Debris from construction, demolition, and industrial processes is one of the biggest waste streams in the world. In Europe, it accounts for approximately 35% of all waste generated*. In countries like the United States and China, the percentage is even higher. Additionally, the construction industry is responsible for one-third of all CO2 emissions in Europe.
By experimenting with new, cutting-edge technologies, creating different types of building materials for a variety of applications, and developing dry-stack systems that can be disassembled at the end of their lifespan, we always expand our range of WasteBasedBricks®.
To get to our ambitious goal we created a road map with the following steps:
All our products have a common denominator: they are made with waste. Currently, our WasteBasedBricks® are made from a minimum of 60% waste, but we are working hard to get to 100% in the upcoming years.
We not only design and develop products that have a long lifespan (over 50 years) and contribute to a circular world, but we also prioritize building long-term and durable relationships with our customers, producers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
We use design as a means to realize our vision and dare to take a creative approach to construction, involving industries, people, and production methods that are unconventional.
We keep a close eye on the impact we have on the world and track the particular waste streams we use, the number of kilograms of upcycled waste, the CO2 we reduce compared to conventional products, and ultimately, the CO2 we capture in each of our projects.
StoneCycling was conceived at the Design Academy in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Then student, Tom van Soest focused on upcycling waste he found in vacant buildings awaiting demolition. Tom graduates from the Design Academy and founds his company StoneCycling with long-time friend Ward Massa. While Tom stays focused on his strengths in product development, Ward takes on the role of business strategist.
Even though there is serious interest in their products by architects and project developers met at various trade shows and events, StoneCycling has yet to sell their first brick or tile.
All that’s needed are the right certificates to prove their bricks fulfil the legal requirements of health, safety and environmental regulations, but the research needed to receive these documents does not come cheap and money is running out.
After a feature in regional newspaper Limburgs Dagblad, based in Tom’s home province of Limburg in The Netherlands, the phone starts ringing.
The launch of the first range of WasteBasedBricks® results in more media coverage, ranging from various Dutch national newspapers to even more prestigious mentions such as one in the British daily newspaper The Guardian.
These are exciting times for StoneCycling, as building from waste is now no longer just an idea, a concept or a thought.
Scaling up the business provides an exciting challenge for the team, and a committed production is found in Derck Zilverschoon, owner of the highly specialised brick production company Zilverschoon Randwijk. With a shared passion for sustainability, they start working on further developing and scaling up the next generation of building materials.
Tom gets chosen as the winner of the “Young Designer Award” at the Dutch Design Week with an approach that demonstrates “courage and the passion of a true artisan”.
The international focus also starts to pay off with new projects being realised in Amsterdam, London and New York.
Another milestone is StoneCycling’s biggest project to date: a residential development with over 260.000 kilograms of upcycled waste constructed on 11th Avenue in New York City.
Meanwhile, StoneCycling gets featured in respected publications such as Fast Company, Smithsonian and Dezeen.
A new branding, a new office and a new partnership! StoneCycling is making big steps to incorporate more sustainble building materials into their portfolio.
In a collaboration with Biomason® – the only company in the world employing biology to produce cement – BioBasedTiles® is launched as a new product to transform the construction sector.
With the help of bacteria, this tile grew in less than three days. It’s 20% lighter than a concrete block but three times stronger and does not require kiln firing. A real milestone!
After a decade of StoneCycling’s success, founder Tom van Soest returns to his roots by re-establishing his graduation project ‘Blended Materials’ into a design studio focused on waste and design.
StoneCycling as a company has come a long way. Yet it feels the journey just started. To increase the positive impact on architecture and the construction industry, the StoneCycling mission gets tweaked to: advancing the development, use and reuse of planet-friendly aesthetic building materials.
New partnerhips are made with Fassat Gevelsystemen (the detachable “Beyond Wall System”) and Circular Matters (CornWall). CornWall is a 100% biodegradable wall finishing material crafted from plant-based biomass. It is available in 2 sizes and 8 colours.
The world is changing fast, and so is the world of construction. That is why StoneCycling embarks on a new journey into the next dimension.
With the same expert team under a new name, FRONT®, they start expanding their collection of innovative sustainable materials to make even more impact.
The first new products added to the collection are the “Pretty Plastic Panels” (with Pretty Plastic) and the “Paper Waste Panels” (with ALTED Materials).
FRONT®: Your partner for sustainable, aesthetic building materials.
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