Plastic Hut: a life-sized hut modeled after dwellings made by Tongva Nations, indigenous groups of Southern California. The structural framework is built from flexible plastic tubing instead of sticks, lashed together with plastic twine instead of leather or bark, and thatched over with recycled plastic bags in lieu of grass.

Plastics have become a major part of our lives, and plastic waste has become a hazard to our health and the health of our environment. The destructive aspects of our use of plastic arises out of our demand for convenience. This project seeks to bring the prevalence of plastic waste to public attention, in a way that suggests hope for a new look at the ways we can re-use plastic waste and perhaps find alternatives.

Otis Bardwell has lived in the LA area for the past ten years. He currently resides in Pasadena with his wife and two children. Bardwell received an MFA in Studio Arts from CSULA in 2007, and now teaches Sculpture at Cal Poly, Pomona. His current work explores how vernacular architecture can represent the identity of an individual and the communities that make the individual.

Location: The junction of the Scrub Jay Trail and City View Trail