Very creative.

It won't solve housing problem but it's a creative and resourceful way of adapting. Africans are particularly good at this.we are very resourceful.

alj harem, you know say I get places to be and someone to fcukk.

Guess I'll reply you tomorrow, taking too long for my liking.

the story of the three little pigs comes to mind

alj harem and auwal, good job schooling the haters here. Houses are way cheaper in the north anyway. Most parts in the south, one has to pay through the nose to live in a shack (not even as safe as most posters here are trying to make it look). It would serve them well to copy this, rather than hate.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves here.i know the initiator of the project very well.mr chris vassilliu has been in this country for over 30yrs.apart from his drilling biz (which is now comatose) he always comes up with funny ideas which he never implements to the fullest.this plastic house idea emanated from his failed bottled water project.the venue of the failed bottle/satchet water company is where this house is being built.i hope he gets it right this time but i dont see that happening.

that's a good candidate for fire, go ahead!

i thank god this came from the north. i wish it can distract the minds of suicide bombers.

cristog120:

i thank god this came from the north. i wish it can distract the minds of suicide bombers.

F off here, another hater

cristog120:

i thank god this came from the north. i wish it can distract the minds of suicide bombers.

That is my prayer oo. So that we can all enjoy Nigeria o.
Imagine a Nigeria without Sharia North infecting us with Boko Haram and suicide bombing. Just imagine!

alj_harem:

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“The structure has the added advantage of being fire proof, bullet proof and earthquake resistant, with the interior maintaining a constant temperature of 18 degrees C (64 degrees F) which is good for tropical climate,” Yahaya Ahmad, the project coordinator said.

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That depends on the magnitude of the earthquake, its epicenter relative to the building and distance from surface. A blanket statement like that is not only incorrect; it offers a false sense of security. That lattice of filled plastic bottles and mud-cement fillers will crumble readily, if there are no structural bracings to hold things together when the ground starts to shake.

I like this a lot. I am more enamored of simple, thoughtful and differential designs such as this project than I am of the banal high-rise buildings that dot the skylines of Lagos and the Nigerian Capital City of Abuja.

It’s wonderful that the people behind this project have incorporated passive environmental controls in the design. This should make the living environment pleasant for the inhabitants without the added cost of forced cooling and heating. The denseness provided by the lattice of mud-filed plastic bottles and mud-cement walls should also isolate the interior from external noise. And what could be more environmentally friendly than using discarded plastic bottles as building materials? If the plastic bottles used here had not found a home in this building, they would likely litter the landscape and contribute to the blight of the community, or clog municipal drainages.

Some may disparage this building. But it is because they are uneducated in design matters, not sophisticated enough to recognize the though behind the project, and cannot appreciate the homage paid to traditional African architecture in its design. Students of architecture know that just as certain motifs delineate Greek, Mediterranean, European, Aztec, Chinese or Japanese architecture, the circular form (the circular mud hut, for example) is the dominant geometry in sub-Saharan African architecture. This building is designed in the true vernacular of the circular mud hut.

I especially like the counterpoint provided by the entrance to the main dwelling space. It is an extroverted announcement to the visitor of the dwellers pride in their humble setting. If one end of the plastic bottles is exposed to interior lighting, it will make the exterior an interesting kaleidoscope of colors at night.

Does anyone know what type of roofing they will put on this building? A flat roof will add a contemporary tone to it.
 

 
Diversion: for those who are interested in Architecture.

There is a book in the form of a photo essay devoted to W. African architecture by British photographer James Morris and author Suzanne Blier. If you’re interested in buying the book, here is the title:

Butabu - Adobe Architecture of West Africa
James Morris, photographer
Suzanne Preston Blier, author
http://archnet.org/library/webpages/jamesmorris/

The book is available on Amazon.com for under $40:
http://www.amazon.com/Butabu-Adobe-Architecture-West-Africa/dp/1568984138

Those who think the plastic bottles present a fire hazard obviously are unfamiliar with polymer science. Not all plastics are flammable. Polycarbonate, for example, has a very high fire-suppression rating and exceptional self-extinguishing properties. In fact, polycarbonate is a common material used in aircraft windows where its impact resistance, heat resistance, high tensile strength and light weight make it ideal for such application. The next time you board an aircraft, take a note of the abundance of plastic materials used in the interior space. Commercial Aircraft design is one area where the ability to contain fire plays a major role in material selection and plastics are a staple in the cabin area or anywhere passengers venture.  Similar reasoning goes for automobile interiors.

Plastics will melt or deform permanently, though, if the thermal load exceed exceeds certain limits.

One of the most common plastics used in bottling beverages is PETE (polyethylene terephalate to techies among you). PETE (or PET), too, does not burn very well, but it is not as fire suppressant as polycarbonate.

Try this experiment at home, if you can: Take a PETE plastic bottle outside and expose it to flame. How well does it burn? If it is a thin-wall PET commonly used in bottled water, it will warp quickly but won’t burn very well.

Pifa, thanks pls explain to Ileke idi and other haters

Pifa:

     
   
Those who think the plastic bottles present a fire hazard obviously are unfamiliar with polymer science. Not all plastics are flammable. Polycarbonate, for example, has a very high fire-suppression rating and exceptional self-extinguishing properties. In fact, polycarbonate is a common material used in aircraft windows where its impact resistance, heat resistance, high tensile strength and light weight make it ideal for such application. The next time you board an aircraft, take a note of the abundance of plastic materials used in the interior space. Commercial Aircraft design is one area where the ability to contain fire plays a major role in material selection and plastics are a staple in the cabin area or anywhere passengers venture. Similar reasoning goes for automobile interiors.

