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Upcycled Tiny House From 1950’s Grain Silo

June 21, 2017 by Shannon Leave a Comment

grain silo tiny house 1

The Silo House is upcycling at its finest – a 1955 steel grain silo converted into a beautiful, unconventional living space for two.  Built by architect Christoph Kaiser, the house sits in the heart of downtown Phoenix, AZ, in the Garfield Historic District.  The idea to create a compact, affordable home that would exhibit the potential of urban upcycling came to Christoph when he saw a Kansas farmer’s silo for sale online.  He brought the silo to Phoenix in pieces and began construction.

grain silo tiny house 2

The challenge in building the Silo House was to work within the very small, circular footprint of the silo and create a modern and comfortable living area.   Christoph achieved this beautifully.  He moved beyond ordinary construction principles to create everything in the round.  The finished home has a 230 square foot footprint and 340 square feet of total living space.

grain silo tiny house 3

The exterior of the Silo House was painted white to reflect the desert sun.  Subterranean air ducts and a functional skylight in the roof provide passive cooling to the home.  The landscaping complements the circular shape of the home with curved rock borders, garden beds, and a horizontal slatted privacy fence.

grain silo tiny house 4

From the staircase to the countertops, every inch of the interior of the home was carefully planned to fit within a crescent shape and maximize efficiency and usable space.  The airy loft provides room for a bed and storage perfectly suitable for an individual or couple.

grain silo tiny house 8

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The thought of assembling a kit of parts that fits in the bed of truck, and ending up with a home for two was a tantalizing challenge, very appealing from a carbon-footprint, sustainability, and, shall we say, ‘architectural rigor’ standpoint.

grain silo tiny house 7

On a personal note, I have had to jump through hoops in the past on almost every construction project I have dealt with – including construction of a new home in the country and the remodel of an old home in the city.  It seemed like every step I took was inhibited by some city or county code or regulation.  So my first thought when I saw that this silo home sits in downtown Phoenix was how Christoph possibly got the city to allow him to build a home out of an old silo.  However, the city accepted the project willingly and hoped it would act as a catalyst for entire community rehabilitation.  This sets a great example for other communities to follow.

Read more about this innovative home and Christoph’s other projects on his website.

(Images via Christoph Kaiser)
(Via WAN)

Filed Under: Sustainable Homes, Sustainable Living, Tiny Houses Tagged With: grain silo house, modern tiny house, silo house, tiny house, upcycled silo

Previous Post: « Luxury Tiny House by Chris Heininge Construction
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