The Plastic Bottle House is a building innovation which has quickly gained significance in Nigeria in recent times, particularly in Northern rural communities. Its pioneer, Andreas Forese, is the founder of German construction company, Eco-Tec. The first of its kind in the country was constructed in Kaduna State in 2011, emerging as the first in Africa.
With free plastic bottle refuse, mud and string as materials, it has proven to be a far cheaper alternative to the normal mode of construction at one-third the cost. This has led to the provision of free affordable housing for some of Nigeria’s poor and disadvantaged. These bottles are also 18 times stronger than ordinary mortar bricks when filled with mud.
There are also social benefits attached such as the employment of young men for picking littered bottles from streets and trash dumps as well as for the building construction.
The final result of this unique building process is a sturdy construction with an earthquake resistant functionality and a surprisingly bulletproof surface. It’s aesthetically beautiful too, with the bottles’ round bottoms providing a great design for each house’s external walls.
About the Writer: Ify Halim is a young Creative and a promoter of values through the force that is writing. Follow her on twitter: @MissHalim
