MLAB MISSION STATEMENT


The Mobile Literacy Arts Bus (MLAB) is an artist-run, renovated recreational vehicle that exists as a flexible space open to community members’ proposals for alternative educational and cultural programming.

MLAB is the collaborative effort of the 2007-2008 Social Sculpture class at Syracuse University, comprised of 10 art and architecture students and lead by artist and Director of Community Initiatives in the Visual Arts of Syracuse University, Marion Wilson. Our mission was to transform a used, 1984 Recreational Vehicle Bus into a Mobile Literacy and Arts Bus for use by the Syracuse City School District and the greater Syracuse Community. MLAB serves as a physical manifestation of Syracuse University’s Scholarship in Action initiative, by pairing University resources with community needs in an attempt to address the staggering drop out rates in the Syracuse City School District High Schools. Through the School of Education at Syracuse University, incredible curricula that bridge photography, poetry and literacy currently exist within the public schools-- however due to a crisis of space, the schools don't always have the space or resources to house it. MLAB is this space. The bus serves as a mobile classroom, digital photo lab, gallery space, and community center. As a team, we did it all: demolition, design, and construction.

MLAB is made possible from the generous support of the School of Education at Syracuse University and Entitiative.


Thursday, February 28, 2008

Ceiling!!!

Sorry I wont be in class today. Next week we will be able to look at a layout for the website.
At the moment the ceiling tiles are almost worked out. Just need a couple dimensions from the bus before we can start cutting. Below is a series of attempts to get the most surface area out of the panels. The last is the most recent.So close...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful. What dimensions do you need? Can somebody help you get them so we can get them cutting soon.

Zach said...

This is pretty. I like it.

cazhog said...

That is going to be an incredible ceiling. BTW what happens between the plane of the ceiling and the top of the wall where the white board ends...how is that transition going to be handled?

cazhog said...

That is going to be an incredible ceiling. BTW what happens between the plane of the ceiling and the top of the wall where the white board ends...how is that transition going to be handled?

Vincent Appel said...

cazhog,

thanks. initially we were going to make sure that the ceiling plan would overshoot the area of the ceiling by 6-7in on the sides. then that extra could be cut off an used on the top of the walls in the ceiling coves. since it would come from the adjacent tile, it would also be the same thickness and nicely accommodate for any movement. unfortunately we dont have enough to do that as planned. We will buy about $100 more acrylic scrap to take care of that later.