An idea developed during the Entrepreneurship course is now moving into its first experiments with circular building materials.
Many entrepreneurial ideas start with noticing something that others take for granted. For Shinwon Yun and Taehyun Kang, that starting point was soil.
During construction projects, large amounts of soil are excavated and often treated as waste. At the same time, the construction sector continues to rely heavily on materials with a high carbon footprint. Seeing this contrast led Shinwon and Taehyun to ask a simple question. Could excavated soil become a valuable building material instead of something that is discarded?
This question became the foundation for Aarde Collective, a venture focused on developing products and building systems using rammed earth made from locally sourced and reused soil. The aim is to transform excavated soil into circular applications for construction and furniture, while reducing carbon emissions and the need for new raw materials.
The idea started to take shape during the Entrepreneurship course at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, supported by BK-Launch. Within the course, Shinwon and Taehyun were able to develop the concept further and explore how it could move beyond a design idea and towards a practical application.
Their motivation to continue working on the concept recently received a boost when Aarde Collective was awarded a €2,500 start up voucher from BK-Launch. The voucher supports early stage ventures in taking their first concrete steps.
With this support, Shinwon and Taehyun are currently focusing on testing and prototyping. In collaboration with the Municipality of Rotterdam, they are working with verified and uncontaminated soil that can safely be used for experimentation.
One of their first prototypes is a greenhouse structure. In this project they are exploring whether compacted soil can function as thermal mass in the wall system. The walls absorb heat during the day and gradually release it again, which may help regulate the temperature inside the greenhouse.
At this stage Aarde Collective is focused on learning through experimentation. Their current work centres on improving rammed earth blocks and exploring how these elements can be produced and assembled more efficiently for construction.
For Shinwon and Taehyun, entrepreneurship means taking responsibility for turning an idea into something real. It involves working within uncertainty, testing assumptions, and continuously refining the concept along the way.
Category: Community