Atelier Circuler cannot be described in one word. That would not do justice to this impressive company — a non-profit organization with three important purposes for the environmentally conscious DIYer: the materials bank, customized projects, and the open workshop. You can go there even without any handyman experience.
A little bit of history
A shortage of working space — that is what prompted Rens and two friends to rent a studio for their do-it-yourself projects five years ago. As enthusiastic woodworkers, they quickly discovered this was not just what they wanted. There was great demand among the people in Leuven for a public workspace where people could practice wood and metalworking to their heart’s content with all the tools available.
Two years later, the ‘Urban Mining’ project was set up together with the municipality of Leuven. Wood and metal are recovered from the urban environment, for example, residual materials from the demolition of houses and businesses. These residual materials are stored in their material bank and then resold as second-hand wood and metal. Many residual rest streams are also offered by a variety of timber companies. Think of panels, wood that does not meet the grade for the timber trade, and so on. Thus, a non-profit organisation was founded and given the appropriate name: Atelier Circuler.
From the toolbox
In the spacious workshop of 1000 m2, the open studio takes up the most space. There are many stationary tools available, such as a panel saw, a planer, and a band saw, among others. Ideal for larger projects. “People keep coming back for our collection of tools,” says Rens. “In addition to our stationary machines, we also have a huge range of Festool hand tools. This includes Festool milling machines, drills, hand sanders, and circular saws. The right tools for every job. We use Festool because of its unparalleled high quality and durability.”
Customized projects
The private studio also does not stand still. “We do many construction projects with materials from our material. People contact us with their ideas, and then we see how we can implement that idea with the materials that are in stock. We make absolutely everything: from kitchens, light boxes, and furniture to pagodas. All from recycled wood and metal.”
Courses and workshops
There are also courses for people with minimal experience in DIYs. And it doesn’t matter whether it concerns a welding or woodworking course – safe working is crucial at Circuler Atelier. “As a non-profit organization, we are there to provide a service to the people in the Leuven area. And the concept is successful. We recently moved to a larger building. However, this new workspace has already reached its maximum capacity. In the future, we either want to move to a larger building or to workspaces at multiple locations.”
