Round houses have been a successful design option for thousands of years. Wind passes around the building and finds no resistance. Round buildings achieve much higher wind ratings than traditional straight edged buildings. Round houses also have less surface area on the exterior making for a home that is easier to heat and cool.
20 Of The Most Amazing Silo Homes
1) Monte-Silo House In Utah
Monte-Silo House in Woodland, Utah. Two linked corrugated metal grain silos by Gigaplex Architects. Pictures can be found on Montesilo’s site.
The south facing side of above silo house. Monte-Silo House in Woodland, Utah by Gigaplex Architects.
Bed cubbies in Monte-Silo House in Woodland, Utah by Gigaplex Architects.
Bed cubbies in Monte-Silo House in Woodland, Utah by Gigaplex Architects.
Curved kitchen in Monte-Silo House in Woodland, Utah by Gigaplex Architects.
2) Silo Tiny House
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOz6WYEDLpy/
This tiny home has been made out of a silo. Even in the snow, this silo house is a great shelter.
3) Silo Home In Maricopa County
A silo home with center garage. The three locally sourced silos are tied together and capped with a grain shoot. Gilbert, Maricopa County, Arizona. Read more about the home here: oneluckyday.net
4) Silo Bed & Breakfast
Local old grain silos become the Abbey Road Farm Bed & Breakfast, “Silo Suites”. Carlton, Oregon. abbeyroadfarm.com
5) Silo House With A View
Silo home from pinimg.com. This house includes a second story with a small porch.
6) Staircase In A Silo Home
Staircase in a two-story silo house.
7) Silo House With Rectangular Addition
Silo home in Germantown, NY By architect Michael Altschuler. Kitchen and bath are in rectangular addition. The House is discussed in an article by The New York Times.
Inside the silo home in Germantown, NY. The living room walls are covered by sheetrock to form an octagon. An oculus window lets in light.
8) Gruene Homestead Inn
Gruene Homestead Inn, Texas. The Silo is one of multiple units that can be found on their website gruenehomesteadinn.com.
9) Cornell’s Silo House
388 sq ft Silo House. The Cornell University Solar Decathlon entry for 2009. Made of Silos found in rural lands near Cornell. A rectilinear array of photovoltaics float above the entire structure. The open courtyard serves as the focal point of the house.
CorTen corrugated steel cladding and exposed steel beams on the interior. An innovative skin-integrated solar thermal system pre-heats hot water. To allow additional diffuse light and to promote stack ventilation, each cylinder has two operable Velux skylights. The Silohouse uses unique aerogel insulation to prevent thermal bridging from the house’s metallic frame, while permitting the use of thin insulation.
The center courtyard merges outer and inner. The rusted steel goes nicely with wood.
10) Small Silo Home In Montana
The grain bin in this photo has been transformed into a small home. Placed in the fields of Montana, it blends in with the surrounding landscape.
11) Silo Recording Studio
Silo converted into a recording studio. See interior below. Conversations on this recording studio can be found on www.gearslutz.com.
Inside of the grain silo converted into a recording studio.
12) Silo Home In Iowa
Sukup Safe T Homes are engineered 18′ – 254 sq. ft. structures that are quick and easy to construct, making them ideal for emergency, temporary or long term situations. Made in Iowa.
13) Silo House From The United Kingdom
This extremely large 16th-century barn with interior silos in Essex was transformed into a home with artist studios. Hudson Architects designed this building with extra space for guests.
Integrating the silos into the interior. Essex, UK.
14) Silo House From Kansas
This silo inspired concrete home in Kansas can withstand winds as high as 240 mph. This home is newly built in a community that was practically leveled in a 2007 tornado. The community silo was one of the only buildings left standing after the tornado. Numerous round designs are available: armourh.com
15) Silo Student Housing In Norway
Grünerløkka student housing complex, Oslo, Norway. Dorm rooms in an old grain elevator. Photo is by Marcus Ramberg via Flickr.
16) New Orleans Silo Home
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVKSj_1FYcW/
Pastel colors on this silo home add a fun touch to make this house unique. This house was found in New Orleans.
17) Silo House In The Middle Of The Woods
Round home with a silo look… Photo appears to have originated from Arro Design.
18) Blue Silo Home
Silo Home painted blue. Picture from aasweetdream.tumblr.com.
19) Charming Silo Home From Colorado
Silo home in Montezuma, Colorado. By Gina McCaleb.
20) Silo Swimming Pool
A cool silo pool. It may not be a house, but it’s still a great way to re-use a silo. BigBANG Studio has more information on the pool.
More silo homes:
Grain bin converted to home for $9000: farmshow.com
Construction photos: silobuild.wordpress.com
House in a can. 36′ dia home: austin-mergold.com
Some round house floor plans: dreamgreenhomes.com
Silo Homes: www.motherearthnews.com
Earthbag silo-shaped home plans: earthbagplans.wordpress.com
Large round floor plans: deltechomes.com
Buying a Used Silo
Ask local farmers, advertise in local farm newspapers.
