space flows and feels. The overall plan to achieve these goals is to have two if not three difference spaces in the bus. A working café, a working roastery (apparently not a word, but I am using it), and a comfortable seating/ hangout area. Due to the second story having the most windows and a considerably lower ceiling than down stairs, it will be the primary seating area. The bus will be parked in a manner that the windows maximize sun exposer and view. Downstairs on the other hand is a bit more difficult to lay out. The lower deck of the bus has some super awkward dimensions, primarily its ceiling height taper from the front to back of the bus.  In addition, since the bus originated in Liverpool, the drivers seat is on the right hand side and the front entry door is on the left. Near the rear of the bus on the right side there is another small door. The staircase to the second floor is essentially in the middle of the bus on the right side splitting the bus into two halves. It would be nice for ease of moving people through the bus to utilize both doors.  However, utilizing both doors for customer access/egress would push the working café/roastery too far to the back of the bus, not leaving enough space for a comfortable work environment due to the ceiling taper. In order to best organize the two zones, I decided the split the space at the stair case. This way customers can enter/exit the front door, and the back door would be a designated service door for staff behind the front counter. By breaking the space at staircase, the two zones are delineated into controllable areas. With the general spaces laid out, its time to plan out the specifics of the floor plan. What can I fit where? Oh this needs this kind of set back from combustibles? These need to be on separate circuit breakers? I can’t drill here, the frame of the bus is right there! What the hell even holding that there? And on and on and on…