youth centre made of plastic bottles opens in DR

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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this has been recently inaugurated in the community of derrumbadero (roughly between neyba and las matas de farfan, san juan province). built by bridges to community (NGO).
http://www.bridgestocommunity.org/n...-dominican-republic-brings-community-together
http://www.bridgestocommunity.org/n...augurates-derrumbadero-youth-center-in-the-dr
local media (in spanish): http://www.lascalientesdelsur.net/c...sticas-construyen-centro-juvenil-en-san-juan/
album with pics: https://www.flickr.com/photos/btc_volunteers/sets/72157651122101057/

i wonder about the costs of construction and its durability.
 

ctrob

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Nov 9, 2006
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Don't know if they're using mortar or concrete mix, but it looks like an awful lot of it for the cubic footage. And durability is non-existent. Plastic doesn't bond to cement like masonry blocks do. The exposed plastic will start to immediately break down in the sun. Causing leaks and weakness in the wall. And where are they placing the rebar? I don't see where there is any reinforcement. Just another hippydippy tree hugger idea, and potentially dangerous to occupants if no reinforcing.

We're better off just getting rid of plastic all together. That stuff is a plague on the planet.
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Don't know if they're using mortar or concrete mix, but it looks like an awful lot of it for the cubic footage. And durability is non-existent. Plastic doesn't bond to cement like masonry blocks do. The exposed plastic will start to immediately break down in the sun. Causing leaks and weakness in the wall. And where are they placing the rebar? I don't see where there is any reinforcement. Just another hippydippy tree hugger idea, and potentially dangerous to occupants if no reinforcing.

We're better off just getting rid of plastic all together. That stuff is a plague on the planet.

you expressed my thoughts, exactly. my immediate feeling was that this is an idea of some wacky folks from some Colorado suburb, who have entirely too much time on their hands. let?s all have this wonderful life experience, by helping those underprivileged folks in some tropical country. we can make structures made of sea shells. no...wait a minute. bottles would be better. hey..plastic bottles. we can put all the Coca Cola types on the walls that face Denver. we can all show our conviction to world peace and harmony by making a wall of Schweppes Ginger Ale facing Mecca.

idlers!
 

bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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............And where are they placing the rebar?............

Geesh, go to the third link DV8 posted and one of the smaller pics shows rebar in the columns.

I think it is a nice project. One of the pics actually showed a 4 foot level being used. When people volunteer their time, the kids learned a few things and probably had a great time I think that is wonderful thing.

I didn't read all the articles as of yet but their must be a reason or two why plastic bottles were used for the non-bearing walls.

Nice job ..............
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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Don't know if they're using mortar or concrete mix, but it looks like an awful lot of it for the cubic footage. And durability is non-existent. Plastic doesn't bond to cement like masonry blocks do. The exposed plastic will start to immediately break down in the sun. Causing leaks and weakness in the wall. And where are they placing the rebar? I don't see where there is any reinforcement. Just another hippydippy tree hugger idea, and potentially dangerous to occupants if no reinforcing.

on few photos you can see cement blocks so i assume they have used them too. i asked about cost/durability because i also have doubts. i understand saving the planet and so on but if it is too costly and does not last then it makes no sense. next thing we know a charity will start building gingerbread houses, because why not.
 

mobrouser

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Jan 1, 2002
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This is not a new idea, similar structures have been built in other parts of the world including Africa and Central America.

Also from a link, embedded in the second article referenced in the OP:

At the end of 2013, in one of the weekly meetings held in one of the two communities in the Dominican Republic where Bridges to Community has projects, community members expressed a need for a safe, productive space for the youth of their community to go after school. They had visions of a space where children and teenagers could take classes, read books, play sports and games, and just spend time together after school. At the same time, the community was also receiving workshops about the importance of recycling and proper disposal of trash, and they thought it might be interesting to include aspects of recycling and reuse into the youth center project. After consulting with engineers and designers, the community and Bridges to Community decided to construct almost the entire building out of recycled bottles
 

bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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This is not a new idea, similar structures have been built in other parts of the world including Africa and Central America.

Also from a link, embedded in the second article referenced in the OP:

Thanks mobrouser, as you can see some peeps are so quick to condemn while they sit behind their pc monitor looking for faults.

