TE
TechEcho
Home24h TopNewestBestAskShowJobs
GitHubTwitter
Home

TechEcho

A tech news platform built with Next.js, providing global tech news and discussions.

GitHubTwitter

Home

HomeNewestBestAskShowJobs

Resources

HackerNews APIOriginal HackerNewsNext.js

© 2025 TechEcho. All rights reserved.

Lego-Like Architecture: $5,000 Homes from Recycled Plastic Blocks

19 pointsby misnamedalmost 7 years ago

3 comments

astrodustalmost 7 years ago
The irony is that virtually anywhere in the world &quot;locally sourced materials&quot; now includes a staggering amount of plastic.<p>Considering the ocean is on the verge of containing more plastic than fish, it&#x27;d be refreshing if people started harvesting the plastic as a resource.
oldmancoyotealmost 7 years ago
I have built 3 houses. Walls are among the cheapest components of a house. Stackable modules (of which there are many kinds) like these do eliminate some of the need for skilled labor and offer some advantages. My personal favorite is site-made concrete blocks. In Mexico I have seen blockerias consisting of a four block mold, a pile of sand, sacks of cement, and a hose. They are not ideologically glamorous, but they are very practical and cheap.
blacksmith_tbalmost 7 years ago
Seems great, though I would say the lack of insulation means they will be most useful in tropical climates. But I don&#x27;t see why they couldn&#x27;t make doubled-up horizontal beams that could hold two courses of &#x27;lego&#x27; bricks with space in between (which could be stuffed with plastic bags, at that).