Silos hold a significant place among the remnants of the industrial era, distinguished by both their technological innovations and their iconic presence in urban landscapes. Typically cylindrical and made of reinforced concrete, these structures effectively addressed the demands and challenges of industrialization, providing a robust and economical solution for storage. However, throughout the 20th century, with the advent of new logistics and the relocation of activities from some urban centers to expanding areas, many of these silos were decommissioned.
However, despite their enclosed design appearing to be an obstacle for new uses, recent decades have seen initiatives that embrace and repurpose these structures. These projects integrate silos into the urban environment, emphasizing their significance as part of the local collective memory.
From Ricardo Bofill's transformation of an old cement factory on the outskirts of Barcelona into an office and residence in 1973 to Heatherwick Studio's creation of the Zeitz MOCAA, the world's largest contemporary African art museum, in Cape Town in 2017, projects that repurpose silos have gained prominence. These initiatives preserve and adapt industrial structures to new contexts. Moreover, repurposing silos instead of demolishing them is a conscious and significant action for conserving energy and reducing construction waste.
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Utilitarian Creativity: Reinventing and Reading the SiloHere are 15 projects successfully tackling the challenge of adapting these unique structures to new functions.
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa / Heatherwick Studio
Gutmann Pellets Silo / Obermoser + partner architekten + Hanno Schlögl
Silo Point / Parameter Inc
Bacalan Block / COSA Colboc Sachet architectures
Silo Erlenmatt Renovation / Harry Gugger Studio
Garden Expo Silo Bookstore of Library AVANT-GARDE / China Architecture Design & Research Group
Silos 13 / vib architecture
Jellicoe Harbour and Silo Park / Taylor Cullity Lethlean, Wraight + Associates
The Factory / Ricardo Bofill
‘Kanaal’ in Wijnegem / Stéphane Beel Architects
MKM Museum Küppersmühle Extension / Herzog & de Meuron
The Silo / Cobe
Refunctionalization of the Marconetti Ex-Mill / Subsecretaría de Obras de Arquitectura, Gobierno de Santa Fe
University of the Arts Helsinki / JKMM Architects
Grand Granary Bookstore of Librairie Avant-Garde / SEU-ARCH Art+Zen Architects
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