To paraphrase a rather overused saying, one person’s trash is another’s treasure. The things we throw away are often still completely usable in some way – it just takes a bit of imagination to see their potential. Experimental architecture firm Raumlabor saw potential not only in objects, but in 24 teenagers from all over Italy. This amazing recycled sanctuary shows the power of positive thinking.

In one week, the teens turned piles of garbage into this impressive building, dubbed Officina Roma. The small structure contains a workshop, a sleeping area and a kitchen, and everything is made of what was previously considered trash.

Officina Roma is more or less a three-dimensional collage that one can actually step inside of. It is made of old bottles, used car doors, discarded furniture, trashed wood, recycled oil barrels and even partial car bodies.

Although it was only a temporary installation, the building was a reminder to viewers to think more clearly about their lifestyles and how they too can easily reuse and recycled old materials. The building techniques used were simple enough for even the most inexperienced builder to relate to, yet the statement was bold enough to inspire nearly anyone.

More from Raumlabor

“The OFFICINA ROMA is a villa entirely build out of trash. It consist of a sleeping room, a kitchen and a work shop. The plan lacks a living room, a comfort zone, instead there is an empty work shop in the center. OFFICINA ROMA is an experimental building practice, build within an one week long  workshop with 24 high school students from all over Italy.”

“The building is composed as a collage: A kitchen entirely build out of old bottles, the sleeping room with walls from used car doors, the workshop using  wooden windows and old furniture and the main roof set from old oil barrels and used dry wall profiles.”