The Earth Houses in Olst
Building, working, living, and thriving in harmony with nature, in connection with one another, and as an inspiration to the world
From sustainable construction to a vibrant green neighborhood
On the outskirts of Olst lies a unique ecological residential community. On this large plot of land—which was once nothing more than a vast expanse of farmland made up of clay and soil—there are now 23 Earth Houses and a shared Community House. These homes, built with loam, straw, and reused materials, were born out of a desire to live, build, and exist differently. With a greater focus on the earth and a desire to build a community together where people care for one another. And that is how the Earth Houses came to be.
1 Building Concept
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6 years of preparation
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4 years of construction
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23 Earth Houses
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2,000 volunteers
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5,000 car tires
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100,000 hours of work
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€5.500.000
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70 residents
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1 building concept ✦ 6 years of preparation ✦ 4 years of construction ✦ 23 earth houses ✦ 2,000 volunteers ✦ 5,000 car tires ✦ 100,000 hours of labor ✦ €5,500,000 ✦ 70 residents ✦
Experience
Discover, experience, and enjoy the Aardehuizen
You can already see them from the train: these 23 sustainably built homes in a green oasis. Some have a green dome on the roof, others feature a unique wooden structure, but they all share the same iconic look.
Have you always wanted to see the Aardehuizen? Come visit! We love sharing our beautiful neighborhood with others to inspire more people to embrace this way of building and living. We organize monthly open house tours, host regular inspiring events, and you can even rent the Middenhuis for your meeting, family celebration, or event.
Would you like more information about guided tours, rentals, and events? Read on!
Explore
Our Neighborhood in the Media
Are our walls really made of old car tires? Are the walls insulated with straw? And what is it really like to live in a community? These questions make our neighborhood a fun, inspiring, and interesting place for various media outlets to visit. As a result, we’re regularly featured in the news, in documentaries, and in other photo and video projects—from students to established names in the world of sustainability. Curious?
Construction
How We Built 23 Homes in 4 Years
What is now a vibrant neighborhood once began as an idea, a piece of land, and a group of people with a dream: to work together to build a self-sufficient, sustainable, and different way of living. The construction of the Aardehuizen is now long behind us, but we are more than happy to share the stories, lessons, and images as inspiration to encourage other dreamers and doers to start building their own sustainable dream.
Curious to know how we went about it?
Incubator
Pioneering, New Initiatives, and the Future
From the very beginning, we’ve continued to be pioneers and keep searching for new ways to live more sustainably, more intelligently, and more connected. As a result, our neighborhood has become a breeding ground: a place where new ideas are given room to grow and where we’re happy to do our part for a sustainable future.
We regularly participate in or lead projects related to sustainability, the food transition, and renewable energy, and we collaborate with universities of applied sciences. In this way, we not only inspire visitors and visionaries, but also provide a testing ground for researchers, students, and entrepreneurs who want to contribute to a more sustainable world—from local partnerships to international projects.
Curious about our residents’ collaborations, spin-offs, and entrepreneurial initiatives?
Guided Tours
We offer open tours every first Sunday of the month at 2:00 p.m. No registration is required. The tours last 1 to 1.5 hours and are suitable for people ages 10 and up.
We ask for a voluntary donation—a suggested amount of €6— to help us continue sharing our story with the world.
The next open tours will be held on:
