Most of us are convinced that house should be built from regular and expensive materials and most of us believe that alternative materials are often not so stable and quality.When you have enough money then you really do not have a reason for an alternative but when you live in poor part of Mexico then every alternative is more than welcome.
This is probably one of the best ideas for getting cheap home. Those bottles are pretty cheap even if you buy them new and they filled them with sand and tiny stones. The walls are thick enough to give them full thermal isolation and stability for the building.
![bottle-house []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house-.jpg "bottle-house []")
And when it is finished, you actually would never notice that this house is made of recycled bottles. This concept is so good that it soon could become very popular amongst those who cannot afford expensive home.
![bottle-house2 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house2-.jpg "bottle-house2 []")
![bottle-house3 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house3-.jpg "bottle-house3 []")
![bottle-house5 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house5-.jpg "bottle-house5 []")
![bottle-house7 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house7-.jpg "bottle-house7 []")
![bottle-house9 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house9-.jpg "bottle-house9 []")
![bottle-house13 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house13-.jpg "bottle-house13 []")
![bottle-house15 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house15-.jpg "bottle-house15 []")
![bottle-house17 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house17-.jpg "bottle-house17 []")
![bottle-house19 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house19-.jpg "bottle-house19 []")
![bottle-house20 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house20-.jpg "bottle-house20 []")
![bottle-house23 []](http://www.worldmaxtravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/bottle-house23-.jpg "bottle-house23 []")
Via : Home-and-gardening , Images source
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:31 am
superb explanation how can we recycle things,very impressed
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:37 pm
very innovative
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Would not meet local building codes! Good idea but in most modern areas (of the usa) the local building inspectors would never let you build it (without getting a very expensive variance permit) and engenerring experts to sign off on it. The same reason I have never built a “straw bail house” the city will not LET me.
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:33 pm
i guess people don’t know that is how many homes and walls were built in Etiwanda, CA and Desert Hot Springs, CA in the 1940s – same materials – too bad they look so bad when they get broken when exposed.
(
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:11 pm
@Variable That’s an example of over-regulation. I’m a fan of safety, but in my opinion if someone builds their own home with the understanding that they are doing so at their own risk and also sign a contract to the city that in order to sell it, it will need to be demolished, what’s the harm?
With the stifling regulation in home building now, innovation is completely impossible.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Variable is right. Building department employees are very rigid people who do not understand non-traditional materials and methods.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Looks like it’s more cement than bottles.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:38 pm
This is exactly the sort of unreinforced structure that will collapse in an earthquake and crush the occupants.
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:22 pm
WOW. That is AMAZING. I love seeing recycling projects. This one is superb.
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:42 pm
Is this even structurally sound?
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:58 pm
What’s the point of using recycled bottles for this? They don’t add stability or isolation – quite the opposite, probably.
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Looks good to me. I’d love to live in a place like that. It’s simple and elegant, and probably a lot nicer than where they could be living.
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:38 pm
you would definitely need some rebar in there for support. i just don’t see how that could stand for more than a few years, especially in CA.
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Add a simple metal rebar support structure and you’re golden.
January 23rd, 2010 at 12:15 am
Too bad they’re using plastic bottles. Plastic that degrades with constant exposure to UV. Sure, they can put more mud on top of it, but you can see from the patterns and attempted design based off the bottles that most are still exposed.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:21 am
Its great, but it will probably fall over in an earthquake.
I think it would have been more efficient to grind up lots of glass and mix with some cement, like plywood (Ground wood and glue) and make boards of that and use it.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:37 am
To John Rockerfeller:
I read a great quote by Keynes the other day that should explain the common objection to your proposal: “Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.” John Maynard Keynes
If you would also sign a contract that says when your substandard dwelling collapses on you or your family or a visitor, you will be wholly responsible for rescue costs, medical care and any long term medical treatment stemming from harm. And that you won’t call emergency services if it catches on fire. And that you won’t simply abandon it to avoid the cost of demolition and the inevitable (and expensive) landfill fees along with any fees associated with selling if the new owner wants to have the property checked to make sure you were as good as your word. Because many people aren’t you know.
In the end, the worst case scenario would bankrupt you. The best case scenario would cost you as much as you would put into building according to code.
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:17 am
“I’m a fan of safety, but in my opinion if someone builds their own home with the understanding that they are doing so at their own risk and also sign a contract to the city that in order to sell it, it will need to be demolished, what’s the harm?”
The harm is everyone else’s property values when you shanty get built, and then another hit when it collapses.
January 23rd, 2010 at 3:46 am
>what’s the harm?
They’re afraid you’ll sue the city if it collapses / burns down.
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:30 am
This was done over 100 years ago. I’ve seen the Bottle House in the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada.
