A small, repurposed urban dwelling in Phoenix, Arizona, the Silo House was designed and built by architect Christoph Kaiser of Kaiserworks. Originally a 1955 grain silo, the 340-square-foot structure was transformed into a tiny home in the city's Garfield Historic District. The project showcases a creative and sustainable approach to urban living, demonstrating that compact, repurposed architecture can be a joyful and soulful experience.

The silo's interior is arranged in an open, two-story floor plan. The first floor features the kitchen, living, and dining areas, while the bedroom is located on the second. To maximize usability and create an illusion of greater volume, the house was cleverly designed with space-saving custom furniture and concealed cabinetry. A nine-foot-wide sliding door connects the interior to a desert garden, which includes 16 mesquite trees and a water feature, creating a sense of being in a rural idyll despite the urban location.

The Silo House is designed for efficiency and energy conservation. The corrugated steel exterior is heavily insulated with 10 inches of spray foam, making it energy efficient. A motorized, retractable skylight, which once aerated grain, helps naturally cool the home's interior and fill it with natural light. The interior finishes, including scrap walnut plank flooring, create a warm contrast with the black steel elements of the structure.

The successful conversion of the silo led Kaiserworks to develop plans for a prefabricated silo kit house, aiming to make this unique and sustainable form of living more accessible.

Credits

Architect: Christoph Kaiser of Kaiserworks

Photography: Shelby Moore, Christoph Kaiser, Matt Winquist, Mark Lipczynski