#COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS
Aspiring Chinese architect built his office out of 8,500 recycled beer bottles
An aspiring architect in China has built his very own office using thousands of recycled beer bottles.
Located in Chongqing city, China, Li Rongjun's office required 8,500 beer bottles, four months of work, and approximately $11,000 to complete. To accomplish his goal, Li received help from his father, who assisted in installing the 40 layers of beer bottles required to create a sturdy structure.
“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” This quote erroneously credited to Benjamin Franklin is nonetheless apt and resonant with drinkers around the world. The world’s most popular alcoholic drink and third most popular drink (after tea and water), beer is a gift that keeps on giving. And when it’s all finished, the empty bottles can be used for an assortment of projects. Aspiring architect Li Rongjun has taken beer to a new level by building the second floor of his office with 8,500 recycled bottles.
Li had previously worked for local construction companies but his dream of beer building was stifled in these settings. “There is no creativity and it’s a waste of life to be there,” Li says. “No matter if I succeed or not, I want to give my dream a try.” Li’s 300-square foot office serves as a practical and promotional purpose. “I wanted to build an artistic and usable office,” says Li. “This building is also my calling card for my future business plans. It will allow investors to see my products in real life and see my talent.”
“He has been very independent from a young age. We could see that he has a strong determination to create his own business,” says Li’s father. “When he proposed to build the glass house, although we are a family of limited means I immediately told him he would have my complete support.” Li also seems to have support from his neighbors. “At night it looks even better,” says neighbor Li Yan. “The lights are on and the building glows. Some of the green light shines over to the nearby road.” One wonders if Li drank all of the beer by himself or if his family and friends also lent their support for this mission.