See: http://www.rhyolitesite.com/bottle1.html
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:12 am
I believe the recent news out of Haiti underscore why this sort of thing, while momentarily making us glow with green pride, is ultimately not a grand idea. Better to recycle the bottles into raw materials.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Listen to all you engineering weenies, no wonder innovation is a stagnant art in home production. The pertinent question is not “does this method meet the engineering requirements of the locality” the relevant question is “does this method improve upon **unregulated** slum construction.” A solution need not be ignored simply because it does not satisfy ultimate long-term goals. Baby-steps, baby-steps.
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:02 pm
It’ll be inexpensive until city goverments start taxing by the bottle.
January 23rd, 2010 at 2:53 pm
As a civil engineer I’d agree this is a nice idea and CAN be done in a safe manner, but the construction shown above does not appear to have any reinforcement or structural frame for lateral support, therefore in a strong wind (major storm or hurricane) or earthquake this house could come down on its occupants. Much of haiti is/was constructed of unreinforced masonry, which would behave similar to the above house (i suspect the bottles would be even worse as they have a lower frictional coefficient and are not as stiff). Mexico also has areas of very large earthquakes. While we complain about the expense and uninventiveness of building officials, the reason they are there is because we’ve learned that unregulated construction leads to unnecessary deaths. I’m all for cheap construction methods, but i’d rather not kill people just because they’re poor and i’m in a hurry.
January 23rd, 2010 at 3:39 pm
It’s actually post and beam construction with the cement and bottles used as filler. It’s neat but would never work in an earthquake zone or anywhere with serious freeze/thaw conditions.
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:46 pm
as for the problem in the us with housing prices, most of the cost in the high price areas like california and new york is because of all the absurd regulations on zoning. some tiny little lot in san fran goes for a million bucks—you may as well spend 80 grand building an actual house on the lot. you know, that way when it collapses in an earthquake, you don’t cause 4 million in rescue efforts and disability payments to your fellow taxpayers.
January 24th, 2010 at 12:34 am
Neat implementation, but not a new idea. Google ‘World Bottle’ or try http://www.archinect.com/news/article.php?id=65009_0_24_0_C for an old school solution.
January 24th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
The structure is earthquake resistant. Shockwaves travel linearly, the round shape of the bottles would disperse the forces in multiple directions unlike traditional brick and mortar which transfers the shock and destroys the structure. Look at the construction of ancient Roman homes near Naples and their placement of bricks is at an angle for the exact same reason.
January 24th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
How do you get crushed under plastic bottles? Very innovative.
January 24th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Inspectors are complete twats.
January 25th, 2010 at 1:33 am
Based from the photo of the door, approx. 8 columns x 24 rows of bottles= 192 bottles for the area of a door, all filled with sand and small stones. I certainly hope you have nothing else to do all day. This is an even less practical type of contruction than straight adobe.
There are very valid reasons that most alternative construction materials and methods are frowned upon by inspectors, professional builders and engineers. Traditional construction techniques and materials have known values, and you know what the material is capable of supporting. Using recycled materials is frowned upon because you are never certain of the strength of the recycled material.
Yes, adobe structures have some advantages in certain environments, but it would hardly be a constrution method you would use in a temperate zone. Dirt walls plus a little rain equals mud.
January 25th, 2010 at 4:46 am
Please see: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/10/temple-built-from-beer-bottles.php
Lots of ideas are just waiting to happen.
January 25th, 2010 at 8:13 am
It is very good idea, but it require more cement than traditional way of making wall. So it will not be cost effective. It can be used as surrounding walls having not good hight.
January 26th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
This is no different than any adobe brick home. In 1976 there was an earthquake in Guatemala that killed 25,000, most lived in adobe brick homes. I hope this folks don’t like in an earthquake prone area of the world.
January 28th, 2010 at 12:50 am
Tom is right. Not only will the occupant get crushed, he or she will be cut to bits from the glass. Cool, but not practical.
January 31st, 2010 at 7:22 am
wow great job.you are doing 2 thing here. one is making good home another is you are saving environment by recycled the bottle. thank you very much
February 12th, 2010 at 8:06 am
I think it’s great that people are being conscientious of being “green” but that house is pretty damn ugly just my opinion…but it’s cool anyways. I see it as more of a concept than anything else, I think if something incorporating recycled bottles were to be put into use in construction it would not be like this.
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:32 pm
I am drinking wine as fast as I can to try to keep up with my husband’s work on the walls of our new house. we’ve only got about a foot of walls up so far because a) we haven’t drunk enough wine to get enough botles and b) we’ve been so drunk that we can’t work most days. What do do? I feel so ecological, tho.
February 28th, 2010 at 1:08 am
Wow, what a fabulous innovation! And I love the way the fact that it was built from two liter bottles wasn’t hidden. Then interior finishing with the flower petal appearance from the bottom of the two liter bottles was a wonderful touch. I’m speechless!