Silo Micro Homes Could Be the New Tiny House

If you’re looking to downsize — like, really downsize — then take a look at the micro home Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Stella van Beers made out of an old grain silo.

Van Beers created a two-story, watchtower-style home out of a 23-foot silo she bought online and dubbed the project Silo Living. She believes that micro silo homes could function perfectly as short-term living solutions as the silos themselves are costly to dispose of and non-recyclable and the silo homes could not need local government permission to install.

“You always see them in rural areas,” van Beers told Dezeen. “I always really wanted to go inside one, so thought it could be a nice place for a temporary stay. I thought, if I want to do something with a silo then I have to just buy one and see what’s possible.”

Her first silo home features a spiral staircase from the ground level that leads up to a set of tiny double doors and a small deck.

Inside, the first floor functions as a living space with a ledge area perfect for eating or working. The second floor is a mezzanine sleeping area. The two floors are connected by a small staircase and ladder.

Van Beers’ silo features two bump-out windows and a skylight that can be accessed as a lookout. Most of these features are fairly standard, meaning the final product can be replicated again and again.

“There are a lot of things I would change if I made another,” Van Beers said, “but I’m really happy with this as a first prototype. A few people have slept in it already. If you have a bigger silo, you could use it as a living space for a longer amount of time.”

Silo homes aren’t for the claustrophobic, but for those who wish to get micro with their living space, they may just be the perfect solution.