About a year ago, we first reported on the Dutch startup StoneCycling and their idea to reuse building material to make bricks. From there, they developed the WasteBasedBricks. After a project in Amsterdam where they used these bricks for a pavilion, now the first house is built with the material in Rotterdam.

Architects Nina Aalbers and Ferry in ‘t Veld decided to build a house using the recycled bricks. They wanted the façade to match their neighbours’, so they used a combination of the bricks Caramel Raw and Sliced, which have a common brick colour. The exact recipe for the brick is kept a secret, unless you ask nicely.

The construction of the house started in March this year and was finished this summer. In total, around 15.000 kilograms of waste was upcycled to create the bricks.

The WasteBasedBricks are made from waste products like ceramics, glass and insolation industries, but also rejected clay from brick manufacturers. All the materials come from within 100 kilometres (62 miles) of the company, which is based in Amsterdam.

The bricks from StoneCycling give new options in colour, shape and texture. However, people want to see proof of quality and performance, even though the bricks comply with European safety standards. For StoneCycling, this project was exciting, as it is the first house completely built with their bricks. It is also challenging, as the company does not yet know how the bricks will look in a few years. The masons were excited in any case, because the bricks could be cut in half, instead of crumbling like most bricks do. Hopefully, more houses will be constructed in the same manner in the future.

Photos: Ossip / StoneCycling