The Bottle House

One of those “memorable” days, Alfredo Santa Cruz and his family came up with the brightest idea. It gradually took shape every time they opened up a bottle. What is plastic used for? Can it be used for something else? Is it reused to make another bottle? Many other questions followed and almost before they could notice, their idea became an attraction sought by tourists and locals alike in the City of Puerto Iguazú.

The Santa Cruz family started to execute this self-sustainable project that has become one of the favorite attractions for children and local ecologic groups as well as for people in general who heard about the existence of this undertaking.

On the way into or out of the city, several signs read “The House” and its open hours, as the family actually lives in this construction. However, they are willing to show their “bottles” to whoever wishes to see them.

“The Bottle House”, as it is known, was built with 1.5-liter Coca-Cola bottles and its creator says that this idea can raise environmental awareness and give an ecologic use to those bottles that keep contaminating our natural habitat everyday, which we keep using them even though we known how harmful they are.

The house walls were made with 1,200 plastic bottles. 1,300 tetra-pack cartons were used on the roof. The doors and windows were shaped with over 140 CD cases. Approximately 120 plastic bottles were used to make the armchairs and 200 bottles more to make the bed. Waste can be recycled after all.

What is so good about this house is that as soon as people, including children and tourists, enter this venue, knowledge about ecology, preservation and care of the environment by recycling and trying not to waste resources emerges.

The owner of this home is proud of his creation. His self-sustainable project is a model to follow. It shows how things may be recycled and how awareness should be raised about the environmental damage we are generating. Nothing should be disposable. Everything should have a second use.

Because of these simple facts, the Bottle House is one of the tourist attractions in Iguazú today. Nobody wants to miss a visit to this building recommended by everyone.