Plastics will melt or deform permanently, though, if the thermal load exceed certain limits.

One of the most common plastics used in bottling beverages is PETE (polyethylene terephalate to techies among you). PETE (or PET), too, does not burn very well, but it is not as fire suppressant as polycarbonate.

Try this experiment at home, if you can: Take a PETE plastic bottle outside and expose it to flame. How well does it burn? If it is a thin-wall PET commonly used in bottled water, it will warp quickly but won’t burn very well.
   
 

I dont think an Aboki will do all those experiment before using a 'plastic' bottle or any bottle for that matter before using them for his bottle toy house. I don't even know (nor care to know) what a PETE bottle is, let alone my very 'advantaged' friends up North.

This bottle house idea is a recipe for disaster, it is better used as elitist or decorative theme, and never as serious residential apartment.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

people should not entertain his ignorance. I mean the poster above me

Pifa:

     
   
Those who think the plastic bottles present a fire hazard obviously are unfamiliar with polymer science. Not all plastics are flammable. Polycarbonate, for example, has a very high fire-suppression rating and exceptional self-extinguishing properties. In fact, polycarbonate is a common material used in aircraft windows where its impact resistance, heat resistance, high tensile strength and light weight make it ideal for such application. The next time you board an aircraft, take a note of the abundance of plastic materials used in the interior space. Commercial Aircraft design is one area where the ability to contain fire plays a major role in material selection and plastics are a staple in the cabin area or anywhere passengers venture. Similar reasoning goes for automobile interiors.

Plastics will melt or deform permanently, though, if the thermal load exceed certain limits.

One of the most common plastics used in bottling beverages is PETE (polyethylene terephalate to techies among you). PETE (or PET), too, does not burn very well, but it is not as fire suppressant as polycarbonate.

Try this experiment at home, if you can: Take a PETE plastic bottle outside and expose it to flame. How well does it burn? If it is a thin-wall PET commonly used in bottled water, it will warp quickly but won’t burn very well.
   
 

something else is that the plastic bottles are filled with sand.
I think that's where some of the fire resistance comes from.

PointB:

I dont think an Aboki will do all those experiment before using a 'plastic' bottle or any bottle for that matter before using them for his bottle toy house. I don't even know (nor care to know) what a PETE bottle is, let alone my very 'advantaged' friends up North.

This bottle house idea is a recipe for disaster, it is better used as elitist or decorative theme, and never as serious residential apartment.

My thought exactly, TBH

That boy in the picture looks like the regular street urchin.

Jenifa_:

something else is that the plastic bottles are filled with sand.
I think that's where some of the fire resistance comes from.

That is correct. Silica sand is not flammable and it will not auto-ignite.

which one is silica sand. there are many different kinds of sand? some more flammable than others?

alj_harem:

North Goes Green With Architectural Brilliance By Solving Housing Problem (pic)

Plastic houses are cheap to construct as it costs a quarter of the money required to build a conventional house, said Vassiliu, a Greek national who has been working in Nigeria as a water drilling engineer for 30 years.

The project is to cost two million naira ($12,700), Vassiliu said.

A second plastic bottle project is due to commence in January at a primary school in need of more classrooms in the town of Suleja near Nigeria’s capital Abuja.

“The project would take 200,000 bottles out of landfills into education”, said Macmillan.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/plastic-bottles-solve-nigerias-housing-problem-042708558.html

This concept is good for a country that is grappling with housing and waste disposal problems. But how do they hope to deliver each plastic house at 75% cheaper than a conventional house?

The style of building seems to use as much (if not more) cement than the conventional way of building. Also, the only building component that is being replaced here is blocks; every other thing remains the same: windows, doors, roof, roof carcass, plumbing, electrical works, beam, etc. So how will the 75% savings be achieved when the only items being replaced (not for free) are the blocks?

Pukkah:

This concept is good for a country that is grappling with housing and waste disposal problems. But how do they hope to deliver each plastic house at 75% cheaper than a conventional house?

The style of building seems to use as much (if not more) cement than the conventional way of building. Also, the only building component that is being replaced here is blocks; every other thing remains the same: windows, doors, roof, roof carcass, plumbing, electrical works, beam, etc. So how will the 75% savings be achieved when the only items being replaced (not for free) are the blocks?

In other words, more like using bottles to aggravate the North's housing problem?

Jenifa_:

which one is silica sand. there are many different kinds of sand? some more flammable than others?

 
 
Sand is sand, whether it is called silica sand, crystalline silica sand, ground silica or any other generic or trademarked name. The most abundant component in sand is silica (silicon dioxide or SiO₂), the same material from which silicone, glass, quartz, computer chips, mortar, concrete, asphalt and a host of other products are made.

No grade of sand I know of is flammable. My apologies, if I confused you with the silica sand terminology.

Pifa, if you don't mind me asking, what is your background? At first I thought civil engineer, but you seem to know a lot about what I thought is more materials science.

Feel free to ignore this question if it is too prying, by the way

Your posts are interesting, so I was just curious.

ekt_bear:

Pifa, if you don't mind me asking, what is your background? At first I thought civil engineer, but you seem to know a lot about what I thought is more materials science.
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My background is physics.

Has any of the houses been completed?