Anyone who goes to the small town of Iguazú, on the border between Argentina and Brazil, does so only to visit the breathtaking waterfalls; that was also the intention of my dad and his wife when they were in the area a couple of weeks ago. Upon arrival, though, they were told that the flow of the river had risen to dangerous levels due to the excessive rainfall, hence access to the waterfalls was banned. Fortunately, they were also told about the Casa de Botellas, or House of Bottles, which is becoming one of the most popular attractions in the Iguazú area. Here is why.
While building a doll house for his young daughter, Alfredo Alberto Santa Cruz had the idea of utilizing discarded plastic bottles for the structure. Once the miniature construction was finished, he realized that it was quite strong and embarked on the project of a lifetime: building a cabin out of the same materials, with enough space and structural strength for him and his family to live in.
Mr. Santa Cruz’ goal was to demonstrate ways in which household waste could be transformed into something useful. The idea is not new, but his technique is: the home’s walls are built out of 1,200 plastic bottles; the roof was made with 1,300 flattened Tetra Pak containers, and more than 140 CD cases now form doors and windows. Another 200 bottles were used to build the bed; the furniture is constructed with plastic bottles as well. And his mission did not stop when completing his home; actually, it only got stated—Mr. Santa Cruz travels around, teaching his method to people of limited means who can thus realize their dream of having a home. The courses are free; all he asks for is travel costs and lodging to be covered by the community where he teaches.
Says Mr. Santa Cruz: “We developed our own construction technique, which allows people to build a perfectly functional house at a very low cost, with their own hands. This is not a project—it is a reality.”
Don’t get me wrong: to go all the way to Iguazú and not be able to see the falls is a pity. But to miss visiting the Casa de Botellas is too!