Sure it is a little weird, but weird in a good way. Sometimes I wish some of the DR1 experts would get up from IN FRONT OF their screen and go show the world how it is supposed to be done.......... ROTFLMAO
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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Sure it is a little weird, but weird in a good way. Sometimes I wish some of the DR1 experts would get up from IN FRONT OF their screen and go show the world how it is supposed to be done.......... ROTFLMAO

are you writing this from a plastic bottle house? yawn.
 

rfp

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Jul 5, 2010
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I identified with this type of tomfoolery back in the day. I then spent time with this class of people in some "humanitarian" projects. I learned quickly and this led me to being the jaded, worldly adult that I am today.

The Gorgon nailed it. These folks should have stayed at home
 

bigbird

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May 1, 2005
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are you writing this from a plastic bottle house? yawn.

Yes, and it is quite cozy ..............

I just look at things a little different than some. I try to find the good. I can just imagine the big grin on the kids faces each day as they put bottle after bottle in place. Now the project is complete they have a community center and will remember building it for the rest of their lives.

As far as the volunteers, I know it is a lot of self gratification they get out of doing what they do. So be it, to each his own...........

YAWN..............
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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2nkqple.jpg
 

Africaida

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Jun 19, 2009
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Yes, and it is quite cozy ..............

I just look at things a little different than some. I try to find the good. I can just imagine the big grin on the kids faces each day as they put bottle after bottle in place. Now the project is complete they have a community center and will remember building it for the rest of their lives.

As far as the volunteers, I know it is a lot of self gratification they get out of doing what they do. So be it, to each his own...........

YAWN..............

Plastic bottle house adorned with rattan chairs is the next big thing, they just dont know. ;) :laugh:
 

egonvw

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Jan 12, 2011
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A++++++ for effort.

while i was in jd this year, i met some of the volunteers on their way back to the states. those volunteers are exited about what they are doing, and according to them, the smikles on the faces of the kids and adults, were priceless, while building the youth center. regardsless if the structure will last a long time, and according to most of the dr1 ers, nothing lasts long in the dr, its the effort which is put in by these volunteers. as one of the posts said: dont always critizise, do some thing, get out and help. whenever i am with my "dominican" wife, (for 36 years), in gy/
jd, 3-4 times a year, we are going to see the orphange close to spm and spent some time there with our adopted god-child. the looks on his and the faces of the other kids are priceless. you want to change what you dont like,
start at the bottom, with the kids, the rest will follow, maybe not in our lifetime, but it will happen. agai, get of
your butt and do something.
 

egonvw

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Jan 12, 2011
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i gotta stop posting "good" news here.
dont stop. i think its a good thing to post good news. however, if some dr1 members dont like the post or question, dont start to drag the subject through the mudd, so that at the end, it has nothing to with the original post.
 

mofongoloco

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Feb 7, 2013
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I want to know how you can build a structure of sand in bottles with cement and No one is dirty. That camera must have a bazillion pixels, but it seems to have filtered out the dirt. And what about the lady with the scarf. No doubt an "executive director". Btw, do any of you residents of DR think that a Dominican kid is going to do construction in their school uniform?
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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yahoomail.com
"NGO's" are just scams for the directors to charge people "fees" to do volunteer work, while the NGO directors get big salaries, and benefits/perks to travel to foreign countries.
Check out this groups financial statements.
the directors have nice matching "401k" accounts!!!
Their "fund raising costs", are also very high.
Better to volunteer with a church group, the REAL VOLUNTEERS!!!
"NGO'S' ARE A "FAMILY BUSINESS"!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
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Thanks mobrouser, as you can see some peeps are so quick to condemn while they sit behind their pc monitor looking for faults.

Sure it is a little weird, but weird in a good way. Sometimes I wish some of the DR1 experts would get up from IN FRONT OF their screen and go show the world how it is supposed to be done.......... ROTFLMAO

Not finding fault, just answering dv8's question. It's simple structural engineering, cement isn't designed to bond to plastic. So while they are to be commended for their efforts and compassion, the bottle walls won't stand the test of time. And I know that because I don't spend my entire life in front of a monitor.