Take note of the gauge and grade of the steel.
How to move a Grain Bin: joy-at-home.hubpages.com
I am a senior i love living green and recycling. Instead of using up everything help replace the trees and other natural environmental resources. I love canning, gardening, cob homes, bamboo, cedar wood, knitting, crocketing, quiting , sewing, writing, creating and making things better for everyone plus the next generation.
Hello!
In Estonia one old silo tower has been used for building an observatorium.
Kind regards, Annika Michelson
The address of the observatorium in Estonia is
tahetorn.eu/Info.html
An interesting idea, but reused actual silos look as though they would be cold in the winter and hot in the summer due to all that metal
Nasa makes an insulated paint, that isn’t incredibly expensive. that’s one option
AMAZING LIVING SPACES CAN INSTANTLY AND AFFORDABLYBE MADE WITH THE PURCHASE AND REUSE OF SILOS .. IM IN!
These structures are aesthetically incredible! How much labor is involved in converting into a comfortable living space?
These are not silos. These are grain bins used for storing and/or drying grain until sold on the market. A silo is much taller and seals tight with a bladder inside for storing silage (wet organic material which will ferment) to be fed to livestock during the winter.
I recently became disabled and now I am awaiting a amputation of my right foot have way up to my knee, I will soon be 36 and it’s depressing to become disabled at this age or any age for that matter. We live off my wife’s small paycheck through her work and are struggling so bad. We recently seen on tv a silo home and I’m a welder/fabricator by trade so I know a bit about metal and construction but again disabled now. We never thought we would ever be able to become homeowners without making payments on a house the rest of our life and never truely own it. I have a lawyer fighting for my disability and he is very confident I will win my disability case it’s just going to take a few months because nothing with the government is fast. But were so excited because when I win my case we will be able to find a rural spot of land, nothing big just a little spot, and we are in hopes of finding it in a rural area where just good down to earth people live, and find a older unused silo that someone would be willing to sell and take it a place it on the land we find, it would not take long to make it livable and once in we could work on the inside at our own pace and make it just the way we want it, it will be only my wife and I because I’m 2014 she miscarried and we recently found out she would not be able to carry a child full term, so we are all one another have. So if there is anyone who could share some basic blueprints of just a small regular silo home we would be greatful it would give us an idea on how to do it and we could go by the blueprint to add change this and that to make it out own. Now at this time we can’t afford to pay for them like I said I became disabled and have had a few s urgerys in the past few months now I’m awaiting an amputation on May 6th 2016, and before my wife gets her paycheck it’s already gone to bills rent, food, prescriptions, fuel for her to get to work and we do not have insurance so that makes it worse. But my lawyer is very confident I will win my case it’s just going to take a few months and when that time comes I could reimburse who ever sends us basic blueprints. We so excited because when I do get my back pay we can pay for the land and the silo it would be ours out right no payments we would be actual homeowners and the silo whould out last a normal home and diffently out last a RV. So if anyone can relate to us and could help us with the blueprints we truly would be greatful and we welcome any advise from anyone who may have gone through what were going through and just wasn’t ready to give up and fulfil there dreams when they seemed out of reach? We welcome any and all advise but I truely believe we could be home and land owners, feel free to call us anytime at 785-405-0131, and our mailing address is 550 east 5th street apt#6, colby,kansas,67701. Thank you so very much, Mary and Jeremy Owens
I didn’t mean any harm on the post I just made a few moments ago, I called them silos and thank you for correcting me that they are grain bins, again I’m sorry I’m not a farmer and did not know the difference, so if there is anyone who would be willing to help us with a basic grain bin blueprint or could offer any advise like we asked below we would be greatful. I know the info is below but I will post it again, our number is 785-405-0131, and mailing address is 550 east 5th street apt#6, colby, kansas, 67701. And our email is jeremyowens37@aol.com. Thanks for your time Mary & Jeremy Owens
I have a 65′ tall, 12′ dia. silo available. Used to be a Soda Ash Silo. It will need to be cleaned before use but will be clean enough to truck on loading if anyone is interested.
609-658-3777 garygmh@gmhassociates.com
Does anyone have a contact for someone who buys used grain silos in the South Carolina (or Southeast – halfway between Atlanta and Charlotte)? Also, looking to sell barn wood – they tear down. Thanks!
Does any body know who turns grain silos into homes in michigan? Please email me. I am selling my house buying land and want this home. One for me and one for my horse sunshine.
I am looking for plans to add a small silo, 3 stories, to my existing home. I found this site in my search. Does anyone know where I can plans for such an addition to my existing home? I will connect it to the home with a small hallway. Thank you.
That was my house in Montezuma, CO! It was a sweet place to live and a wonderful town.
We’re building a house on a lot with two storage bin pads. Once the house is built, I plan to build something on those pads and rent it out. Our timing is working perfectly as the area has recently announced two major developments to the north and the south of us that will draw people from all over. I even know of someone who has a bin they want to get rid of (if I could find a bin jack to borrow for a short time).
what insurance companies will insure a grain bin home?