When we first connected with CIRCL, it was clear they were not an ordinary construction company. They had a sharp focus on delivering fast, sustainable, and customer-centric solutions to rebuild homes, designed to address the real challenges of today’s housing market.

The European Union has mandated that all houses must be energy efficient by 2050. However, 80% of those houses are already standing today. This presents a significant challenge: many of these buildings are not energy efficient and, in their current state, cannot be renovated. As land for new homes becomes increasingly scarce, the only viable solution is to rebuild, demolishing and constructing homes that meet modern, sustainable standards. This is where CIRCL steps in.

CIRCL is not just another construction company—they are pioneers in the future of sustainable housing. Their innovative approach to demolition and rebuild projects is key to meeting the EU’s ambitious 2050 climate goals. With a focus on speed, sustainability, and customer-centric design, CIRCL is making rapid strides in reshaping the housing industry.

To do that, they needed a portal that could match the quality and precision of their construction model. A tool where customers could define their plot, customize a home, explore feasible designs, and get a quote, before even contacting an architect.

CIRCL’s mission required a unique innovation: how do you let customers fully configure a custom home from scratch, without overwhelming them? That meant developing a configurator capable of balancing complex geometric constraints with real-world construction logic, all while staying intuitive for the end user. The tool had to feel seamless, even though behind the scenes it was solving architectural and spatial puzzles in real time. It was ambitious—and that’s exactly why OWOW was excited to take it on.

When CIRCL came to OWOW, they had a bold mission and a clear problem: how do you take an ambitious idea like this and turn it into a working product, in just ten weeks?

The Challenge: Building the Configurator

CIRCL had already invested in early development. As Peter Bertels put it,

“We had a lot of pieces of the puzzle, but the puzzle wasn’t there.”

The core components—mapping tools, configurators, and user flows existed. But they hadn’t yet been brought together into a coherent experience. And some features, like the configurator, were technically complex enough to block progress.

As developer Thomas explained:

“They had a clear vision, but they struggled to get to the next stage. They had attempted development before, but the complexity of what they wanted to build—especially the configurator—had blocked progress.”

The configurator was one of the hardest technical problems: users needed to draw, move, and shape their ideal housing configuration. That required math-heavy functionality, geometry logic, and frontend behavior most teams don’t touch unless they have to.

And that was only one piece of the platform.

The Process: A Sprint Built on Trust, Simplicity, and Clarity

To move fast, the OWOW team narrowed the scope. The CIRCL MVP wouldn’t be a full-blown platform with every feature. It would be a focused flow to demonstrate the product's value.

As Anne, who led strategy, explained, the team had to protect the integrity of the idea without overwhelming users. That meant short onboarding, clear messaging, and a tool that worked intuitively. The key was to cut anything that didn’t directly support the core experience.

Design followed the same mindset. The interface needed to feel inviting and calm, even as it tackled a serious topic. Vincent designed around stripped-back UI, friendly illustrations, and a clean visual language to guide users through the unfamiliar without friction.

On the technical side, the team balanced ambition with pragmatism. They shipped a version of the configurator that was good enough, knowing they’d improve it later. To speed up development, they used AI tools to solve algebraic and geometric problems in real time, filling in knowledge gaps and keeping momentum high

Our Culture: Hybrid High-Performance

The CIRCL sprint was only possible because of how OWOW works. Our hybrid, high-performance culture gives teams the freedom to move fast and solve hard problems, without waiting on traditional handoffs or decision chains.

From day one, strategy, design, and development worked as one team. Feedback loops were tight, problems were surfaced early, and everyone stayed aligned on the goal.

When the team encountered complex logic challenges in CIRCL’s configurator, like solving equations and tackling layout geometry, they didn’t get stuck. Instead, they used AI tools to bridge knowledge gaps and support rapid problem-solving. This was done in close collaboration with the CIRCL team, combining the strengths and best practices of both sides.

It’s that blend of expertise, collaboration, and smart tooling that enables OWOW teams to ship faster and better

The Impact: Real Matches, Real Value, Real Momentum

Within ten weeks, CIRCL had a working MVP that was already capable of delivering value. Users could sign up, define what mattered to them, and get matched without ever submitting a photo or a CV.

But the impact wasn’t just in what the product did—it was what it proved. CIRCL could now:

• Show stakeholders a live product, not a pitch deck.
• Start validating ideas with real users.
• Attract partners and funders with a concrete demo.

Just as important, the product established trust. In a market where discrimination is the norm, CIRCL built something that gave people hope. A platform that made users feel seen—not judged.

The Lesson: Bold Ideas Need Sharp Execution

CIRCL reminded us that great products don’t come from complexity—they come from clarity. The team shipped fast because they stayed focused. They didn’t try to reinvent everything at once. They picked the right problems and solved them well.

Every decision was about building trust and protecting the integrity of the idea. That applied to design, strategy, and development alike. It also reflected how OWOW works as a team: with tight collaboration, fast iteration, and shared accountability.

Final Thoughts: Clarity, Culture, and What Comes Next

Not every CIRCL conversation led to code. In many cases, the most valuable thing we delivered was insight—helping the founders sharpen their thinking, test assumptions, and see their product through a new lens.

CIRCL was more than a fast project. It was proof that even big ideas can ship quickly when the scope is sharp, the culture is collaborative, and the mission is clear.

The product continues to evolve. OWOW continues to partner with CIRCL as they grow. But the sprint showed what’s possible when a high-performance team meets a purpose-driven idea.

If you want to learn more about how we built CIRCL—or what we learned in the process—feel free to reach out: