Tag Archives: silo

This disused grain silo that was converted into a micro-home is destined for the pages of Dr. Seuss

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Student designer Stella van Beers converted a disused grain silo into a two-story micro-home, fit for the pages of a Dr. Seuss adventure.

There are tiny homes, and then there are really tiny homes. We’re talking like Horton Hears a Who! type-tiny. Whimsical by their very nature, designing tiny homes can bring architects to the far reaches of their imaginations. In pursuit of her bachelor’s degree at Design Academy Eindhoven, student designer Stella van Beers looked to grain silos to find her whimsy.

Designer: Stella van Beers

Plotted all over the Netherlands’ countryside, grain silos are largely going out of use due to a country-wide reduction of livestock, leading to lower demand for grain. Converting the disused silos into a functional and quirky place of respite, Stella van Beers renovated the cylindrical unit into a micro home.

Using a university assignment as a jumping-off point, van Beers explains the project’s conception, “I thought, if I want to do something with a silo then I have to just buy one and see what’s possible.” With her eyes set on a seven-meter tall grain silo, which she found for sale online, the seller ended up giving van Beers the silo for free.

Considering their unique, tubular shape, turning one into a micro-home was a challenge, but a long-overdue dream of van Beers. “You always see them in rural areas,” van Beers explains, “I always really wanted to go inside one, so thought it could be a nice place for a temporary stay.”

Starting from the container’s exterior, van Beers constructed a set of double doors to create an entrance into her micro-home, which connects with a semi-wraparound deck and spiral staircase. Moving inside, van Beers lengthened the interior volume by installing two floors joined together by a short staircase and ladder.

A set of two convex windows peek into the silo’s first floor, where a dual living and workspace can be found. Ascending to the mezzanine, van Beers covered the top floor with a mattress to provide short-term sleeping accommodations. To top it all off, van Beers converted the spring-loaded top lid into a skylight.

The post This disused grain silo that was converted into a micro-home is destined for the pages of Dr. Seuss first appeared on Yanko Design.

This museum-inspired bicycle garage pushes the boundaries of urban mobility!

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Netherlands’ largest bicycle parking garage has been built in the Hague right in front of the Central Station. This facility is constructed beneath the Koningin Julianaplein and turns the mundane task of parking your bike into a short, memorable experience. Studio Marsman and Silo came together to design a spatial concept that gives you a museum-like experience within a bicycle parking garage. This unconventional creative idea has not only enhanced the comfort and safety of the thousands of daily users, but it has also turned into an attraction in Hague!

With white ceilings, smart directional markings, spacious aisles, and back-lit glass walls, the design for this garage radiates modern aesthetics and a ‘clean’ feeling that is not usually associated with something underground (think New York subway stations!). The garage is large enough to provide a safe space for about 8,000 bicycles and rental bikes within a secure environment. Silo is a creative studio that is known for its out-of-the-box branding, digital, and spatial design, and that combined with Studio Marsman’s strengths makes this project an iconic symbol in Hague’s urban mobility network. “The integrated application of light and spatial identity makes the facility appear more spacious,” explains Rene Stoneman, Creative Director at Silo. “Moreover, the visual interventions support the intuitive orientation, making it easier to find back your bike at the end of the day.”

The most gaze-worthy interior design feature in this garage is the Escher-inspired light wall that encloses the parking facility. The past, present, and future architecture of the Hague forms the basis for one continuous image that comprises façade elements of the city’s buildings. Cyclists experience the city’s skyline in one smooth movement as they move across the space. The exits of the parking garage will be integrated with the above-ground development, which includes residential towers, commercial spaces, and a public square to ensure efficient movement from the first step to the last. The project aims to create a service-oriented facility with a future-proof design that not only makes it easier for the commuter to find his bike but also turns it into a pleasant experience. Did you ever think your public parking garage could basically be an art museum? 2020 continues to surprise us all!

Designers: Studio Marsman and Silo

This R2-D2 like personal refrigerator can stock 60 soda cans!

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If you live with roommates or siblings then at some point you will really appreciate having a personal refrigerator during this lockdown and it doesn’t hurt if the appliance looks like a modern version of R2-D2. Silo is a personal refrigerator that solves two of its predecessor’s biggest issues – either they take too much ‘personal space’ or they can’t hold enough of your stuff and this is no time to be judged on your snack stock.

This personal fridge is both, beauty and brains if I have to put it in the simplest terms. Even if you find a good enough mini-fridge, it will not look as cool as Silo with its sleek curves and minimal design. For its size, you will be surprised how much it can store in its 3 Lazy Susan shelves – 2 tubs of ice-cream on the first level, 36 soda cans on the second level and 15 wine bottles on the third level. It also has an in-built ice-maker that empty’s into a stainless steel bucket that can be used to keep your drinks cool when we are allowed to have gatherings like summer barbeque parties again! Silo gives us something to look forward to while making our time indoors equally happy.

Silo’s physical form radiates a joyful emotion about the product and makes you truly connect with it. The fridge itself is only 30 inches tall, which means it is tinier than R2-D2. The lights at the top and bottom diffuse effortlessly to add a touch of luxury to your surroundings. I am going to call this an essential appliance now. Silo’s cylindrical build optimizes space and storage for small living set-ups like New York apartments or college dorms. Silo fits seamlessly in any interior setting and probably even elevates it, it is a mini-fridge that you don’t have to hide but might want to if you have the best snacks.

Designer: Ken Kirtland IV