January 2011

With conventional construction materials scarce and expensive for millions worldwide, marginalized communities have transformed plastic water bottles into viable building materials. Plastic water bottles offer a durable, extremely low-cost alternative that simultaneously addresses housing crises and diverts non-biodegradable waste that would otherwise pollute the environment.

Encoded Textiles is a collaborative art project between Guillermo Bert and Mapuche weavers by integrating functional QR codes into traditional textiles. Scanning these woven codes unlocks curated content about Mapuche culture, empowering the community to reclaim their narrative through a powerful fusion of ancestral craft and digital technology.