NEWS

Advisory board meeting

September 24, we were hosted by Buildwise in Zaventem for an inspiring advisory board meeting. 

The agenda included inspiring lectures on the ongoing case studies involving with earth blocks, the hygrothermal behavior of earth blocks, and an interactive workshop.

24.09.2024

Site visit 50&c.O. Ostend

Recently, we visited the construction site of the 50&c.O. cohousing project in Ostend, where earth blocks are being used as non-load-bearing interior masonry.

The project beautifully demonstrates how earth blocks can be utilised in a renovation project.

With the structural works being nearly complete, the next phase is approaching: the finishing. We look forward to following up the next steps of this remarkable project soon.

15.10.2024

Werfbezoek Scharphoutsite

In Brugge zijn architectenbureau Architectuuratelier Dertien12 en aannemer Vandenbussche aan de  slag gegaan met de gestabiliseerde leemstenen van BC Materials. 

Op de voormalige Scharphoutsite wordt een circulair ontmoetingscentrum gebouwd, met een uitgebreid programma dat onder andere een sporthal, bibliotheek en lokaal dienstencentrum omvat.

In dit mooie pilootproject wordt de leemsteen toegepast voor de realisatie van zowel de binnenmuren als het binnenspouwblad.

23.09.2024

Hygrothermal Sensors

Earth block masonry is often credited with a good thermal phase shift and moisture buffering capacity, which can lead to increased indoor comfort.

In July, we visited the MICO project together with Buildwise to install hygrothermal sensors. This way, we can accurately interpret the hygrothermal benefits of earth block masonry. The sensors will monitor the relative humidity, moisture content, and temperature throughout the wall under various climatic conditions.

03.07.2024

Building Beyond Bricks Festival

Looking back at the Building Beyond Bricks Festival at the Pastorie in Helchteren, it was an inspiring three weeks filled with workshops, activities, and lectures. Participants delved into the possibilities of sustainable and regenerative materials such as wood, earth bricks, urban harvesting, earth plaster, and much more.

During the festival, work began on the demoproject which consist out of two key interventions:

-The garden pavilion, constructed with wood, compressed earth bricks, and locally harvested materials.

-A large pizza oven, built with moulded earth bricks.

01.06.2024

Expo: To have or to hold

After a successful 10th edition of the Horst Arts & Music festival, the pavilion can still be visited in the new expo “To Have or To Hold”. 

The expo can be visited up until the 8th of September. Don't miss out on experiencing this incredible fusion of art, architecture and sustainability. For more information, visit the website of Horst Arts & Music. 

01.06.2024

Earth Blocks @ Horst Arts and Music Festival

In the Asiat park in Vilvoorde, construction will soon start on a pavillion made out of earth blocks.  

The pavilion translates the work "Where Do The Ants Go?" by Afrah Shafiq into a new outdoor version using earth blocks as the main building material. 

The festival runs from May 9 to 11, 2024, and the expo will be accessible until Sept. 8, 2024. 

11.03.2024

Building Beyond Bricks Festival

During the festival at the Pastorie in Helchteren from the 22.04.24 to the 05.05.24 we will set grounds for the project together with the community of Houthalen-Helchteren.

Throughout this period, we will arrange a sequence of engagements and actions with the objective of collaboratively establishing a space that is designed and crafted for the community's benefit. By means of collaboration we will make sure that everybody's needs and wishes are fulfilled and thus create a meaningful project.

Save your spot and sign up on the updating list of events here.

11.03.2024

Community event

February 1st, we presented the living lab at the first Community Event of the 'Circular Construction Work Agenda'.

01.02.2024

Presentation of our demoproject

On January 19th, the students of the postgraduate program 'Building Beyond Borders' presented the design of the demoproject to the local community of Houthalen Helchteren. The pavilion, located in the garden of the rectory, was designed in a participatory manner. 

The demo project will consist of a combination of wood and earth blocks and will be realised during the Building Beyond Bricks festival in April.

19.01.2024

Design assignment: Le Jules

With great pride, the students of 1st and 2nd Master's in Architecture and Interior Architecture presented the results of the design assignment.

The assignment serves as supporting research for the 'Le Jules' project in Evere. In the entrance hall, the architects are investigating the potential application of earth blocks as a building material.

Using 1:1 mock-ups, the students explored the various possibilities of earth blocks.

15.01.2024

Advisory board meeting

On December 14th, the advisory board group of the living lab came together.

It was an inspiring day where we presented the first project results, organised an interactive workshop with the members of the advisory board and attended an inspiring lecture by Goedele Desmet, partner at the architectural firm BOB361. She shared her experience with earth blocks in the 50&c.O. project in Oostende.

