Plastic Bottle Houses Built for Sahrawi Refugees in Panama

In Panama, a unique housing project is underway, using plastic bottles as a sustainable building material. The plastic bottle houses are being built for Sahrawi refugees.

These houses are designed to provide affordable and environmentally friendly shelter for the refugees. The Sahrawi people have been living in refugee camps in Algeria for decades.

The plastic bottles are collected, cleaned, and filled with sand to create the building blocks. This innovative approach reduces waste and conserves natural resources.

The houses are expected to be completed soon, providing a safe and comfortable living space for the Sahrawi refugees.

Construction began in November 2016 and 27 buildings were completed by April 2017, two more than expected.

The plastic bottle homes were built by the refugee community under the direction of Tateh Lehbib, who employed 200 people within the camps, who in turn paid a further 1,500 people to collect and fill bottles.

Each home took about one week to build and required around 6,000 plastic bottles, which were sourced from institutions, schools, hospitals, and landfill.

Tateh Lehbib’s prototype plastic bottle house cost USD$291 to build, a significant reduction from the initial cost of USD$2,400 per home.

Craft foam is a versatile material that can be used to create details like doors and windows on your house. It's easy to shape and can be attached with hot glue.

You can use craft foam to make bricks or a small border on the lower side of the house, which will help conceal the bottoms of your plastic bottles. This adds a nice touch to your house's design.

Hot glue is the go-to adhesive for craft foam, making it easy to attach these details to your house.

The Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria are a temporary housing solution that's been in place for over 40 years. They were established in 1975 due to the conflict in Western Sahara.

Life in the camps is tough, with money and food being scarce. The refugees live in fragile mud houses or tents and endure harsh weather conditions.

The Sahrawi refugees have been living in these camps for decades, with many never having lived anywhere else. They are stuck in 'temporary' housing.

Tateh Lehbib Barika, a Sahrawi refugee himself, came up with an innovative solution to improve the living conditions of his community. He built a prototype plastic bottle home for his grandmother after the camp was hit by catastrophic flooding in 2015.

The flooding destroyed 80 per cent of the homes in the camp, leaving many people without shelter. This disaster sparked Tateh Lehbib's idea to build more sustainable homes using recycled materials.

The local UNHCR office in Tindouf provided USD$2,000 to support Tateh Lehbib's project. They also helped secure USD$60,000 of funding from the UNHCR to build 25 plastic bottle houses across the five Sahrawi refugee camps in the province.

Some refugees were initially skeptical about the plastic bottle houses, worrying that it would take away resources from other areas like food assistance. However, Tateh Lehbib worked hard to raise awareness of the benefits of the project, and people gradually came to accept the idea.

The homes are built from materials that we've consumed and thrown away, like plastic bottles, which are then re-constructed into modern, stylish, and quality-built residences.

They're also earthquake resistant, which is a great feature for a community that's likely to experience seismic activity.

The temperature difference between the outside and inside wall of a plastic bottle home is around 35F cooler, making air conditioning unnecessary.

This not only saves energy but also contributes to the community's goal of conserving energy, which is a key aspect of being a solar-friendly community.

The before and after shots of the home are a fascinating aspect of this innovative project. They showcase the transformation of discarded materials into modern, stylish, and quality-built residences.

The homes are earthquake-resistant, which is a significant advantage for any community. This feature ensures that the houses can withstand natural disasters and provide a safe living space for residents.

Their website offers some amazing before and after shots of the home, giving a glimpse into the creativity and resourcefulness of the project. You can see the original discarded materials and the finished product, which is truly impressive.

The temperature difference between the outside and inside wall of a plastic bottle home is around 35F cooler, eliminating the need for air-conditioning. This is a significant energy-saving feature, especially in a solar-friendly community like The Village.

To make a house out of recycled plastic bottles, you'll need a few specific materials. A 7 liters round plastic bottle is a great starting point.

You can also use smaller plastic bottles, like 1 and 2 liters ones, to add some extra details to your house. These smaller bottles can be used for windows or other decorative features.

A 5 liters square plastic bottle is another essential item for building a house out of plastic bottles. It can be used as a base or a wall section.

To assemble the house, you'll need some craft foam, wood glue, sand, and acrylic paint.

People like Albatoul Mohammed are living in innovative homes made from plastic bottles, which are surprisingly effective in withstanding harsh climate conditions.

The homes are a game-changer for families like Albatoul's, who have struggled to cope with the extreme temperatures and weather conditions in the refugee camps.

Albatoul's son has special needs and finds it hard to live in the tough conditions of the traditional adobe houses covered with zinc sheets.

These traditional homes can be damaged by heavy rains and sandstorms, which is a constant worry for families like Albatoul's.

The plastic bottle houses, on the other hand, are designed to keep families safe and comfortable, even during the hottest summer months.

Albatoul's experience with the plastic bottle house has been life-changing, and she's grateful for the invention of a young Saharan refugee who saw the need for a solution.

The house has also had a positive impact on their health, as they no longer suffer from headaches caused by the hot metal sheets in traditional homes.