Silo Conversion: Zlin

Program: Public, Apartments

Location: Zlin, Czech Republic

Year: 2014

In Zlin, Czech Republic sits an abandoned factory complex once housing the world famous Bata shoe factory. The challenge of finding new ways to renovate and repurpose these buildings is a huge issue for the municipality.

A former grain silo with attractive construction, the main portion formerly consisted of multi-story vertical storage tanks. After removal of the tanks this created an enormous interior vertical space with tremendous potential. Every attempt was made to preserve the distinctive 1930’s industrial architecture with its skeletal system and brick walls visible from the exterior.

 

The building has been re-envisioned as residential housing with both low-cost and standard living environments, as well as a restaurant and shopping center on the ground level. The design was focused on preserving the open vertical space while building small apartment units supported by the skeletal system. The central point is a vast multi-story atrium providing ample natural light throughout the structure.