The aardehuizen in Olst were inspired by Earthships of architect Michael Reynolds. The first Earthships date back to the ‘70s and have been tested thoroughly by use. Discarded materials and local building materials determine the buildings. An earthship is designed for off-grid living.

Architect Michel Post of Orio Architecten has modified the design to meet Dutch conditions. (rains, temperature through the year and soil).

12 of the buildings have tire walls - filled with rammed earth - supporting the roof. The other 11 buildings are built with straw walls with a wood frame supporting the roof. The roofs are slanted 9º to catch a maximum of sun in winter and very little sun in summer.

The weeks between St. Nicolas and Christmas are often messy in which we still want to finish everything quickly.  But on 18^th December 2014 a final signal sounded  in the Earth houses project, where everybody who ever had been involved, has been looking forward to for a long, sometimes very long time. For on that day the last two houses completed hull and this put an end to the shell building of the earth houses.