14.12.2023

Networking event for the circular construction sector

During the networking event, we met with other living labs that focus on the construction sector. It was an inspiring day where we could exchange our experiences and results with each other. 

04.12.2024

Masonry workshop

Later in the week, the deconstruction workshop was followed by a masonry workshop. The students built 10 test walls consisting of different combinations of earth blocks and mortar.

Three months later, these walls were also dismantled for further research into the reuse potential of earth block masonry.

01.12.2023

Deconstruction workshop

On November 28th, we organized a deconstruction and recycling workshop for the students of the postgraduate program Building Beyond Borders of UHasselt and the students of RWTH Aachen.

The test walls were dismantled using various deconstruction techniques to recover as many earth blocks as efficiently as possible.

28.11.2023

Day of Science

During the Day of Science, 500 enthusiastic visitors got to know the living lab! They experimented hands-on with earth as a building material.

During the workshops, visitors learned how to make their own earth blocks and how to build with rammed earth. They also helped build a small house made of earth blocks. 

Minister Jo Brouns also visited and performed the first brick laying.

We would like to thank all visitors and organizers for this successful day!

26.11.2023

VLAIO Partners for tomorrow

On November 7th, the living lab participated in the VLAIO event 'Partners for tomorrow'.

07.11.2023

Masonry workshop   Circular Building Seminar 

During the masonry workshop, students had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with earth blocks.

 Under guidance, they learned how to mason with earth blocks, mastering not only the technical skills but also discovering the ecological value of the material.

30.10.2023

Materials fair: interior architecture

As many as 300 interior architecture students got acquainted with earth blocks during the materials fair!

30.09.2023

EURECA-PRO

In September, our living lab traveled to Greece and attended the third Eureca-Pro conference on responsible consumption and production.

26.09.2023

Launch of léém

On September 22nd, during the léém-event, the new range of earth blocks was officially launched by BC materials, project partner of the living lab.

22.09.2023

Participation in Lissewege

‘Architectuuratelier Dertien12’ is building a circular meeting-center together with the local community of Lissewege on the Scharphout site. 

The new users rolled up their sleeves last weekend to produce the first earth blocks for the building.

Many thanks to the community of Lissewege, architectuuratelier Dertien12, the city of Bruges and BC Materials for this inspiring workshop day!

16.09.2023

Site visit: Wildfarm in Dikkebus

In Dikkebus, TOOP architectuur, Segers bouw bvba and Le Monde des Mille Couleurs are building the Wildfarm project.   

This progressive project is being carried out with a proprietary earth block from local raw materials that were excavated from the building site. The earth blocks were developed in collaboration with BC Materials.

13.09.2023

Site visit: Residential house in Weert

In the rural setting of Weert, architectural firm ‘de nieuwe context' is building a residential house in which they are fully committed to using of sustainable materials. 

They will be working with the 1 meter long earth blocks of Fetdeterra.

30.08.2023

Job alert! 

Are you interested in starting a PhD research project on regenerative building materials (earth and lime hemp) and being part of the Sustainability research team at the Faculty of Architecture and Arts at UHasselt?

Check out our vacancy here onze vacature.

Applications are open until 21 August. 

18.07.2023

First site visit

In the centre of Ostend, this 'Maison de Maître' is being renovated into a Cohousing project by BOB361 architects. 

Throughout the entire project, BC Materials' earth blocks are widely used by construction company Verstraete! 

17.07.2023

Different test walls

More than 100 interested participants were introduced to earth blocks during the event.

07.06.2023

Successful kick-off event!

Thank you to all the participants who made this event a success!

Click here for more information.

01.06.2023

Demo project in Helchteren

Nice article on the collaboration between the Postgraduate Building Beyond Borders and Living Lab Leemsteen (Clay brick). The full article from Circubuild (in Dutch) can be found here.

12.05.2023

Save the date! 

On 1 June 2023, together with Boost Bouw Limburg, we will organise an expert session on the application of bio-based building materials in practice. 

Simultaneously, the starting shot for our Living Lab "From earth to value" will be given.

Registration is possible until 25 May.

02.05.2023

Building Beyond Bricks

Registration for the new edition of the postgraduate 'Building Beyond Borders' is open until 15 May!

Click here for more information. 

28.04.2023

First test walls!

The first trial walls will be realised this week. These movable walls will be used in the coming period to survey user preferences, experiences and perceptions.

27.04.2023

New corporate identity!

We are proud to launch our new logo and corporate identity!

20.04.2023